A renewable energy certificate (REC) is a record that a megawatt-hour of electricity was generated from a renewable source. RECs can generally be used to comply with statewide renewable and alternative portfolio standards: A utility that has not generated enough renewable electricity to meet its target can purchase RECs from a utility that has exceeded its target. RECs can also be purchased to promote sustainability, for example if a municipal government wants to demonstrate that it is supporting renewable energy generators when none are available locally.
Tracking systems manage the creation, registration, use, and retirement of RECs. Tracking systems prevent RECs from being double-counted or used to meet renewable energy standards in more than one region. Several regions and individual states have REC tracking systems, and RECs may be traded or accepted in other regions.
WREGIS: Western Renewable Energy Generation Information System [1]
M-RETS: Midwest Renewable Energy Tracking System [2]
ERCOT: Electric Reliability Council of Texas [3]
PJM GATS: PJM Generation Attribute Tracking System [4]
NEPOOL GIS: New England Power Pool Generation Information System [5]
MIRECS: Michigan Renewable Energy Certification System [6]
NC-RETS: North Carolina Renewable Energy Tracking System [7]
NYSERDA: New York State Energy Research and Development Authority [8] (Under development)
NVTREC: Nevada Tracks Renewable Energy Credits [9]
NAR: North American Renewables Registry [10]
See where renewable energy resources are located across the United States. [11]
U.S. States & Regions: Renewable & Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards [12]
Read Race to the Top: The Expanding Role of U.S. State Renewable Portfolio Standards [13], by Barry Rabe (June 2006).
Links:
[1] http://www.wregis.org/
[2] http://www.mrets.net/
[3] http://www.ercot.com/
[4] http://www.pjm-eis.com/
[5] http://www.nepoolgis.com/
[6] http://www.mirecs.org/
[7] http://www.ncrets.org/
[8] http://www.nyserda.ny.gov/
[9] http://www.nvtrec.com/
[10] http://narecs.com/
[11] http://www.c2es.org/what_s_being_done/in_the_states/nrel_renewables_maps.cfm
[12] http://www.c2es.org/what_s_being_done/in_the_states/rps.cfm
[13] http://www.c2es.org/publications/report/race-top-expanding-role-us-state-renewable-portfolio-standards