A Forewarning About International EACs

Author: Lana Carmichael leads resource acquisition at Renewable Choice, securing high-quality EACs & offsets across the globe.

The emergence of new renewable energy products, such as energy attribute certificates (EACs), in countries across the globe is an opportunity corporates are both excited, and cautious about. This sentiment is for good reason. International markets are complex and unpredictable to the untrained eye.

In North America, renewable energy certificates (RECs) are the tried and true EAC that organizations use to reduce operational emissions. RECs generated and sold in the U.S. abide by strict guidelines set forth by Green-e, which governs what kinds of projects can produce EACs and ensures that products on the market satisfy CDP reporting guidelines.  Corporate energy buyers are almost universally accustomed to buying these standardized products.  Products in emerging international markets, however, present potential confusion as organizations move clean energy acquisition into new territories.

EACs sold in global markets can be less straightforward than the North American instruments that corporate buyers are used to. International solutions, such as I-RECs and Guarantees of Origin, do not abide by a standard like Green-e RECs do – they are simply a way to track clean energy generation.  These products require an advanced level of knowledge to understand nuanced differences, and may affect their ability to meet an organization’s goals. Organizations that hastily enter a new market run the risk of buying a product that may not qualify toward CDP reporting.

Making a legitimate international clean energy purchase requires considerable research and an innate understanding of renewable energy markets across the world. Working with a partner like Renewable Choice grants an organization access to the nearly 15 years of deep experience that our resource development team has in understanding these markets, knowing what to watch out for, and asking the right questions when pursuing international products.

Our expert team assists companies by translating their unique clean energy goals into solutions that are available, where markets exist.  By choosing to work with an established provider, organizations save the time and investment it takes to learn the intricacies of each market, search for options, select appropriate projects, and delineate accurate claims associated with the purchase for marketing and reporting purposes.

To make sure you are making the proper claims with your global clean energy strategy, seek guidance from a trusted partner like Renewable Choice today.

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from Renewable Choice Energy http://www.renewablechoice.com/blog-forewarning-international-eacs/