A new study, Switching to Green (PDF), from the World Resources Institute outlines a five-step process for office- and retail-based companies to acquiring renewable energy. It also includes links to essential resources and brief examples of how companies have diversified their energy supply and supported the growth of clean energy technologies by incorporating renewable energy into their operations.

The guide’s five-step process includes:

• a discussion of the business case for buying renewable energy
• an overview of delivery options, including some of the advantages and disadvantages of going green
• cost-saving strategies that companies use
• a breakdown of how to buy renewable energy, from understanding the data you need to signing a contract, and
• a description of how the carbon benefit of your office’s renewable energy purchase is calculated.