New Singapore Standard launch to support management and use of Renewable Energy Certificates
26 Oct 2021
With
growing environmental awareness, Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) have
become a common means for energy users, including businesses, to fulfil their
sustainability commitments. Through the purchase of RECs
[1],
users can make claims that the energy they use comes from a renewable source. To
facilitate consistency for the transaction and management of RECs, the
Singapore Standards Council and Enterprise Singapore, together with the
National Environment Agency, and Energy Market Authority have launched the new
Singapore Standard (SS) 673: Code of Practice for Renewable Energy Certificates
(RECs).
2 Jointly
developed with industry players
and the Sustainable Energy Association of Singapore (SEAS), SS 673 is intended to provide a clear framework to improve
the integrity of measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) requirements for
the issuance and management of RECs. It covers guidelines across the lifecycle of RECs – from production,
tracking, management, to the usage of the certificates for renewable energy
claims in Singapore:
- For renewable energy installation owners, SS 673
has requirements that define the types of renewable energy sources[2]
that may qualify to generate RECs tracked in registries. It also specifies that
renewable energy installations be connected to a grid operated by a regulator
or a regulator-appointed party, and that energy output must be in the form of
electricity delivered to a grid or grid-connected load.
- For REC registries and verifiers, SS 673 sets
out guidelines on how renewable energy installations should be registered and
verified, including validating the metering data of every installation. For
instance, the standard specifies that registries ensure that the installation
is not concurrently registered as an active installation with other REC
registries. It also provides guidance on proper issuance, transference, and
retirement of RECs, as well as how errors should be managed.
- For end-users, there are recommendations on how they can make renewable energy
consumption claims, such as stating the origin, type of renewable energy, mode
of renewable electricity procurement and verification of claims. The standard also
highlights the best practice for users to make renewable energy claims, such as
using RECs produced in the same market boundary in which they operate and
consume electricity.
3 With
the transparency of MRV requirements,
the industry will be able to provide greater assurance on the credibility of
RECs available in the marketplace. The framework provided by SS 673, which also
applies to energy imports, will enable the renewable energy industry to access
a wider selection of trusted sources in the region to engage in the trading of
RECs, which end-users can use to meet their sustainability goals. This supports
Singapore’s energy transition efforts to tap low-carbon electricity imports
from regional power grids.
4 Following the launch, SEAS will conduct training
workshops to raise awareness of RECs and to promote the standard. The first run
of the workshop will be held on 16 November 2021. The standard can be purchased
from the Singapore Standards eShop at
www.singaporestandardseshop.sg.
Annex A: Details of SS 673
Annex B: Quotes from co-convenors and
working group composition
[1] One REC represents proof that one
megawatt-hour (MWh) of electricity was generated from a renewable energy
source, such as solar photovoltaics (PVs), and delivered to the grid.
[2] Such as solar,
biomass and wind energy.
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