Question

In fact, the school might even profit from solar energy by selling excess energy to the utility companies. This surplus energy can be sold as Renewable Energy Credits, known as RECs. What does the word surplus mean as it is used in the passage?

Answer 1

The word 'surplus' refers to an amount that is more than what is needed, allowing excess solar energy to be sold.

Step-by-step explanation:

The word surplus as it is used in the passage means an amount that is more than what is needed or used. If a school generates more solar energy than it needs to power its facilities, the excess or surplus energy can be sold to utility companies as Renewable Energy Credits (RECs). This sale can potentially provide a profit to the school. Renewable energy, particularly solar energy, is a sustainable and inexhaustible resource because it is replenished by nature and can be sustained indefinitely without depletion, making it particularly valuable and beneficial.