Regenerative Energy® EcoMetrics is a newly developed science-based methodology that monitors and measures the full value of environmental, social, and economic impacts that result from the co-location of solar power generation and regenerative agriculture at Regenerative Energy® projects. The platform generates an audit-ready report to support CSR, ESG, and climate disclosure reporting requirements, as well as sustainability, renewable energy, and carbon footprint reduction goals.
A customized, solar-industry-specific version of Restore the Earth Foundation’s original EcoMetrics platform, Regenerative Energy® EcoMetrics actively engages communities to develop meaningful, place-based clean energy and regenerative agriculture co-location projects that drive beneficial outcomes.
"Measurement is the first step that leads...to improvement. If you can’t measure something, you can’t understand it. If you can’t understand it, you can’t...improve it."
The Value of Measuring Outcomes
Regenerative Energy® outcomes have value for project partners, the local community, the planet, and future generations.
Project outcomes can have a market value or a social (non-market) value. Regenerative Energy® EcoMetrics tracks and measures both market and non-market value environmental, social, and economic project outcomes. Market value outcomes include, among others, carbon emission reductions and removal, improved water quality, and increased biodiversity and habitat. Non-market value outcomes associated with social return on investment include increased water treatment capacity, new long-term jobs, associated wages, and direct and indirect spending. Notably, the platform has the ability to quantify and monetize a company’s enhanced social license to operate resulting from its participation in meaningful and impactful Regenerative Energy® projects.
Regenerative Energy® EcoMetrics Captures and Reports Social Return on Investment
Social Return on Investment measures values to stakeholders that are not traditionally reflected in financial statements but that are gaining recognition and importance. Regenerative Energy® EcoMetrics is a custom, outcome-based and community-driven tool that offers multiple benefits:
Integrates active community engagement through workshops, surveys, and interviews to collect data that maximize outcomes of local value
Generates audit-ready report to support CSR, ESG, and climate disclosure reporting requirements, as well as sustainability, renewable energy, and carbon footprint reduction goals
Forecasts a valuation of outcomes that enables project partners to understand and communicate—both internally and externally—the externalized societal benefits of investing in Regenerative Energy® in a quantified and, where appropriate, monetized manner
Calculates Social Return on Investment (SROI) and provides a third-party verified SROI narrative that enhances brand equity and augments social license to operate. Determines traditional Return on Investment to support the business case for projects
Bancroft Station Solar Farm: Regenerative Energy® EcoMetrics Pilot Laboratory
Bancroft Station Solar Farm is Silicon Ranch’s first new-build project that was designed and built for Regenerative Energy®. This project is the pilot laboratory for the implementation of Regenerative Energy® EcoMetrics to identify, track, and value the outcomes that are achievable through the platform. White Oak Pastures—one of the world’s foremost practitioners of regenerative agriculture—provides holistic land management services for the project and hosted the first-ever Regenerative Energy® EcoMetrics community workshop at its farm in Bluffton, Georgia.
Building Additional Value Over and Above a Solar Power Plant Alone
Key findings projected by the Regenerative Energy® EcoMetrics analysis for Bancroft Station highlight the additional value that Regenerative Energy® and its integration of regenerative agriculture create over and above the value that a solar power plant alone generates.
Source of Project Value by Project Component
Regenerative Agriculture
13%
A full two thirds of project value to stakeholders derives from regenerative agriculture and the co-location of solar power generation and regenerative agriculture.
