Definitions

The acronym "EECS" stands for the "European Energy Certificate System".

EECS provides harmonised rules for the operation of public and commercial certificate systems. These rules are set out in a document known as “the Principles and Rules of Operation of the European Energy Certificate System” – the EECS Rules.

The rules of EECS allow certificates to be transferred securely between countries and regions across Europe.

An Issuing Body is the body that is appointed by government or by industry to take responsibility for ensuring that certificates provide unique and reliable evidence of the source of energy, enabling them to be transferred between market parties, and regulating the way in which they are used.

They do this by:

• Ensuring the technology used by participating plant are properly identified and recorded, along with any changes, and that only properly registered plant are permitted to participate.
• Recording the amount of fuel consumed and energy generated by participating plant, and confirming that this is both accurate and reasonable.
• Recording details of plant and certificates in a registry.
• Transferring certificates between accounts on instruction from certificate-holders, including transferring them into cancellation accounts as proof that the associated energy has been consumed.
• Preventing the transfer of certificates that have been placed into cancellation accounts.

They may also administer the provision of public support to the holders of cancelled certificates, although EECS does not currently support any such certificates.

Consumers are becoming more selective. They want excellent value for money, and to know all about their energy purchases - the source, resources consumed, and enviromental impact. Energy suppliers must be able to answer these questions and more. But electricity flowing through transmission and distribution systems comes from many sources, so how can this be done?

Certification solves this by providing evidence of the source of energy. Each unique certificate can be transferred from generator to supplier to consumer. This lets consumers choose between different sources and blends of electricity, and offers proof of compliance with public support schemes.

A Certificate provides evidence of the quality of a single megawatt hour of electrical energy.

A Label provides the consumer with more information regarding the quality of supplied energy, according to an agreed set of criteria. The claims made by such Labe Schemes may be supported by the supplier, by proving that it owns a certificate for each megawatt hour of supplied energy during the period of supply.

More info on Labels here.

A certificate provides evidence of the source, time and means of production of one megawatt hour of energy. This can then be used to prove to consumers or to government such matters as the environmental impact of the represented energy.

An EECS Certificate clearly mentions its purpose. Such purpose may be Disclosure of the origin of the energy to consumers. Another purpose may be provision of Support to a producer. A third purpose for certificates can be accounting towards a Target, and then the target accounting scheme will be mentioned on the certificate.

Certificates may relate to a single purpose or to multiple purposes. They may not be used for other purposes than those mentioned on the certificate, in order to ensure avoidance of double counting.

The RECS Energy Certificate Association (formerly RECS International) is a not-for-profit organization representing users of energy attribute certificates (EACs) around the world. For over 20 years RECS has been committed to accelerating the energy transition by supporting the purchase of renewable energy through robust, reliable, transparent markets. Energy Attribute Certificates (EACs) are the tools to unlock this vision and they work closely with the AIB to ensure the best possible outcome from both a market and a systems perspective.

RECS supports the development of both existing and new EAC markets around the world. It engages with a wide range of stakeholders, including governments, market participants and consumers (such as RE100 corporate consumers), and provides the knowledge and information they need to boost consumer demand for renewable energy. RECS organizes the annual REC Market Meeting, where hundreds of professionals from EAC markets and regulators meet, to share expertise and learn about the latest developments.

RECS works to provide the knowledge, motivation, and confidence needed to buy 100% renewable energy. Producers, traders and consumers of renewable energy are invited to join RECS as a member, thereby supporting the important work of continuously improving markets for renewable energy.