Green Energy Certificates
Generators of electricity from renewable sources may be entitled to claim three types of green energy certificate:
- Renewables Obligation Certificates (ROCs). Generators of all sizes can claim ROCs for every megawatt hour (MWh) of renewable electricity they generate. Different renewable generating technologies receive different numbers of ROCs/MWh, and all microgenerators (up to 50kW capacity) receive 2 ROCs/MWh, regardless of technology. Generators can sell their ROCs to suppliers to receive a premium on top of their electricity.
- Levy Exemption Certificates (LECs). Generators can also claim one LEC for each 1MWh produced. They can sell these to suppliers, who use them to prove that they have supplied non-domestic customers with renewable electricity.
- Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin (REGOs). These are issued for every kilowatt hour of renewable electricity generated. They do not have a monetary value in the same way as ROCs and LECs. Rather, their main purpose is as evidence of renewable electricity production. This is particularly useful for renewable generators who are not eligible under the Renewables Obligation. Suppliers are obliged to give their customers details of the mix of fuels used to produce the electricity supplied to them, and are therefore likely to want to purchase electricity from generators with a REGO.