The United States has a voluntary renewable energy certificate (REC) system. A REC represents the environmental, social, and other non-power attributes of renewable electricity generation. RECs are created when a megawatt-hour (MWh) of electricity is generated and delivered to the electric grid. One REC is equal to one MWh of renewable electricity.
A REC can be sold and traded separately from the underlying commodity—the electricity itself. The owner of a REC can claim to have generated renewable electricity, even if they did not actually generate it themselves. This flexibility makes RECs an important tool for meeting renewable energy goals.
In the United States, RECs are used to:
-Comply with state renewable energy standards
-Demonstrate voluntary renewable energy purchases
-Offset emissions from electricity generation
To ensure that RECs represent actual renewable electricity generation, they must be validated and verified. Validation is the process of verifying that a REC has been generated. Verification is the process of verifying that the renewable electricity was actually delivered to the electric grid.
There are many REC validation and verification programs in the United States. The most common program is the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Renewable Energy Tracking System (RETS). RETS is a voluntary, online system that tracks the generation and delivery of renewable electricity in the United States.
Other REC validation and verification programs include:
-The Midwest Renewable Energy Tracking System (M-RETS)
-The Voluntary Renewable Energy Certificate System (V-RECS)
-The Green-e Renewable Electricity Certification Program
To learn more about RECs, visit the EPA’s website: http://www.epa.gov/renewable-energy-trading-program
Other related questions:
Q: Who certifies renewable energy credits?
A: There is no one central certifying body for renewable energy credits (RECs). Instead, various organizations offer certification services for RECs, and each has its own process and standards. Some of the more well-known certification bodies include the Center for Resource Solutions, Green-e, and Renewable Choice Energy.
Q: How do renewable energy certificates work?
A: Renewable energy certificates (RECs) are a type of tradeable credit that represents the environmental attributes associated with 1 megawatt-hour (MWh) of electricity generated from a qualifying renewable energy resource. RECs can be used by utilities and other entities to meet renewable energy goals, and they can be sold separately from the underlying electricity.
Q: Are RECs regulated?
A: RECs are regulated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).
Q: How are RECs issued?
A: RECs are issued by state governments and utilities.
Bibliography
- Renewable Energy Tracking Systems | US EPA
- Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) | US EPA
- Renewable Energy Certificate (United States) – Wikipedia
- Introduction to Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs)
- Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) – ECOHZ
- RECs, which put the “green” in green electricity, explained – Vox