RECS Energy Certificate Association (RECS) has successfully advocated for the development and use of robust and reliable energy attribute tracking systems around the world for more than 20 years. We are the leading knowledge organisation in the sector and our work has delivered major successes, including the establishment of energy attribute tracking in Europe and the enshrining into EU law of the Guarantees of Origin system. RECS has unrivalled knowledge of the history, current use, and expected future development of attribute tracking systems – knowledge we use to support market players in their use of attribute tracking and advise lawmakers in their legislation of renewable energy markets.

Our advocacy has one key underlying goal – to empower electricity consumers so that they can make active choices about the power they use. We believe that this will help to accelerate the energy transition we need by adding demand-side support for renewable energy to the more traditional use of supply-side support through schemes such as feed-in tariffs. As the cost of renewables continues to fall, and supply-side support becomes more competitive through the use of auctions, the market has already seen renewables projects developed without any public support. This is because developers know that there is a specific market for their renewable power thanks to attribute tracking schemes. Our advocacy will continue to highlight important developments like these, which should lead to the development of more renewables at lower costs.

Specifically, RECS’ advocacy and support of both market players and policymakers played an important role in the development of the legal framework for energy attribute tracking in the EU. This work has been consistent over the passing and revision of the EU Renewable Energy Directive (RED) in 2001, 2009, and 2018. Going forward, we are now working hard to support EU Member States and single market members with their implementation of the 2018 RED by providing detailed guidance that follows three key principles:

1. The use of GOs in different EU Member States should be harmonised and standardised. An important step to achieving this will be ensuring that every EU Member State has a nationally mandated body as a full AIB member.
2. GOs should be issued for all RES electricity production, whether subsidised or not so that every consumer can know about the power they are using.
3. In implementing Article 19 of the RED-2, Member States should move beyond basic implementation and towards the development of ‘full disclosure’ systems where every megawatt hour of electricity production is certified by a GO.

RECS members who seek robust legislation in support of increased consumer demand for renewable energy will always have the full support of the RECS Energy Certificate Association Secretariat’s advocacy skills.