An energy certificate or energy attribute certificate is a transferable record or guarantee related to the amount of energy or material goods consumed by an energy conversion device in industrial production. A certificate may be in any form, including electronic, and lists attributes such as method, quality, compliance, and tracking.

Overview of the different energy attribute certificate systems worldwide.

Terminology

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An energy attribute certificate (EAC) can include "a variety of instruments with different names, including certificates, tags, credits, or generator declarations."[1] These certificates relate to various tracking systems worldwide.[2]

Examples of energy certificates for renewable energy are:

Purpose and examples by region

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Energy certificates issued under national legislation typically provide evidence of compliance. Electricity producers, suppliers, or consumers use these certificates when required to use a specific type of energy or to qualify for financial support. Qualifying plants often produce electricity from renewable sources or high-quality co-generators.

Some examples are:

  • United Kingdom: Renewable Obligation Certificates (ROCs) issued under the Renewables Obligation
  • United Kingdom: Levy Exemption Certificates (LECs) issued under the Climate Change Levy.
  • Italy: Certificati Verdi
  • Sweden and Belgium: Elcertifikat

Most of these support schemes are national. The Climate Change Levy is a notable exception; the regulator issues LECs to electricity producers in the United Kingdom and several European countries that export to the UK.

The European Union create internationally transferable "guarantees of origin:" It provides proof to consumers of the source of their electricity, as required by Directive 2009/72/EC. Electricity suppliers use these guarantees when calculating the proportions of energy sources (fossil fuel, nuclear, etc.) in their supplied energy. Governments use them to calculate the residual mix—the blend of electricity sources produced in a country, adjusted for imports and exports.

Directive 2009/28/EC and Directive 2012/27/EC require a guarantee of origin for renewable energy and highly-efficient co-generation. The European Union uses these certificates, as do countries bound by treaties such as the European Economic Area and the Energy Community. The Association of Issuing Bodies uses the European Energy Certificate System to facilitate issuing, using, and transferring of these certificates.

Other countries that use energy certificates include Australia, Japan, Turkey, and the United States of America.

Overview of energy certificate systems

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The following table provides an overview of energy certificate systems by countries.[5] This table is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

Country of Consumption EECS AIB I-RECS countries issuing allowed I-RECS production devices listed NECS ex-domain TIGR production device listed National based
Albania NECS ex-domain
Algeria NECS ex-domain
Argentina I-RECS redemption NECS ex-domain
Australia I-RECS redemption NECS ex-domain Renewable Energy Target certificate
Austria EECS AIB full member
Bangladesh TIGR can be issued
Belgium EECS AIB full member
Bosnia-Herzegovina NECS ex-domain
Brazil I-RECS issuing I-RECS production devices NECS ex-domain
Bulgaria NECS ex-domain
Canada NECS ex-domain
Chile I-RECS issuing I-RECS production devices NECS ex-domain
China I-RECS issuing I-RECS production devices NECS ex-domain
Colombia I-RECS issuing I-RECS production devices
Costa Rica I-RECS issuing
Croatia EECS AIB full member
Cyprus EECS AIB full member
Czech Republic
Democratic Republic of the Congo I-RECS issuing
Denmark EECS AIB full member
Egypt I-RECS issuing
Estonia EECS AIB full member
Finland EECS AIB full member
France EECS AIB full member
Germany EECS AIB full member
Greece Full member (EECS AIB membership accepted - start 2020)
Guatemala I-RECS issuing I-RECS production devices TIGR production device
Honduras I-RECS issuing I-RECS production devices
Hong Kong NECS ex-domain
Hungary NECS ex-domain
Iceland EECS AIB full member
India I-RECS issuing I-RECS production devices[a] NECS ex-domain
Indonesia I-RECS issuing I-RECS production devices TIGR can be issued
Ireland EECS AIB full member
Israel I-RECS issuing I-RECS production devices NECS ex-domain
Italy EECS AIB full member
Japan I-RECS redemption[b] NECS ex-domain[c]
Jordan I-RECS issuing I-RECS production devices
Kazakhstan NECS ex-domain
Latvia EECS AIB Observer status NECS ex-domain
Lithuania EECS AIB full member
Luxembourg EECS AIB full member
Malaysia I-RECS issuing I-RECS production devices TIGR production device
Malta NECS ex-domain
Mexico I-RECS issuing I-RECS production devices NECS ex-domain Certificados de Energías Limpias (CEL)
Monaco NECS ex-domain
Montenegro EECS AIB Observer status - applicant for membership NECS ex-domain
Morocco I-RECS issuing I-RECS production devices
Netherlands EECS AIB full member
Nigeria I-RECS issuing
North Korea NECS ex-domain
North Macedonia NECS ex-domain
Norway EECS AIB full member
Oman I-RECS issuing NECS ex-domain
Panama I-RECS issuing
Paraguay NECS ex-domain
Peru I-RECS issuing NECS ex-domain
Philippines I-RECS issuing I-RECS production devices TIGR production device not implemented yet: Renewable Energy Registry mandated by the Renewable Energy Act of 2008 / not connected to TIGR
Poland NECS ex-domain
Portugal EECS AIB observer status - applicant for membership NECS ex-domain
Puerto Rico NECS ex-domain
Qatar NECS ex-domain
Romania NECS ex-domain
Russia I-RECS redemption NECS ex-domain
Saudi Arabia I-RECS issuing NECS ex-domain
Serbia EECS AIB full member
Singapore I-RECS issuing I-RECS production devices NECS ex-domain TIGR production device
Slovakia EECS AIB full member
Slovenia
South Africa I-RECS issuing I-RECS production devices NECS ex-domain zaRECs (im Gespräch mit dem IB)
South Korea NECS ex-domain
Spain EECS AIB full member I-RECS production devices
Sri Lanka I-RECS issuing
Sweden EECS AIB full member
Switzerland EECS AIB full member[d]
Taiwan I-RECS issuing[e] I-RECS production devices[f] NECS ex-domain[g]
Thailand I-RECS production devices NECS ex-domain TIGR production device ppt and ewf to implement a blockchain-based and I-REC-connected registry
Turkey I-RECS issuing I-RECS production devices NECS ex-domain YEK-G[6]
Uganda I-RECS issuing I-RECS production devices
Ukraine NECS ex-domain
United Arab Emirates I-RECS issuing I-RECS production devices NECS ex-domain
United Kingdom NECS ex-domain
Uruguay NECS ex-domain
United States NECS ex-domain / CDP does not recommend the usage of European GOOs for electricity consumption in the USA.
Venezuela NECS ex-domain
Vietnam I-RECS issuing I-RECS production devices TIGR production device

Notes

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  1. ^ Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) mechanism in India is developed to create a market-based instrument to promote renewable energy.
  2. ^ In April 2017, METI transformed its offset-credit scheme "J-credit system" to provide businesses with; offsetting credits and Energy Attribute Certificates (EAC) in the form of JCredits.
  3. ^ NFV (FIT Non-Fossil Certificate)
  4. ^ Ongoing RED II discussion
  5. ^ Taiwan REC Standard (T-REC) In June 2017, Taiwan opened its National Renewable Energy Certification Center (T-REC Center) which issues contractual instruments. T-RECs may be used to prove the consumption of renewable electricity.
  6. ^ Taiwan REC Standard (T-REC) In June 2017, Taiwan opened its National Renewable Energy Certification Center (T-REC Center) which issues contractual instruments. T-RECs may be used to prove the consumption of renewable electricity.
  7. ^ Taiwan REC Standard (T-REC) In June 2017, Taiwan opened its National Renewable Energy Certification Center (T-REC Center) which issues contractual instruments. T-RECs may be used to prove the consumption of renewable electricity.

References

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  1. ^ WRI World Resources Institute (2015). "GHG Protocol Scope 2 Guidance executive summary, An amendment to the GHG Protocol Corporate Standard" (PDF). GHG Protocol. Retrieved 2020-01-21.
  2. ^ Germeroth. "frontpage". Energy Attribute Certificates (EACs). Retrieved 2020-01-21.
  3. ^ "I-REC Standard - The International REC Standard Foundation". I-REC Standard. Retrieved 2022-11-20.
  4. ^ "About TIGR". APX. Retrieved 2022-11-20.
  5. ^ Germeroth (2020-01-21). "Overview of countries and systems". Energy Attribute Certificates (EACs). Retrieved 2020-01-21.
  6. ^ "Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin System & Organized YEK-G Market". www.epias.com.tr. Retrieved 2021-11-13.
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