To serve its customers, Southern California Edison purchases electric power from approximately 220 generators that use renewable and alternative energy resources and technologies to produce electricity.

The renewable and alternative resources and technologies include:

• Biomass (organic waste)
• Cogeneration (a technology that makes efficient use of energy)
• Geothermal (from natural hot springs and steam pockets)
• Small Hydro
• Solar
• Wind

See more detail on these technologies.

These independently owned generating projects are called "qualifying facilities" because they meet the requirements of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA), which was created to encourage development of renewable power generation and promote efficient use of energy. See historical background.

Representing about 4,900 megawatts of generating capacity (equivalent to the power needs of about 4 million homes), renewable and alternative generation projects supply about one-third of the electricity that SCE customers use.

SCE purchases power under contract from these suppliers. Every 12 to 19 months the utility conducts an open solicitation of new contract proposals, seeking cost-effective renewable energy for its customers.