Case Study: Intuit
Designing the Affinity Program
The Challenge
Intuit is a global leader in corporate sustainability with a strong commitment to carbon reduction strategies and to powering prosperity for customers.
These twin goals, for people and for the environment, led to a desire to reach outside their “four walls” and make an impact for their employees and customers.
Intuit has relied on RPD to provide custom solutions for their Mountain View, California, Plano, Texas, and Quincy, Washington, campuses so, once again, they turned to us for help.
The Solution
First, we worked with Intuit to develop key requirements for their new program:
- Physical renewable power with accompanying RECs from a local generator for their Plano, Texas, headquarters PLUS
- The ability to share their green power purchase with employees, customers, friends, and family
- Pricing that creates a premium green product at a brown power price
Next, from our network of generation partners, we selected Lone Star II Wind Farm. Owned and operated by EDP Renewables the facility is located a short drive from Intuit’s Plano campus and is connected to the same regional electric grid (ERCOT).
RPD worked with Just Energy to provide wholesale scheduling and balancing services, as well as retail supply, to Intuit’s Plano facility. RPD structured the transaction to meet the wholesale requirements of the generator, while using a standard retail supply contract for Intuit. Just
Energy agreed to offer Intuit’s Texas employees and partners the same green power product (Purely Green) at a price equal to their lowest brown power offerings.
In addition, RPD provides ongoing assistance with the design of web pages, email campaigns, and other marketing materials to promote the Affinity program.
The Bottom Line
This innovative structure developed by RPD creates an auditable contract and scheduling path from the renewable generator to Intuit’s Plano headquarters, as well as to employees, customers, and partners who enroll in the Purely Green program. This first of its kind program leverages
Intuit’s corporate buying power and customer aggregation ability for the benefit of their stakeholders, creating a truly unique premium green offer for residential and small commercial customers at a price equivalent to traditional brown power offers in Texas.
Benefits
- Intuit has a right-sized “slice” of committed renewable generation for its facility
- Intuit has direct access to renewable energy at a competitive price for use in meeting its overall sustainability objectives
- Intuit employees, customers, and partners can share in the same green power at a brown power price
- Intuit has marketing support from RPD for the program
Finally, a way for smaller corporate buyers to gain big benefits while also sharing the green with others!