Green Mountain Energy vs Chariot Energy

Overview

Both are green. Only one is doing something new.

Here’s the uncomfortable truth about “green electricity”: when you flip the switch, you get the same mix of electrons as everyone else on ERCOT’s grid. Coal, gas, wind, solar—all mixed together, flowing through the same wires to everyone.

So what are you actually paying for? Accounting and investment. Both companies fund renewable energy that offsets your usage somewhere in Texas. The green is real—it’s just not literally flowing through your specific wires.

Now for what actually separates them:

Green Mountain has been 100% renewable since 1997—27 years of commitment, before Texas even deregulated. They’ve never sold a fossil fuel plan. That track record is real.

Chariot skips traditional green marketing entirely. Community solar means you subscribe to an actual solar farm and get credits for its output. No rooftop panels needed. This is the only way to go solar if you rent, live in a condo, have a shaded roof, or don’t have $20,000 for an installation.

Here’s What They Don’t Tell You

Every Texas electricity company can sell you a “green” plan. Most just buy Renewable Energy Credits (RECs)—essentially carbon offset paperwork. It’s cheap and easy.

Green Mountain has been green-only since 1997. They’ve never sold a fossil fuel plan. That’s 27 years of commitment, not a marketing pivot.

Chariot skips the REC game entirely with community solar. You subscribe to an actual solar farm. The energy it produces credits your bill. It’s real infrastructure, not paper offsets.

Both are legitimate. Most “green” plans from TXU, Reliant, and others are just RECs bolted onto normal plans. These two actually mean it.

Community Solar: The Real Innovation

Here’s how Chariot’s model works: They build or partner with local solar farms. You subscribe to a share. You get credits on your bill for the energy your share produces. No rooftop panels, no installation, no HOA fights, no shading issues.

This is the only way to go solar if you rent, live in a condo, have a shaded roof, or don’t want to spend $20,000 on panels. Green Mountain can’t offer this. Nobody else in Texas really can.

The Verdict

Green Mountain for track record. Chariot for innovation.

Choose Green Mountain if:

• You want 27 years of 100% renewable commitment
• NRG’s Fortune 500 backing matters to you
• You prefer the proven, traditional approach to green energy
• You don’t need community solar or solar buyback

Choose Chariot if:

• You want to go solar without rooftop panels (renters, condos, shaded roofs)
• You have existing panels and want competitive buyback rates
• You like supporting newer companies doing genuinely different things
• Community solar pricing works for your situation

The honest take: Both are legitimate green choices—unlike most “green plans” from TXU or Reliant, which are just RECs bolted onto normal service.

Green Mountain is the safe bet—they’ve been doing this longer than most electricity companies have existed. Chariot is the interesting bet—community solar is genuinely new and solves problems rooftop panels can’t.

Check current rates on ComparePower to compare specific plan pricing.

Related Pages

Company Profiles

• Green Mountain Energy
• Chariot Energy

Best-For Categories

• Best Green Energy Companies — Green Mountain ranked #1 as the original
• Best Solar Buyback Plans — Chariot ranked #1, Green Mountain ranked #3
• Best for Small Homes — Both providers offer transparent flat rates
• Best Same-Day Electricity — Green Mountain offers 5pm CT cutoff

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