Switch to Renewable Energy to Cut Household Emissions

Guide · June 2026

Home energy is one of the largest, most controllable parts of a personal carbon footprint. Switching to renewable electricity — and electrifying what you can — is among the highest-impact moves available to most households.

Renewable vs non-renewable, quickly

Renewable sources — solar, wind, hydro, geothermal — replenish naturally and emit almost no carbon once built. Non-renewable sources — coal, oil and gas — are finite and release CO₂ every time they burn. Most grids are a mix of the two, so the cleaner your electricity, the smaller the footprint of everything you plug in.

Practical switches

Start with a green electricity tariff, then look at rooftop or community solar, a heat pump for heating, and shifting heavy use to off-peak hours. Check your energy footprint first, then commit to a change you will actually stick with.

Part of the bigger picture

This guide is part of our practical guide to reducing your carbon footprint.