Why EACs Matter
Modern businesses face increasing expectations to demonstrate credible climate action. Investors, customers, regulators, and employees want transparency and results. EACs provide a reliable foundation for renewable electricity reporting and allow organizations to progress toward their sustainability targets without changing their existing energy supply contracts or waiting for on-site renewable projects. With EACs, renewable electricity sourcing becomes immediate, flexible, and measurable.
EACs also support compliance with widely used reporting standards including the Greenhouse Gas Protocol’s market-based method, RE100 participation requirements, and CDP disclosure practices. By purchasing and retiring certificates, organizations gain the ability to state with confidence that a portion or all of their electricity use comes from renewable sources, strengthening ESG reporting and building trust with stakeholders.
What Are Energy Attribute Certificates?
Energy Attribute Certificates, often referred to as EACs, are instruments that allow organizations to prove the electricity they consume comes from renewable sources. While many companies have sustainability goals and want to report renewable electricity usage, the grid does not physically separate renewable power from other forms of generation. EACs provide the traceability needed to make a verified, auditable claim. Each certificate represents one megawatt-hour of renewable electricity produced and injected into the grid, creating a direct link between your energy use and renewable generation.
EACs exist because transparency matters. Without a system to track renewable electricity, companies could not confidently demonstrate environmental progress or report on Scope 2 emissions using recognized standards. EACs solve this challenge by assigning certificates to renewable generation facilities, recording ownership transfers, and retiring certificates once a buyer claims the renewable electricity. This ensures renewable usage is accounted for accurately and prevents duplication or double-claiming.
Understanding EAC Systems Across Regions
While the concept behind EACs is universal, the terminology and systems differ by region. In North America, renewable electricity usage is proven through Renewable Energy Certificates, known as RECs. In Europe, the system is built around Guarantees of Origin, or GoOs, which track renewable energy across interconnected markets. In the United Kingdom, Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin, or REGOs, serve the same purpose but within the UK’s regulatory framework.
For companies operating in Asian-Pacific markets, International Renewable Energy Certificates, known as I-RECs, and other national systems create a standardized and credible mechanism for proving renewable energy use. In China, Green Electricity Certificates, or GECs, support renewable disclosure within the country’s domestic energy system. Although each mechanism has its own registry and compliance requirements, all serve the same core function: enabling transparent, verifiable renewable energy reporting.
How EACs Work in Practice
Every time a renewable energy facility generates one megawatt-hour of electricity, a certificate can be issued through an approved registry. These certificates are purchased by organizations that want to claim renewable electricity use. Once purchased, they must be retired – meaning permanently removed from circulation – to ensure only one organization claims the environmental benefit. After retirement, the certificate becomes proof that your organization owns the renewable attribute associated with that electricity generation.
This lifecycle ensures traceability and prevents double-counting. It also creates a clear audit trail demonstrating responsible sourcing. Across markets, best practice is to align certificate purchases with the timing and geography of energy use, and to use certificates from recognized registries that meet established reporting requirements. Working with a specialist ensures each of these elements is handled correctly.
A Reliable Tool for Renewable Progress
EACs are the recognized global mechanism for documenting renewable electricity use. Whether your business is building an early-stage sustainability program or working toward ambitious climate objectives, certificates provide a way to demonstrate measurable momentum. They support both long-term decarbonization planning and immediate action, helping organizations meet interim milestones and communicate progress clearly.
With the right guidance and execution, EAC procurement becomes a straightforward process that strengthens your environmental strategy and reinforces your commitment to responsible energy use.
Begin With Certainty
If your organization wants to source renewable electricity and report confidently, we can help you understand your options and take the next step. We provide guidance on certificate systems, sourcing strategy, pricing, and retirement documentation, giving you everything needed to move forward with clarity and confidence.