What are Renewable Energy Certificates or “RECs”?

+ How RECs are created

A REC is created when a renewable energy facility produces 1 megawatt hour of power and supplies it to the electricity power grid. For every megawatt hour of power produced from a renewable generator an equivalent amount of RECs are created.

A renewable generator may create two distinct products. The physical electricity and renewable energy certificates or RECs. These products are sometimes bundled together but are more often sold separately.

+ How RECs are regulated

RECs are tracked through contractual arrangements and regulated REC tracking systems.

+ What a REC represents

A REC represents the rights to the attributes or environmental benefits associated with a renewable generator. RECs help offset the production of electricity from conventional fossil fuel power ("Dirty Power") plants in the region where the renewable energy generator is located.

+ Where your investment in RECs goes

When you buy RECs your purchase creates and additional revenue stream to support renewable energy generators and helps build a market for renewable energy. In order for anyone to claim the environmental attributes of a renewable energy source they must purchase RECs. Our RECs are sold only once and have not been used to meet any state renewable portfolio mandate.

+ History of RECs

RECs have evolved primarily through government regulation and open market trading. Today, RECs are widely traded and required by numerous states in meeting their mandated renewable energy portfolio standards.

Can purchasing renewable energy certificates really make a difference? Absolutely!

RECs are quickly becoming the currency of renewable energy markets because of their flexibility and the fact that they are not subject to the geographic and physical limitations of commodity electricity.
Did you know that electricity generated from conventional fossil fuel power plants (“Dirty Power”) is the largest single source of harmful carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in the nation?
Offsetting electricity usage with RECs can help reduce harmful CO2 and greenhouse gas emissions produced from "Dirty Power".
Sadly, about 9.6% of all electricity produced in the U.S. was from wind and solar power while "Dirty Power" accounted for over 62% of total power production (Source: U.S. EIA data for 2017).