RECS Energy Certificate Association has over 20 years of experience in developing, analysing, and advocating for EAC markets on behalf of our members. Drawing on their accumulated knowledge, the RECS Secretariat and Board have developed a 10-point plan for the future development of mature EAC markets with a focus on the European GO system. Delegates attending this session will learn in detail about each part of the 10-point plan, with a particular focus on RECS’ leading policy demand of Full Consumption Disclosure. Other topics that RECS’ experts will cover in the session include supporting the most impactful buying choices, moving to monthly disclosure periods, and timestamping on all Energy Attribute Certificates. 

The volumes and values of EAC systems and markets continue to grow. This growth is such that in specific cases, the traditional, often manual, tools of EAC tracking and trading are no longer adequate. In this session, delegates will learn from technology and EAC experts at CerQlar and FlexiDAO about some of the developments that could help EAC systems and markets to keep up with an ever more complex trading environment. This session will cover key topics such as digitalisation of EAC systems and markets, common software communication standards, APIs and rules to facilitate registry access, and the potential for greater granularity of EACs.

In this academy session, the International Tracking Standard Foundation (I-TRACK Foundation), formerly known as the I-REC Standard Foundation, will offer delegates a full update of all the latest developments. This will include details on the development of key markets in the I-REC(E) Code, the establishment of new countries and Product Codes such as biogas [I-TRACK(G)], how the I-TRACK Foundation sees its role in upcoming (European) legislation, and the I-TRACK Foundation’s governance structure which has led to its name change. Delegates attending this session will leave with a deep understanding of past, present, and future activities of the I-TRACK Foundation and the markets it underpins. 

Legal experts from DLA Piper, a leading firm supporting Energy Attribute Certificate systems and markets, will present the key standard contracts that underpin a growing volume of EAC trades. These experts will cover RECS’s standard contracts for EECS GOs, European Bio-methane, and I-REC(E). Other important standard contracts such as EFET’s standard PPA contract will also be explained. Delegates will benefit from the presentation of concrete, real-world examples of the use of these contracts and will leave with a deep understanding of the standard EAC contracts available in the market, and how they can use these contracts to facilitate their EAC trades.  

By buying renewable energy through EACs, consumers can provide both a market signal for more renewable energy generation and a portion of the finances needed to deliver it. But how strong is that market signal, and what proportion of renewable energy investments can EAC sales support? What more can we collectively do to enhance both of these potential drivers of the energy transition? These are some of the big questions that this opening session of RMM24 will cover, with the chance for many more from the audience.

This session will introduce those who are relatively new to renewable electricity markets to the basics of attribute tracking. Specifically, this session will explain why attribute tracking is important and will cover the first step in the process: how electricity certificates are issued. This session will kick-start the C-stream and prepare participants for the sessions that follow. 

The ongoing review of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol’s Scope 2 guidance remains a significant source of uncertainty in EAC systems and markets around the world. This session will inform delegates of the latest developments in the review process, the proposals for change that are already under discussion, and the prospects for the future of this important initiative. 

The EU may well have the best-established and most valuable EAC market in the world. Market participants trade billions of euros worth of GOs annually, providing significant income that producers can reinvest in more renewable generation. However, the EU’s GO systems and markets could still benefit from significant improvement. In this session, we will discuss the policy and technical updates that Europe needs, and explain why.

The second C-stream session introduces another essential aspect of EAC systems and markets – how market participants trade energy certificates. You will learn about bundled and unbundled trades, commodities and products, the different market facilitators, and the challenges they face now and in the future. If you are new to buying or selling EACs, this is the place to start. 

The European Energy Community seeks to extend EU energy market rules and principles to its member countries in Southeast Europe, the Black Sea region, and beyond. This includes the development of EAC systems with several energy community countries joining or looking to join the European Association of Issuing Bodies. Delegates at this session will learn which energy community countries have established EAC markets, how they are developing, and what prospects exist for the future of EACs among this group of EU neighbours.  

Having learnt already how EACs are issued and traded, C-stream participants can now learn who uses them, how, and why. If you attend this session you will learn about the potential impact of EAC markets, who uses EACs and their reasons for doing so, and the differences between EACs and other environmental products like offsets. This wraps up the first day of sessions that introduce the basics of Energy Attribute Certificates. 

Africa is home to many new opportunities for renewable energy market participants. The establishment of new EAC schemes is leading to new national and regional markets. EACs could support the continent’s potential for decentralised and distributed renewable energy, but will they? This session’s delegates will learn about the prospects for a market-driven energy transition in different African countries, and in the continent as a whole.  

Total transparency in energy markets is RECS’ principal policy demand, and for good reason. Transparency through full disclosure of the energy we all use means all consumers can make informed choices and ensures a level playing field between all energy types. Delegates to this session will learn how full disclosure can help shift energy demand away from fossils and towards renewables, thereby helping to drive the energy transition. 

RECS’ Secretary-General and Chair will review a dynamic and exciting year in energy certificate markets before looking ahead to the possibility of more change to come. Delegates will hear about RECS’ major achievements on behalf of members in the past year, and about our goals for the year ahead. This high-level session ends Day 1 of the conference and aims to provide plenty of topics for conversation during the evening’s social events. 

Just as energy markets cover different geographies and jurisdictions, so do their related energy attribute certificate schemes and markets. This session’s expert speakers will set out where the boundaries of these markets are, how and why they are set, and the impact they can have on the consumption, production, and trade of renewable energy. Delegates in the session will also hear about time boundaries for certificates, such as validity and expiry periods. 

Along with Europe, North America has one of the most established EAC markets in the world, providing significant value to renewable energy producers and consumers. But maturity brings complexity, resulting in systems and markets that can be difficult to navigate for new entrants. Delegates to this session will hear how both corporate practices and policy developments are driving the latest developments in North American EACs systems and markets. 

The volumes and prices session has consistently been the best-attended part of previous REC Market Meetings. Following last year’s success, we are offering even more detailed market information by offering a session dedicated to Europe, followed by one with a global focus (7b). These sessions will give attendees everything they need to know about market trends and expectations – all from a panel of leading experts in the field. 

Sector coupling is a vital part of the development of the efficient and renewable energy systems we need. But effectively integrating consuming sectors like buildings, transport, and industry with power production is highly challenging. Could EACs be the key to the opportunities that come with sector coupling, or would they bring greater confusion? Those attending this session will hear the opinion of experts on this topic and have the chance to further inform their own. 

The volumes and prices session has consistently been the best-attended part of previous REC Market Meetings. Following last year’s success, we are offering even more detailed market information by offering a session dedicated to global markets, which follows one with a European focus (6a). These sessions will provide everything you need to know about market trends and expectations – all from a panel of leading experts in the field. 

The final C-stream session on the basics of energy attribute certificate markets and systems will take you into the world of additional labels, tools, and services that can enhance renewables markets’ impact. This year, our expert speakers will focus on the 2 most used ecolabels for renewable energy: Green-e and EKOenergy. Delegates will hear why consumers choose these labels and the benefits and services they provide. This session closes the C-stream which introduces EACs to those learning about these systems and markets.

Throughout the conference, delegates have heard how and why we should appreciate consumer action as a hugely valuable part of energy systems and markets. This closing session will examine what more we can do to maximise consumer support for the energy transition. Delegates will hear the opinions of highly regarded keynote speakers while also having the chance to offer thoughts of their own. This session should leave all conference participants with the motivation to further the energy transition through EACs.