International Renewable
Energy Certificates

What’s an I-REC?

An international renewable energy certificate (I-REC) represents transferrable proof that one MWh of electricity was produced from renewable energy sources and added to an electrical grid. Purchasing an I-REC allows the buyer to claim consumption of one MWh of renewable energy. I-RECs can originate from wind, solar, ocean energy, biomass, hydropower, landfill gas, aerothermal, geothermal, and landfill gas projects. Similar to a REC in North American, an I-REC represents the environmental attributes (but not the power) associated with renewable energy.

Renewable Energy
in International Markets: I-RECs

In more than 50 countries around the world, international renewable energy certificates
(I-RECs) provide corporate buyers with a credible mechanism to support renewable energy. Whether you’re looking to address the emissions footprint of a manufacturing plant in India, or an office building in Brazil, 3Degrees will help you develop an I-REC strategy that best matches your goals.

I-REC (I-REC for Electricity)

I-REC features include:

  • Location: 50+ countries in Asia, Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East
  • Governance: The I-REC Standard
  • Technical Restriction: Issuance limitations vary by country
  • Transparency: Verification processes ensure integrity and prevent double counting
  • Supporters: CDP, RE100

I-REC Technology Options

Small hydro Onshore wind Offshore wind
 
Large hydro Solar Biomass
 
Geothermal        
Small hydro
Onshore wind
Offshore wind
Large hydro
Solar
Biomass
Geothermal

Regulatory Environment & Voluntary Standards

Although the same International Attribute Tracking Standard and I-REC Product Code for Electricity are applied in each country, the existence of diverse regulatory environments means that impacts and claims vary regionally. For example, although they meet essential Scope 2 quality criteria, not all I-RECs qualify for regulatory surplus. Additionally, CDP and RE100 reporting requirements impose strict geographic market boundaries for I-RECs.

3Degrees helps companies evaluate options for increasing their impact, such as adding ecolabel certification to their purchase. We are proud to be a licensed supplier of EKOenergy certified I-RECs.

 

3Degrees is the recipient of the 2023 EKOenergy Oak Award for the largest seller of EKOenergy-labelled electricity in 2022 and the 2023 EKOenergy Bamboo Award for the highest growth percentage of EKOenergy sales in the past year.