International Renewable Energy Certificate

What does an I-REC represent?

Each I-REC represents 1 MWh of verified renewable electricity generation. It records the technology, the generating facility, the country of issuance, and the production period. The I-REC Standard has expanded beyond electricity, with separate codes including I-REC(E) for electricity and I-REC(H) for hydrogen, and ongoing work on additional energy vectors.

In which countries are I-RECs available?

I-RECs are issued in more than 50 countries, predominantly in markets where no domestic EAC system exists. Major issuing countries include Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Chile, India, China, South Africa, Turkey, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Singapore. Issuance is operated by national “Issuers” appointed by the I-REC Standard, with day-to-day tracking handled in most countries on the Evident platform.

Why are I-RECs important for global corporate buyers?

Multinational corporations with operations in emerging markets need a credible way to substantiate Scope 2 renewable energy claims under the GHG Protocol. In markets without a GoO or REC scheme, the I-REC is the only certification recognized by the major voluntary frameworks, including RE100, CDP, and the Science Based Targets initiative. For companies such as Google, Microsoft, and Amazon, I-RECs are the primary mechanism for sourcing matched renewable energy across Latin America, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.

How do I-RECs differ from GoOs and RECs?

GoOs are the European instrument, RECs the United States instrument, and I-RECs the instrument used in most of the rest of the world, with notable exceptions such as REGOs in the UK and the parallel Japanese system. They are not interchangeable: an I-REC issued in Brazil cannot back a European Fuel Mix Disclosure claim or a US RPS obligation.