NREL is a national laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy 

Efficiency & Renewable Energy, operated by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC.

Contract No. DE-AC36-08GO28308

Made with Renewable Energy: 

How and Why Companies are 

Labeling Consumer Products

Deborah Baker Brannan, Jenny Heeter, and 

Lori Bird

Technical Report

NREL/TP-6A20-53764

March 2012
NREL is a national laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy 

Efficiency & Renewable Energy, operated by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC.

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

1617 Cole Boulevard

Golden, Colorado 80401

303-275-3000 • www.nrel.gov

Contract No. DE-AC36-08GO28308

Made with Renewable Energy: 

How and Why Companies are 

Labeling Consumer Products

Deborah Baker Brannan, Jenny Heeter, 

and Lori Bird

Prepared under Task No. SAO9.3110

Technical Report

NREL/TP-6A20-53764

March 2012
NOTICE

This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United States government. 

Neither the United States government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, 

express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of 

any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately 

owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, 

trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, 

or favoring by the United States government or any agency thereof. The views and opinions of authors 

expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States government or any agency thereof.

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iii

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Chuck Bennett (Aveda), Ellen Kondracki and John Ferris (Becton, Dickinson 

and Company), Eric Carlson (Carbonfund.org), Sujeesh Krishnan (formerly of Carbon Trust), 

Joel Morris (Carbon Trust), Steve Ott (Cascades Tissue Group), Orrin Cook and Robin Quarrier

(Center for Resource Solutions), Julie Berling (GNP Company’s Just BARE Brand), Rick 

Halverson (Great River Organic Milling Company), Katie Wallace (New Belgium Brewery), 

Owen Cox (New Leaf Paper), Joe Anzalone (New Resource Bank), David Walker (PepsiCo), 

Laura Thompson (Sappi Paper), Franklyn Ericson and Dan Lawson (SC Johnson), Donald Bozek 

(Strathmore Artist Paper), Blaine Collinson (U.S. EPA Green Power Partnership Program), 

David Ozment and Caroline Conway (Walmart), Deanna Bratter (Whitewave), Angelika Pullen 

(WindMade), Kathy Loftus (Whole Foods), and other interview participants. The authors thank 

Lynn Billman and Robin Newmark of NREL for their review and NREL Communications for 

their editing.
iv

List of Acronyms and Abbreviations

BD Becton, Dickinson and Company

CRL carbon reduction label

DOE U.S. Department of Energy

EERE Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

EPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

FTC Federal Trade Commission

GWh gigawatt-hour

kW kilowatt

kWh kilowatt-hour

NREL National Renewable Energy Laboratory

QR quick response

REC renewable energy certificate

USDA U.S. Department of Agriculture
v

Executive Summary

Green marketing—a marketing strategy highlighting the environmental attributes of a product—

dates back to the 1970s but began to flourish in the early 1990s. More recently, a number of 

companies using renewable energy in the manufacture of products have begun to communicate 

renewable energy use directly on product packaging, relying either on a logo or some 

combination of text and imagery. This report discusses the experience of companies that 

communicate to consumers that products are “made with renewable energy.” Corporate 

commitments to using renewable energy, and communicating that commitment on product 

packaging and through other means, could play an important role in educating consumers about 

the availability and feasibility of using renewable energy as an alternative energy source.

Researchers identified nearly 50 companies that communicate renewable energy use on product 

packaging. Representatives from 20 companies were interviewed and asked to discuss their 

experiences marketing products produced with renewable energy. Companies take a variety of 

approaches to communicating to consumers that their products are made with renewable energy. 

Some companies are labeling on-product, while others are using their websites, social media, and 

other promotions. On-product labeling can include use of a logo or use of imagery and 

statements, such as a picture of a wind turbine and note that the product is made with renewable 

energy. 

Why are companies promoting the use of renewable energy on products? The primary 

motivation identified was to communicate to the consumer about the company’s commitment to 

renewable energy and, in doing so, enhance the image of the brand. Other motivations included 

differentiating a product, targeting environmentally conscious consumers, and to a lesser degree, 

following an existing industry trend and earning a price premium.

What challenges do companies face when making on-product claims about renewable energy? 

One of the primary challenges identified was the limited and competing uses of physical space 

on a product (“product real estate”). Other challenges included determining the appropriate 

language and content to include and knowing whether consumers will recognize and understand 

renewable energy messages. Costs associated with modifying packaging, costs of certification 

and program requirements for use of a third-party logo, and international product marketing were 

identified as minor challenges.

The future growth rate of this new market for labeling products with renewable energy claims 

remains to be seen. While some lessons can be learned from how eco-products have been 

marketed historically, products that are made with renewable energy are unique in that they are 

identical to the comparable conventional product in quality and performance; only the energy 

used to manufacture the product is different. 
vi

Table of Contents

List of Figures .........................................................................................................................vii

1 Introduction.........................................................................................................................1

2 Experience Offering Products Made with Renewable Energy..........................................3

3 Communicating the Use of Renewable Energy.................................................................5

3.1 On-Product Messaging.........................................................................................................5

3.2 Websites, Social Media, and Other Promotions ................................................................11

3.3 Carbon Labels for Consumer Products..............................................................................12

4 Motivations for Promoting Products as Made with Renewable Energy .......................15

4.1 Communicate to the Consumer and Enhance the Image of the Brand ..............................15

4.2 Product Differentiation ......................................................................................................15

4.3 Targeting Environmentally Conscious Consumers ...........................................................16

4.4 Following an Existing Industry Trend ...............................................................................16

4.5 Price Premium....................................................................................................................17

5 Challenges with Product Labeling and Claims ...............................................................18

5.1 Limited and Competing Uses of Product Real Estate........................................................18

5.2 Language and Content .......................................................................................................19

5.3 Consumer Recognition and Understanding .......................................................................21

5.4 Product Packaging Costs....................................................................................................22

5.5 Cost of Certification and Program Requirements..............................................................22

5.6 Products Marketed Internationally.....................................................................................22

6 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................23

References ..............................................................................................................................25

Appendix A: Sample of Labeling Efforts...............................................................................27
vii

List of Figures

Figure 1. Aveda’s website content on renewable energy ............................................................... 5

Figure 2. Strathmore Artists Windpower Watercolor paper........................................................... 6

Figure 3. Santa Cruz Organics Green-e labeling ............................................................................ 7

Figure 4. Cascades Tissue Group’s Green-e labeling..................................................................... 8

Figure 5. Number of participants in the Green-e Markeplace Program, 2004-2010 ...................... 9

Figure 6. Carbon Trust’s Carbon Reduction Label on Just BARE’s packaging .......................... 10

Figure 7. WindMade’s sample logos for business use.................................................................. 11

Figure 8. Tesco’s Carbon Trust labeling....................................................................................... 13

Figure 9. Carbonfund.org’s Carbonfree label............................................................................... 14
1

1 Introduction

Green marketing—a marketing strategy highlighting the environmental attributes of a product, 

often through the use of labels or logos—dates back to the 1970s. It did not proliferate until the 

1990s (Rex and Baumann 2007), however, when extensive market research identified a rapidly 

growing group of consumers with a heightened concern for the environment. Consumers

expressed not only a preference for green products but also a willingness to pay a premium for 

such products (Peattie and Crane 2005). The response was a surge in green marketing that lasted 

through the early 1990s. By the mid-1990s, however, the green marketing rush had waned. The 

market for green products had remained relatively weak due to the apparent gap between 

environmental concern and sales suggested by consumer surveys to actual sales achieved (Rex 

and Baumann 2007; Peattie and Crane 2005).

Although green products remain a niche market, more than 80% of consumers continue to 

express interest in protecting the environment, even though those levels have declined slightly in 

recent years (Natural Marketing Institute 2011). As such, companies continue to pursue new 

ways of communicating their actions to protect the environment to consumers. Providing 

information on the type of energy used to produce a product—specifically whether it is made 

with renewable energy—is an emerging strategy. Survey data suggest that consumers view 

renewable energy favorably and prefer products made with renewable energy sources. Surveys 

conducted by the Natural Marketing Institute, for example, found that 80% of consumers in 2010

indicated that they care about the use of renewable energy (Natural Marketing Institute 2011). 

Additionally, a recent poll conducted by Vestas and TNS Gallup found that 65% of consumers 

worldwide prefer products that are made with wind energy (Vestas and TNS Gallup 2011). 

A number of companies using renewable energy in the manufacture of products communicate 

this directly on product packaging, relying either on a logo or on some combination of text and 

imagery (e.g., wind turbines). Other companies have refrained from using on-product messaging 

and rely on other types of marketing collateral to communicate their use of renewable energy, 

typically via their websites. In general, communicating the renewable energy content of products 

differs from some earlier green marketing efforts that often focused on modifications made to the 

products themselves. One reason the adoption of green products has been limited is because

green products often do not compete with comparable conventional products on important 

dimensions, such as price, quality, or performance (Gallastegui 2002). Products that use less 

material or recycled material, for example, could be viewed as inferior or less effective. In 

contrast, the use of renewable energy in the manufacture of a product has no impact on the 

quality of the product itself. Therefore, previous experience with green marketing might not be 

entirely transferable to this new strategy of communicating the renewable energy used in

manufacturing a product.

This report discusses the experience of companies that communicate to consumers that products 

are “made with renewable energy.” Representatives from 20 companies were interviewed and 

asked to discuss their experiences marketing products produced using renewable energy. 

Interview participants were asked to discuss motivations for making on-product claims and to 

describe their primary challenges in labeling products with renewable energy use. The small 

number of interviews would not have provided robust quantitative data; therefore, interviews 

focused on gathering qualitative responses. The first half of this report provides an overview of 
2

the type of companies that have labeled products or advertised them as being made with 

renewable energy. It also highlights the avenues companies use to describe their use of 

renewable energy. What follows is a discussion of the motivations for making on-product claims 

about the use of renewable energy and the challenges in doing so, based on insights learned 

through the interview process.
3

2 Experience Offering Products Made with Renewable Energy

The environmental attributes of a product increasingly factor into the consumer’s purchasing 

decision—including the type of energy used to manufacture the product. A recent global 

consumer survey revealed that 65% of consumers worldwide would prefer a product made with 

wind energy (Vestas and TNS Gallup 2011). Companies have begun offering products that are 

made with renewable energy. Highlighting the energy source used to make the product allows a 

company to differentiate its product, communicate its environmental activities and sustainability 

ethic, and enhance the image of the brand. For the renewable energy industry, corporate interest 

in promoting the use of renewable energy in the manufacture of products helps educate 

consumers about the benefits of renewable energy and demonstrate that it is an option for 

electricity generation.

Although there is no comprehensive database identifying all companies in the United States that 

advertise that their products are made with renewable energy, researchers identified nearly 50 

companies that do so. Thirty-eight companies are members of the Green-e Marketplace1 and at 

least nine companies make independent claims of using renewable energy: Aveda, Boulder 

Canyon Chips, Drew’s (salad dressing), Kettle Brand (potato chips), Lundberg Family Farms, 

New Belgium Brewing, Kraft, SC Johnson, and WhiteWave Foods. Appendix A provides a 

sample of these companies, which range in size from small companies to large multinational 

corporations and cover a wide spectrum of industries. Some companies are in the business-tobusiness sector and others are in the business-to-consumer sector. 

The extent to which companies market the use of renewable energy in the manufacturing of 

products varies considerably. Some companies use renewable energy and make claims on one 

product, and others label a single line or multiple product lines. Of SC Johnson’s Ziploc product

line, for example, only the Ziploc Evolve carries a statement that the product is “made with wind 

energy.” Other companies advertise their use of renewable energy more broadly and apply it to 

an entire product line. Cascades Tissue Group’s North River brand, for example—which 

includes toilet paper, hand towels, and other tissue products—all carry the Green-e logo. The 

oldest and most well-known third-party certified renewable energy logo in the United States is 

the Green-e logo. Companies using 100% renewable energy for their manufacturing facilities, as 

well as a minimum amount for their entire company, are eligible to use the Green-e Marketplace 

logo, though not all companies choose to do so.

2 Fifty-one organizations participated in the 

Green-e Marketplace program at some point in 2010, with 500 products achieving certification 

and carrying the Green-e logo (Center for Resource Solutions 2010). For more information on 

Green-e, refer to Text Box 1. Additionally, some companies use labels or other means to 

 1 Members of the Green-e Marketplace include companies in industries such as food and beverage, health and 

beauty, printing and packaging, manufacturing, media and communications, Internet and hosting, home and office, 

art, life science, events, and non-profit. http://www.green-e.org/base/pl_products?dd_74=1&test=y. Accessed 

January 9, 2012.

2 Renewable energy can be from onsite generation or through the purchase of Green-e Energy certified renewable 

energy certificates (RECs). The minimum renewable energy use for the company is based on a sliding scale 

depending on the company’s annual electricity use. See http://www.green-e.org/getcert_bus_howto.shtml for more 

information.
4

advertise that all of their products are made using renewable energy. For example, all Intelligent 

Nutrients health and beauty products carry the Green-e logo.

Companies in both business-to-business and business-to-consumer sectors have communicated 

their use of renewable energy on specific product lines or through a broader corporate branding 

initiative. Companies in the business-to-business sector have a tendency to use renewable energy 

labeling for a specific product or product line. For example, Cascades Tissue Group advertises its 

use of renewable energy as part of its marketing strategy for the North River brand of tissue 

products, which is sold exclusively to commercial and industrial customers. Some companies, 

however, are taking a corporate branding approach. For example, BD (Becton, Dickinson and 

Company, a medical technology company) has incorporated the use of logos to convey its use of 

renewable energy into its corporate brand and anticipates extensive use of a renewable energy 

product logo in the years ahead.

The majority of products made with renewable energy are designed to appeal to the 

environmentally conscious consumer, such that being “made with renewable energy” simply 

adds to the image of the product, product line, or corporate brand. The Ziploc Evolve plastic bag, 

for example, uses 25% less plastic than comparable products, in addition to being manufactured 

partially using wind energy. Among food products, “natural” food products are more likely to be 

labeled as being made with renewable energy. WhiteWave Foods, for example, advertises its 

involvement with renewable energy on Silk and Horizon Organics products but does not include 

on-product messaging on its International Delight products—which are not “natural” food 

products—even though International Delight products also are made using renewable energy. 

The International Delight website does include information about renewable energy use.

Some products and companies have neither a natural connection to the environmental consumer 

or the ability to easily integrate onsite renewable generation facilities. For example, BD 

purchases 100% of its electricity for one of its manufacturing facilities through a utility green 

power program and expects to label products, such as hypodermic needles, in the near future.

Some companies do not sell any products and instead provide services, including services that do 

not have a natural connection to the environmental consumer. HostPapa offers Internet hosting 

services, for example, and iMoveGreen and iStoreGreen provide moving and storage services. 

These companies tend to use renewable energy to brand themselves as being committed to 

renewable energy and environmental sustainability and, as a result, appeal to the environmentally

conscious consumer.
5

3 Communicating the Use of Renewable Energy

Companies take a variety of approaches for communicating to consumers that their products are 

made with renewable energy. The traditional method to highlight the use of renewable energy in 

the manufacturing of a product is to show the information directly on the product or product 

packaging. “Packaging is a real and tangible way to engage consumers,” said Julie Berling, 

director of brand advocacy for GNP Company. GNP Company sells premium chicken products 

and, according to Bering, on-product messaging is important because “It’s really the first 

introduction consumers have with our brand, and if they like what they see, they’re more likely 

to try it” (Berling 2011).

On-product messaging has its challenges, however. The limited real estate available on product 

packaging can make it difficult to incorporate renewable energy logos, imagery, or information 

on the package. Aside from logistical complications, on-product messaging faces other 

challenges. For one, on-product messaging might not be effective. “People are busy, and may not 

be paying attention” (Berling 2011). Consumers also might be hesitant to trust on-product 

messaging due to a growing concern over “green washing.” For these reasons, some companies 

have avoided on-product messaging altogether. The beauty product company Aveda, for 

example, uses some on-product messaging but also advertises its commitment to renewable 

energy through outlets including its website (Figure 1), Facebook, salons, and stores.

Figure 1. Aveda’s website content on renewable energy

Source: Aveda Corporation

3.1 On-Product Messaging

There are two classes of on-product messaging: (1) imagery and statements and (2) logos. In the 

first category, companies have opted to use imagery (primarily of wind turbines), which 

generally is accompanied by a statement describing the company’s involvement with renewable 

energy. Strathmore Artists Windpower Watercolor paper features a wind turbine on the cover of 
6

the package as well as a description of the company’s renewable energy use on the inside cover 

(Figure 2). 

Companies vary in the amount of information that accompanies imagery on products. Some 

companies include a one-sentence statement and others include entire paragraphs. Kettle Brand,

for example, uses the statement “And they’re backed by a commitment to sustainability like 

wind power, solar power, green building, and biodiesel,” which is accompanied by an image of 

the sun. Conversely, WhiteWave Food’s Silk soymilk uses most of the side panel on the carton 

and includes images of wind turbines and a paragraph describing the company’s involvement 

with renewable energy.

Rather than using imagery and statements, many companies use a renewable energy logo, similar 

to the USDA Organic logo or the Dolphin-Safe logo. A label or logo that is recognizable, easy to 

understand, and trusted is more effective at conveying information to the consumer and, as a 

result, contributes to market growth (Rex and Baumann 2007). Companies that rely on a logo use 

either an independent logo (one that is self-designed) or a third-party verified logo. Each 

approach has advantages and disadvantages.

Figure 2. Strathmore Artists Windpower Watercolor paper

Source: Strathmore Artists

A common concern when using any type of logo is that consumers might not recognize the logo 

or might not understand what it means. By using an independent logo, a company can develop 

something it thinks will effectively engage its consumers. Independent logos typically make use 

of strong imagery, incorporating a wind turbine, a green leaf, or the planet Earth. These logos 

generally include text such as “made with renewable energy” or “made with green energy.” A 
7

company might be inclined to use its own logo instead of paying a licensing fee to use a thirdparty logo. Although the vast majority of interviewed companies that use a third-party logo did 

not identify licensing costs as significant, a few companies did comment that because it was 

difficult to quantitatively identify the benefits associated with using the logo, it was a line-item in 

the budget that could come under scrutiny.

Third-party logos could be beneficial in that they can provide credibility to the renewable energy 

claim. Credibility is highly desirable by companies, as they seek to avoid potential negative 

publicity associated with “green washing.” Laura M. Thompson, Ph.D, Director of Sustainability 

and Technical Marketing for Sappi Fine Paper North America, commented that third-party 

certifications offer additional assurances to customers. Thompson says, “At Sappi, we routinely 

make claims about our high levels of renewable energy usage but many of our customers also 

want a third-party logo attesting to this certification” (Thompson 2011). Among other 

companies, Santa Cruz Organics and Cascades Tissue Group both use the third-party Green-e 

logo on their products (see Figure 3 and Figure 4). 

Figure 3. Santa Cruz Organics Green-e labeling

Source: Center for Resource Solutions
8

Figure 4. Cascades Tissue Group’s Green-e labeling 

Source: Cascades Tissue Group
9

Text Box 1. Green-e Marketplace Program

The Green-e program was developed in 1998 by the Center for Resource Solutions to provide 

transparency and accountability to the voluntary renewable energy market. Green-e Energy and 

Green-e Climate verify and certify renewable energy and carbon offsets, respectively. As more and 

more businesses turned to Green-e for third-party certification of on-site generation or the purchase of 

third-party certified RECs, the Center for Resource Solutions developed the Green-e Marketplace in 

2004. This provides businesses with a way of communicating their commitment to renewable energy 

to their customers. Businesses meeting a minimum renewable energy requirement for their U.S. 

operations using Green-e Energy certified renewable energy may display the Green-e logo on annual 

reports, sustainability reports, and websites. To be permitted to display the logo directly on a product, 

product packaging, and product marketing materials, a company must meet the additional requirement 

that the product must have been manufactured using 100% renewable energy.

Since the inception of the Green-e Marketplace, the number of participating businesses and the 

number of products carrying the logo both have grown. In 2004, 40 companies were members of 

Green-e Marketplace and only 12 products carried the Green-e logo (Center for Resource Solutions 

2004). By 2010, these numbers had risen to 51 companies and more than 500 products (Center for 

Resource Solutions 2010). These companies alone accounted for approximately 394 gigawatt-hours 

(GWh) of renewable electricity generation in 2010 (Center for Resource Solutions 2011).

Figure 5. Number of participants in the Green-e Markeplace Program, 2004–2010

Members of Green-e Marketplace span a range of industries, including printing and packaging, food 

and beverage, health and beauty, and Internet data centers. In addition to the wide variety of industries 

making “made with renewable energy” claims, the members of Green-e Marketplace include both 

small and large companies. Companies such as Office Depot, SC Johnson, Intel, and Pepsi all have 

been members of Green-e Marketplace. 

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Number of participants in 

Green-e Marketplace 

program
10

In some cases, rather than using the Green-e logo, companies have opted to use the logos of their 

Green-e Energy certified REC providers. GNP Company’s Just BARE Chicken product line 

formerly carried the Renewable Choice Energy logo.

Text Box 2. GNP Company

GNP Company is a producer of premium chicken products in the Midwest. The company was founded in 

1926 and has been owned and operated by three generations of the Helgeson family. It has a strong 

commitment to family farming and environmental sustainability. GNP Company has two premium, natural 

brands: Gold’n Plump and Just BARE. The Just BARE product line was launched in 2008 in response to 

the consumer demand for fresh chicken products made to meet higher standards of natural products that 

research identified. The Just BARE product line is intended to meet this consumer demand by offering a 

premium quality product with a commitment to environmental sustainability. In particular, the Just BARE 

brand only uses chickens raised on vegetarian feed and no antibiotics and strives for more sustainable 

packaging. In 2010, GNP Company wanted to reinforce the claims of the brand, so it conducted a life cycle 

assessment of the carbon content of Just BARE products and had the results of the analysis certified to the 

PAS 2050:2008 by the Carbon Trust and committed to reducing the carbon emissions. At the same time, it 

partnered with Renewable Choice Energy to match the energy used in the manufacturing process with 

RECs. Just BARE products currently carry the Carbon Trust’s Carbon Reduction Label and promote the 

company’s work with Renewable Choice Energy on its website and in various marketing materials.

Figure 6. Carbon Trust’s Carbon Reduction Label on Just BARE’s packaging

In addition to the on-product messaging, the Just BARE brand actively promoted its involvement with 

renewable energy through other means. A promotion called “Learn to Earn,” for example, enabled 

consumers to answer questions on sustainability on the company’s website. If a customer answered one 

question correctly, they earned a coupon. The company used on-pack stickers and Facebook to promote the 

“Learn to Earn” campaign, and also has used blogs in its effort to engage and educate consumers.

Just BARE cited both product differentiation and brand enhancement as the primary motivations for using 

the renewable energy logo. The biggest challenge associated with on-product labeling is the limited and 

competing uses of product packaging real estate. Julie Berling commented that having on-product 

messaging is critical, “If we can’t show it on the package, it won’t motivate a purchase.” There are many

competing uses of product packaging, however, and not just for marketing. As a producer of fresh chicken 

products, GNP Company’s brands are required to include safe handling instructions on the package.
11

As an emerging marketing tool, new logos are continuously entering the marketplace. Recently, 

the non-profit organization WindMade published the first global renewable energy label for 

companies using wind power in their operations. Windmade’s lead sponsor and founding partner 

is Vestas.3 Businesses that want to use the WindMade label must procure a minimum of 25% of 

their power demand from wind power. Procurements are verified by a third-party. Businesses 

can use two different types of labels, one that focuses on the wind power used and one that 

mentions the use of other renewable technologies (Figure 7). WindMade is currently developing 

a standard for labeling products, which is scheduled to be launched in the summer of 2012.

Figure 7. WindMade’s sample logos for business use

Source: WindMade

Some of the companies interviewed highlighted that a multi-attribute label could address 

concerns regarding limited packing real estate and could simplify the certification process on the 

company end. A multi-attribute label could address multiple environmental attributes—not just 

the use of renewable energy. There has been some preliminary discussion of multi-attribute ecolabeling; however, many challenges would face such a development, including how the standards 

would be set, which attributes to include, and how the FTC would treat such a label.

3.2 Websites, Social Media, and Other Promotions

Regardless of whether a company uses on-product messaging, it typically relies on its website as 

an additional means of communication. Websites have minimal constraints, so companies may 

include detailed descriptions of their involvement with renewable energy. In conventional 

marketing efforts, product labels and logos are just one technique in the marketers’ toolbox (Rex 

and Baumann 2007). To effectively market a product and spur market growth, a variety of 

marketing strategies should be adopted (e.g., advertisements, publicity, and sales promotions).4

Companies often describe their onsite generation facilities, green power purchases, and REC 

purchases through these means. Interestingly, some service-based companies also communicate 

their use of renewable energy through websites. Such companies do not have a product per se, 

however, and rely exclusively on their websites and other venues to communicate their 

 3 Other founding partners include The Global Wind Energy Council, WWF, UN Global Compact, The LEGO 

Group, PwC, and Bloomberg. 

4 Companies also promote renewable energy use to their employees, for example, through banners. BD has used the 

Green-e logo on parking lot banners and on cookies for a company party. 
12

involvement with renewable energy. Internet-hosting company HostPapa, for example, has 

branded itself as a “green” hosting company.

In addition to websites, some companies are using more modern marketing techniques such as 

quick response (QR) codes and social networks like Facebook. Strathmore Artists Paper, for 

example, uses QR codes so consumers wanting to learn more about how renewable energy is 

used to manufacture the product can scan the QR code and be directed to a website. The rise of 

social media has prompted companies to also advertise products through social networks like 

Facebook. Aveda, for example, has created a Facebook page devoted specifically to the 

company’s renewable energy purchases.

Companies also are using promotions specifically focused on renewable energy as a way to 

engage and educate consumers. The GNP Company, for example, launched a “Learn to Earn” 

promotion (see Text Box 2) in early 2011. Since the launch, it has been one of the most visited 

sections of the company’s website. Whitewave, owner of the Silk, Horizon, and International 

Delight brands of dairy products, developed the “Green Caps” program, in which Whitewave 

makes a financial donation to the Bonneville Environmental Foundation or Farm Aid for each 

consumer who purchases a Silk product with a green cap and registers the cap online. Deanna 

Bratter of Whitewave commented on the effectiveness of promotions in reaching new 

consumers:

We have different types of consumers for our Silk products. The consumers we 

are currently trying to engage are people who are interested in natural and organic 

but have never tried soymilk, or they aren’t really sure of the benefits of organic. 

A promotion specifically targeted around green energy is a good way to educate 

them and help drive their purchase decisions (Bratter 2011).

Approximately 300,000 green caps were donated through the Green Caps program to either 

Bonneville Environmental Foundation or Farm Aid.

Companies using renewable energy are increasingly communicating with consumers in a variety 

of ways so that consumers can access the information when they want to and in the manner they 

prefer. “It is critically important to have a multi-pronged approach because people consume 

media in very different ways” (Berling 2011). Much uncertainty remains, however, regarding 

whether consumers will be receptive to this type of strategy and how far-reaching it could be. At 

this point, it is unclear whether products made with renewable energy will appeal only to a niche 

consumer segment or instead have a broader appeal.

3.3 Carbon Labels for Consumer Products

Carbon labels are increasingly being used to reflect a product’s carbon emissions, which can 

include a renewable energy component. Although broader than renewable energy labels, 

constituting a different type of claim, companies using carbon labels may use renewable energy 

to reduce the carbon footprint of products. The past decade has witnessed a growing interest in 

carbon product labeling worldwide and examples can be found in the United Kingdom, the 

United States, Canada, Switzerland, Japan, South Korea, and Thailand, among others.
13 

Although renewable energy labeling often can be done in-house and potentially can be verified 

by a third-party, labeling the carbon content of products depends on third-party systems to 

account for the carbon content. Perhaps the most recognized carbon label is the Carbon Trust’s 

carbon reduction label (CRL) or the “black footprint” label, prominent in the United Kingdom

and other European markets and just emerging in U.S. markets. As more businesses began to 

measure and reduce their emissions, the Carbon Trust developed a product label for companies 

to use to effectively communicate their actions. To use the label, companies must undergo a life

cycle analysis to determine the carbon footprint of the product and must make a commitment to 

reduce their carbon emissions reduction. The “black footprint” takes on two forms, a label or a 

logo. The CRL indicates that the product life cycle GHG emissions have been calculated and

undergone third-party certification, and the parent company is committed to reducing the life

cycle GHG emissions of the product. Inclusion of the product carbon footprint number is 

optional. Figure 8 shows the CRL label used by Tesco on its orange juice products. 

Figure 8. Tesco’s Carbon Trust labeling

Source: Carbon-label.com

To date, the Carbon Trust has certified approximately 27,000 product carbon footprints

worldwide. In the United Kingdom alone, the carbon footprint reduction label appeared on 

products with a retail value of approximately £2 billion ($3.2 billion) in 2010 (Carbon 

Trust 2010). 

The CRL primarily is a content-based label, but it includes a performance aspect. Namely, 

companies using the label make a commitment to reduce the life cycle carbon emissions of their 

product, and only those companies that achieve carbon reductions may continue to use the label. 

Renewable energy is one way of reducing carbon emissions and meeting reduction goals. The 

Carbon Trust has worked with approximately 25 companies in the United States, and one-fifth of 

those companies have considered renewable energy as a means of reducing carbon emissions. 
14

Another type of carbon label focuses on a product achieving carbon neutrality. The 

Carbonfund.org Carbonfree label can be used on products that achieve carbon neutrality. The 

life-cycle carbon emissions of the product are measured and then offset using carbon offsets 

(Figure 9). In the United States, Carbonfund.org is a third-party certifier of carbon offsets,

deriving offsets from a combination of renewable energy, energy efficiency, and forestry 

projects. Current renewable energy projects include wind projects in India and China, a small 

hydro project in India, and dairy methane and landfill methane projects in the United States.

Figure 9. Carbonfund.org’s Carbonfree label

Source: Carbonfund.org

In 2007, Carbonfund.org began a labeling program for companies that receive a life cycle 

assessment, agree to reduce carbon emissions, and offset the carbon footprint of the product. 

Although the majority of companies allow Carbonfund.org to choose which projects to invest in, 

of the companies that specify projects, 40% choose renewable energy projects. The 

Carbonfund.org carbon-neutral label states that the product is “certified carbon free” and 

companies have the option of including the amount of carbon that was offset. Currently, about 

100 products carry this logo, including products made by Motorola, Domino Sugar, and LG 

Electronics. 
15

4 Motivations for Promoting Products as Made with Renewable 

Energy 

There are several reasons why a company would choose to invest in or purchase renewable 

energy. These include reducing or stabilizing energy costs, complying with existing 

environmental regulations (or as a risk-mitigation strategy against future regulation), and 

building strong relationships with various stakeholders (Hanson 2005). But why do these 

companies promote their use of renewable energy on products? Based on interviews with 20

companies, this section of the report identifies some of the motivations. Interview participants 

were asked to rank each motivation on a five-point scale and comment on any additional 

motivation not listed; due to the small number of interview participants, results are presented in 

qualitative form.

4.1 Communicate to the Consumer and Enhance the Image of the Brand

The primary motivation for developing products made with renewable energy is to directly and 

effectively communicate to the consumer about the company’s commitment to renewable energy 

and, in doing so, enhance the image of the brand. This motivation was particularly important for 

companies in the business-to-consumer sector, which use renewable energy marketing because it 

aligns with the corporate brand or product-line image. Great River Organic Milling, for example, 

commented that its company always has been committed to sustainability and that renewable 

energy marketing was just an extension of its philosophy (see Text Box 3). Chuck Bennett of 

Aveda stated that the intention is “not to enhance sales specifically but rather to reinforce the 

overall environmental commitment of the brand” (Bennett 2011).

4.2 Product Differentiation

Product differentiation proved to be another important motivation for marketing products as 

“made with renewable energy.” Highlighting the energy source used to manufacture the product 

Text Box 3. Great River Organic Milling

Great River Organic Milling is a small company with just seven employees. The company always 

has been committed to environmental sustainability and, in 2009, began purchasing RECs to 

enhance the image of its brand and confirm its corporate philosophy. Rick Halverson, owner of 

Great River Organic Milling, commented that the ability to purchase RECs was critical in the 

ability to support the development of renewable energy, “Had REC programs not been available it 

would have been impossible to justify on-site renewable generation given the size of the 

company” (Halverson 2011).

Great River Organic Milling became a Green-e Marketplace member in 2009, and the RECs it 

purchases are Green-e Energy certified. Membership in the Marketplace program enabled Great 

River Organic Milling to begin using the Green-e logo on all of its products. Great River Organic 

Milling certainly falls into the category of companies using renewable energy marketing as a 

corporate branding strategy and, in fact, identified brand enhancement as the primary motivation 

for using the on-product logo. The biggest challenges associated with using the on-product logo 

faced by Great River Organic Milling are the costs associated with revising packaging and 

satisfying the guidelines for using the Green-e logo.
16

allows for a point of differentiation. This was particularly important for companies in the 

business-to-consumer sector that placed claims on one product. As noted previously, these 

products typically appeal to the environmentally conscious audience, so being made with 

renewable energy is an additional dimension differentiating the product.

Product differentiation also was cited as an important motivation for some companies in the 

business-to-business sector. It is important to note that most companies in this situation do not 

use on-product messaging. Sales are finalized before the customer even receives the product, and

it might not make sense to include an on-product message. Many large purchasers, such as Intel, 

do not use on-product messaging because the product is not an “external product.” These 

companies tend to market their commitment to renewable energy through avenues such as 

marketing collateral materials, presentations, and events. Interestingly, one business-to-business

company we interviewed did use an on-product message. Cascades Tissue Group sells towel and 

tissue products to the commercial marketplace and includes the Green-e logo because it reminds

customers of the environmental attributes of the product.

4.3 Targeting Environmentally Conscious Consumers

When asked whether the motivation for marketing products as “made with renewable energy” 

was to target the environmentally conscious consumer, companies’ responses were quite mixed. 

Some companies stated this was a strong motivation and others said it was not. Companies using 

renewable energy to market a particular product were more likely to respond that they were 

trying to target the “green” consumer. Companies that use renewable energy as part of a 

branding strategy, however, alluded to the fact that their brands already target the “green”

consumer; therefore, using a renewable energy marketing message does not attract consumers 

and instead simply confirms a company’s commitment to sustainability.

4.4 Following an Existing Industry Trend

Most companies interviewed stated that they were not motivated by an existing industry trend, 

instead stating that they were the trendsetters. Given the relatively limited amount of renewable 

energy marketing, it does seem to be the case that most companies doing this actually are 

trendsetters, at least in narrowly defined markets. For example, the GNP Company’s Just BARE

product line is the first fresh chicken product line to carry a “made with renewable energy” label;

however, there is experience with communicating the use of renewable energy in the food 

industry more broadly.

It is important to note that there does seem to be a trend in some of these broadly defined 

industries. Specifically, several companies in both the paper industry and the food industry have 

used a renewable energy marketing strategy. In the paper industry, advertising the renewable 

energy content of products has been adopted by companies in the business-to-business sector 

selling fine paper (e.g., Sappi Paper and New Leaf Paper) or tissue and toilet paper (e.g.,

Cascades Tissue Group), as well as by companies in the business-to-consumer sector selling 

greeting cards (e.g., Marian Heath Greeting Cards) and art paper (e.g., Strathmore Artists Paper). 

In the food industry, a wide variety of products convey their use of renewable energy, such as 

chips (e.g., Boulder Canyon Chips), milk (e.g., Whitewave’s Silk), cream cheese (e.g., Kraft’s 

Philadelphia Cream Cheese), juice (e.g., Santa Cruz Organics), coffee (e.g., Buywell Coffee), 
17

flour (e.g., Great River Organic Milling), rice (e.g., Carolina Plantation Rice), chicken (e.g.,

GNP Company’s Just BARE), and even fresh pasta (e.g., Valley Fine Foods’ Pasta Prima).

4.5 Price Premium

A potential motivation for advertising the use of renewable energy in the manufacture of 

products is to earn a price premium. Research on price premiums reveals an average premium of 

10% for sustainable products (Trudel 2011). Furthermore, a recent global consumer survey 

revealed that 50% of consumers worldwide are willing to pay a premium for products made with 

renewable energy (Vestas and TNS Gallup 2011). All of the companies interviewed, however, 

indicated that products marketed as “made with renewable energy” did not earn a price premium. 

In the tissue industry, Steve Ott of Cascade Tissue Group stated, “It is such a competitive market 

that there is no real opportunity to earn a price premium” (Ott 2011).

Some products made with renewable energy are premium-quality products and, as a result, earn a 

price premium. The fine paper industry, for example, produces a higher quality product that costs 

more to produce and thus earns a price premium. Renewable energy use is one technique for

further differentiating these types of products.

Even if the price of products made with renewable energy remains the same, it is possible that 

companies are able to achieve a reduction in energy costs as a result of investing in onsite 

renewable energy projects or purchasing through a long-term, fixed, renewable-electricity 

contract. As a result, their profit margins could increase. Sappi Paper commented that its profit 

margins did increase for one grade of paper, even though the motivation for developing the 

onsite renewable energy project and associated paper product was to consistently serve 

customers and instill customer loyalty rather than increase profit margins (Thompson 2011).
18

5 Challenges with Product Labeling and Claims

Although purchasing renewable energy to make on-product claims is a relatively new practice, 

early adopters have learned some lessons. One reason that some companies have chosen to 

suspend making renewable energy claims on products is because they find the effort is 

ineffective for the target consumer audience or that a return on investment cannot be 

documented. Some companies indicated that they are considering suspending their renewable 

energy labeling efforts due to sagging consumer demand and the inability to quantify the effect 

of the marketing strategy, particularly in the face of difficult economic conditions. This section 

explores the challenges associated with communicating the use of renewable energy on products. 

Numerous challenges were identified through the interviews conducted for the present research. 

Similarly to the methodology for assessing motivations, interview participants were asked to 

rank each challenge on a five-point scale and comment on any additional motivation not listed; 

due to the small number of interview participants, results are presented in qualitative form. 

Underlying many conversations was the fundamental challenge of the uncertain response to 

renewable energy labeling. As with most marketing strategies, it is extremely difficult—if not 

impossible—to quantitatively identify whether marketing products as “made with renewable 

energy” is effective at increasing sales, primarily because additional product changes typically 

are made concurrently.

5 The inability to determine the return on the investment suggests that 

companies claiming that they use renewable energy on products either are fully committed to it 

for reasons that extend beyond the potential boost in sales (e.g., corporate image) or are 

experimenting with the strategy and, depending on sales, ultimately could keep or abandon it.

5.1 Limited and Competing Uses of Product Real Estate

One of the primary challenges associated with making an on-product renewable energy 

marketing claim is the limited and competing uses of product real estate. Product packaging is 

carefully designed by marketing professionals to communicate a specific message about the 

product and the company in the space available. Including too many competing messages can 

inundate and confuse the consumer, potentially diluting the brand and affecting sales. As a result, 

companies are careful in choosing which messages to include so that each message resonates 

with the consumer in a positive way.

Intelligent Nutrients, for example, sells health and beauty products and has products as small as 

lip balm. Other products have more product real estate, such as Strathmore Artists Paper sketch 

pads. Strathmore devotes the inside of the sketch pad cover to a conversation on renewable 

energy (see Figure 2).

Aside from the physical constraint of product packaging, the real estate available to describe 

renewable energy use can be limited by including messages that are required by law. These legal 

requirements vary by industry. For example, food and household products are required to 

provide nutritional information, but health and beauty products do not have such requirements. 

 5 Additionally, new products tend to experience a spike in sales regardless of the type of messaging used on the 

product.
19

SC Johnson, for example, is required to include warning messages on its household products,

leaving little room for a renewable energy logo.

Given the limited space, marketers must choose which message to include, ensuring that it 

resonates with the consumer. “The number one issue from a marketing perspective is consumer 

relevance. Is it meaningful to the consumer?” (Lawson 2011). Although many companies think 

that an on-product renewable energy message will resonate with their target audience, others 

focus on alternative messages more relevant to their consumers. Whitewave’s Horizon Organic 

milk product line, for example, currently only includes renewable energy on-product messaging 

on its single-serve products. Whitewave states, “It’s more a matter of consumer focus at the 

moment. Currently the package focuses more on the family farmer story and the ‘know where 

your food comes from’ movement. It was a marketing decision and not an intentional decision to 

leave wind out” (Bratter 2011).

5.2 Language and Content

Companies that choose not to use a third-party logo face a greater challenge in determining what 

content to include when making on-product claims about the use of renewable energy. These 

companies tend to use some combination of imagery and text. It can be challenging to determine

what content to include that will resonate with the consumer in a positive way.

Many companies interviewed commented that imagery is an important component of their 

marketing strategies. “Walking down the aisle, you have a split second to catch the consumer’s 

attention. [Imagery is] the best way to grab them and tell the story quickly” (Bozek 2011). The

imagery used most often in renewable energy marketing claims includes wind turbines, the sun, 

the planet Earth, and a leaf.

Determining what language to use when including text can be considerably more challenging 

than selecting imagery, particularly if a company is using RECs. The language surrounding 

RECs has evolved over time and marketers should take care to change marketing messages as 

the language evolves to reduce the risk of deceiving consumers. See Text Box 4 for a discussion 

of how New Belgium Brewing has addressed these issues. Generally, companies have expressed 

that it can be challenging to determine what language will be relevant to consumers, as “a lot of 

people just don’t get what it means to be offset by renewable energy. There are definitely a lot of 

challenges in labeling and writing it in a way where it becomes relevant to someone” (Bratter

2011). 

Updates to the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC’s) Guide for the Use of Environmental 

Marketing Claims, commonly known as the “Green Guides,” address renewable energy and 

carbon marketing claims for the first time and should provide some clarification on the type of 

language to be used when making a claim about the use of renewable energy. These guides 

originally were developed in 1992 to address concerns regarding corporate “green washing,” or 

making misleading environmental claims about products. The final Green Guides revisions are 

expected to be released in 2012, and the degree to which the final guides will differ from the 

proposed guidance is unclear.
20

The Green Guides address a variety of issues related to labeling products as being made with 

renewable energy. The proposed guidance first addresses the type and partial use of renewable 

energy. It states that marketers should specify the mix and source of renewable energy and, if 

renewable energy was only used in part of the manufacturing process, clarify which components 

the claim applies to.

The proposed guidance also calls for companies to clarify whether the renewable energy claim 

applies to the product, the packaging, or particular components of the product or packaging. For 

example, if a company prints an 

annual report and makes an 

unqualified renewable energy claim 

on the report (e.g., “made with 

renewable energy”), it might be 

unclear whether it is the company that 

is using renewable energy or the paper 

manufacturer. Refer to Text Box 5 for 

information on how Green-e is 

addressing this issue. Due to this 

potential confusion, the proposed 

revisions state that unqualified 

renewable energy claims, such as 

“made with renewable energy” should 

be used only when “all, or virtually 

all, of the significant manufacturing 

processes used to make the product” 

rely on renewable generation or 

RECs, otherwise the claim must be 

qualified (FTC 2010).

The FTC proposed guidance addresses 

whether companies can make 

renewable energy claims when using 

RECs. Specifically, companies can 

make renewable energy claims when 

using RECs and the claim does not 

have to qualify that RECs are 

underlying the claim. According to the FTC, “there is no reason to believe that this fact would be 

material to the consumer” (FTC 2010). The FTC’s proposed guidance further specifies that only 

the owners of the RECs should make renewable energy claims. This is important for companies 

that have an onsite renewable energy facility but sell the RECs associated with the generation of 

the system to another party, as they no longer can make renewable energy claims about the

system.

Finally, the FTC proposed guidance cautions against the use of unqualified certifications or 

seals. For example, companies creating their own seal should use “clear and prominent 

qualifying language to alert the consumers that it created the certifying program” (FTC 2010). 

Text Box 4. New Belgium Brewing

In the late 1990s, New Belgium Brewing signed a 10-year 

contract with its municipal utility to pay a premium for 

100% of kilowatt-hours consumed. The commitment 

helped to support the utility’s purchase of wind-derived 

electricity from Wyoming. Thrilled to have connected to 

electricity from wind, New Belgium marketed itself as 

“100% Wind-Powered.” As demand for renewable power 

increased, however, the municipal utility started 

purchasing wind and non-wind RECs to supplement the 

wind power. A member of the community (and exemployee of New Belgium Brewing) brought this to the 

attention of the media, accusing New Belgium Brewery of 

green washing.

Katie Wallace of New Belgium comments, “It was never 

our intention to mislead but we had not kept up with the 

language as the portfolio changed (Wallace 2011).” New 

Belgium changed the language on its packaging, 

eliminating the percentage amount and marketing the 

product as “Wind Powered, Employee Owned.” As New 

Belgium began investing in its own on-site generation 

facilities, including solar photovoltaics and bio-gas, it 

dropped the term “wind” altogether. New Belgium’s 

current marketing message is “Alternatively Empowered” 

reflecting both the fact that it relies on alternative energy 

sources and that the company is employee-owned and 

operated.
21

The FTC cites a number of examples of how seals have been used deceptively, including one 

advertiser’s creation and use of a “Consumer Protective Institute” seal. The seal created the false 

impression that an independent and disinterested organization had approved the product.

5.3 Consumer Recognition and Understanding

Another challenge is whether consumers will recognize and understand the renewable energy 

message. There is some evidence that consumer recognition of the Green-e logo is increasing. 

The Conscious Consumer Report released by BBMG in 2009 indicates that 21% of consumers 

recognize the Green-e logo (Cook 2009). This is the fifth greatest recognition rate of conscious 

consumer logos, behind the recyclable logo, ENERGY STAR® logo, and the USDA Organic 

logo.6

Broader research on whether consumers recognize or understand various statements or logos,

however, is limited. Even the FTC in its review of the Green Guides commented that more 

research in this area is needed. In the consumer perception research that the FTC conducted,

there was a fair amount of consumer 

confusion regarding what it means for a 

product to be “made with renewable energy.” 

Respondents indicated, for example, that a 

“made with renewable energy” claim 

suggested that the product also was made 

with renewable materials (28%) or recycled 

materials (21%) (FTC 2010).

For some companies, consumer 

understanding could be less of a concern. 

Rick Halverson of Great River Organic 

Milling, for example, commented that the 

company uses renewable energy because it 

believes in it, and that if consumers do not 

recognize or understand the Green-e logo on 

a product it is not a major concern (Halverson 

2011). Companies with less concern centered 

on consumer understanding tend to be the 

ones using renewable energy labeling to 

confirm a commitment to sustainability.

Beyond consumer recognition and understanding is the basic challenge of whether the message 

will resonate with consumers and influence purchase decisions. Consumer survey research exists 

revealing that consumers prefer products made with renewable energy (Vestas and TNS Gallup 

2011); it is unclear, however, whether this will translate into an actual increase in sales. Ecoproducts historically have suffered from inaction by consumers, even though surveys indicate a 

 6 The Smart Choices logo also ranked higher than the Green-e logo; however, the Smart Choices Program was 

terminated in 2010.

Text Box 5. Green-e re:print Program

The proposed revisions to the FTC’s Green Guides 

specify that marketers should clarify whether 

renewable energy claims apply to the product, the 

packaging, or a particular component of the 

product or packaging because it could be unclear 

to the consumer what the renewable energy claim 

refers to. For example, if a greeting card carries the 

statement “made with renewable energy,” it is 

unclear whether renewable energy powered the 

offices where the content of the greeting card was 

developed, the facility that manufactured the 

paper, the facility that printed the card, or all three. 

In response to this confusion, Green-e has 

developed the re:print program specifically for 

paper and printing companies. This program 

allows companies working with a Green-e certified 

printer and using Green-e certified paper to use the 

Green-e logo on printed materials. The logo 

specifies that the paper is manufactured and 

printed using renewable energy (Center for 

Resource Solutions 2010).
22

willingness to act (Rex and Baumann 2007). It is unclear whether products made with renewable 

energy see a similar gap between consumer preference and sales increases.

5.4 Product Packaging Costs

The costs associated with changing product packaging were cited as a relatively minor challenge. 

Companies tend to strategically time when to include the renewable energy messaging when a 

new product or product line is launched, when other essential changes to the product packaging 

were required, or when product-packaging contracts were being renewed. As a result, the 

additional cost of the renewable energy marketing message was minimal. Whenever a change is 

made to a product package, however, costs are involved. The process becomes increasingly more 

complex and costly as more products carry a message of being made with renewable energy.

Product packaging costs were identified as a greater challenge for companies in the business-tobusiness sector who have multiple layers of product packaging. Cascades Tissue Group, for 

example, noted that the costs associated with modifying both the inner and outer packages 

presented a considerable challenge. The medical technology company BD also brought up the 

challenge of products that contain multiple packaging layers, commenting that the different 

layers of packaging reach different audiences. For BD, labeling the outer package communicates 

with their business customer and labeling the inner package communicates with the end-user. If 

BD wants to communicate with both target audiences, product packaging labeling becomes a 

significantly greater challenge. Although BD currently does not use on-product messaging, it

expects to begin labeling outer packaging in 2012 and to expand to inner packaging over time.

5.5 Cost of Certification and Program Requirements

When using a third-party certification program, the cost of certification and program 

requirements was identified as a minor challenge. As Donald Bozek of Strathmore Artists Paper 

put it, this is just a cost of doing business (Bozek 2011). One company did identify the 

certification costs to be a considerable challenge because of the way the certification program 

was structured. The program required a fee that was based on the company’s total revenue even 

though the company only was using the logo on one product line. This company thought that that 

the certification fee was not aligned with the use of the logo; as a result, the certification costs 

were viewed as a barrier.

5.6 Products Marketed Internationally

For companies serving international markets there are additional challenges to renewable energy 

marketing. Perhaps the most basic challenge is satisfying varying definitions of what renewable 

energy is, as well as guidelines on the types of renewable energy marketing claims that can be 

made. A second challenge relates to consumer recognition, understanding, and relevance. A logo 

that is recognized by a consumer in the United States, for example, might be unrecognized in 

other markets.

A more practical challenge when selling a product in multiple markets is that the consumers 

likely speak different languages. Any renewable energy marketing messages using text might 

display text in many languages, further reducing already limited product real estate. Strathmore 

Artists Paper, for example, serves both Canadian and U.S. markets and, therefore, includes 

messages in English, Spanish, and French.
23

6 Conclusion

Marketers have highlighted a variety of environmental attributes of products for several decades, 

but specifying the type of energy used to manufacture a product is a trend that has only emerged 

in the past decade. In the United States, the number of companies marketing products as “made 

with renewable energy” has increased substantially in the past several years, although the market 

remains small. In 2011, researchers identified about 50 companies that use renewable energy 

labeling on products. Through interviews with 20 companies with experience labeling products

as “made with renewable energy,” we have found the following: (1) the companies range in size,

(2) some companies are in the business-to-business sector and many others are in the businessto-consumer sector, (3) companies span a wide array of industries, and (4) companies vary in 

terms of the scope of their labeling efforts, with some labeling a specific product and others 

labeling a product line or all company product lines.

Motivations for labeling products differ. Some companies are motivated by the ability to 

differentiate a product through using a “made with renewable energy” message, appealing to the 

environmentally conscious consumer. Other companies reported that the primary motivations 

were to confirm an already existing commitment to sustainability or to enhance the image of a 

brand. None of the companies interviewed attempted to earn a price premium on the product 

because of the use of renewable energy in its manufacture.

Methods of communicating the use of renewable energy vary. Some organizations have relied on 

logos or imagery to convey the use of renewable energy in the manufacture of a product and 

others have included text on the product packing. Others have complemented this by providing 

information on websites about their renewable energy purchases and the associated benefits, and 

some have used social media and other promotions to convey their use of renewable energy.

There are numerous challenges associated with communicating the use of renewable energy 

directly on products, including the limited real estate available on product packaging and 

determining the appropriate content to include. Another challenge is the difficulty in assessing 

how effective “made with renewable energy” claims are in increasing product sales. Further, 

there often is uncertainty as to whether the customer recognizes the logo used and understands 

the information being conveyed. Lessons from earlier green-marketing experience indicate that a 

label or logo that is recognizable, easy to understand, and trusted is more effective at conveying 

information to the consumer—as a result, they contribute to market growth (Rex and Baumann 

2007). The limited experience with renewable energy logos, however, makes it difficult to 

adequately gauge recognition and understanding.

A multi-attribute label is something that could address multiple environmental attributes, not just

use of renewable energy. Interviewed companies highlighted that a multi-attribute label could 

address concerns about limited packaging real estate and simplify the certification process on the 

company end.

Some lessons can be learned from how eco-products have been marketed; however, products that 

are made with renewable energy are unique in that they are identical to the comparable 

conventional product in quality and performance; only the energy used to manufacture the 
24

product is different. Given this new market, it remains to be seen the extent to which products 

“made with renewable energy” will be utilized and support the use of renewable energy. 

Corporate commitments to using renewable energy and communicating that commitment on 

product packaging and through other means could play an important role in educating customers 

about the availability and feasibility of using renewable energy as an alternative energy source. 
25

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27

Appendix A: Sample of Labeling Efforts

Company Industry Type of 

Labeling

Image

Aveda Health & 

beauty, 

business-toconsumer

Green-e logo 

on website; 

description of 

efforts on 

website

Boulder 

Canyon 

Chips

Food, 

business-toconsumer

Independent 

logo on 

product

Buywell 

Coffee

Coffee, 

business-toconsumer

Green-e label 

on product

Cascades 

Tissue 

Group

Paper, 

business-tobusiness

Green-e logo 

on product 
28 

GNP 

Company

Food, 

business-toconsumer

Carbon Trust 

and 

Renewable 

Choice 

Energy logos 

on product

Great River 

Organic 

Milling

Food, 

business-toconsumer

Green-e label 

on product

HostPapa Internet 

hosting, 

business-tobusiness

Green-e, 

Bonneville 

Environmental 

Foundation,

and Green 

Tags logos

on website

Intelligent 

Nutrients

Health & 

beauty, 

business-toconsumer

Green-e logo

on product 

Kettle Brand Food, 

business-toconsumer

Description of 

efforts on 

product

Kraft 

(Philadelphia 

Cream 

Cheese)

Food, 

business-toconsumer

Independent 

logo on 

product

New 

Belgium 

Brewery

Beer, 

business-toconsumer

Independent 

logo on 

product

New Leaf 

Paper

Paper, 

business-tobusiness

Independent 

and Green-e 

logos on 

website
29 

Santa Cruz 

Organics

Food, 

business-toconsumer

Green-e logo 

on product

Sappi Paper Paper, 

business-tobusiness 

Description of 

Green-e 

certification 

on website

SC Johnson Household 

products, 

business-toconsumer

Statement 

and 

Independent 

logo

Strathmore 

Artist Paper

Paper, 

business-toconsumer

Independent 

and Green-e 

logos on 

product

WhiteWave 

Foods

Food, 

business-toconsumer

Bonneville 

Environmental 

Foundation

label on 

product