The Oregon Department of Energy invites stakeholders to participate in a discussion about renewable energy certificates (RECs) associated with renewable electricity imported into California via the energy imbalance market (EIM).
This stakeholder discussion will center on whether zero emissions claims on imported electricity affect a REC's eligibility for the Oregon
Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS).
Public Comment
ODOE received comments from eleven stakeholders:
In their comments, a number of stakeholders asked ODOE to consider expanding the discussion on this issue. We will continue to review the comments received and will announce next steps in this process.
Meetings
Unless otherwise noted, meetings are held at the Oregon Department of Energy:
Meitner Room
Salem, OR 97301
Participants who are unable to attend in person may call in:
(877) 402-9753, Access Code: 2934157
To accommodate compliance with both its RPS and with its carbon cap and trade program, California allows RECs associated with electricity counted as zero emissions under its cap and trade program to also be used for RPS compliance. Investor-owned utilities (IOUs) that export renewable energy into the EIM have raised questions as to whether the RECs associated with electricity imported into California and counted toward California’s cap and trade program would be eligible for RPS compliance in other states.
Most recently, the Western Renewable Energy Generation Information System (WREGIS), the tracking system for RECs in the western region, was asked to render an opinion on whether RECs associated with an energy bid into the EIM bound for California would need to be retired. WREGIS provided a draft opinion stating that per definition of terms in its Operating Rules, it considers carbon claims to have been made on the RECs in question and that they should be retired.
As a member of the WREGIS Stakeholder Advisory Committee, ODOE will participate in WREGIS’s stakeholder process on its draft opinion. Our agency understands that this is a complex question that could have ramifications for a number of Oregon stakeholders for years to come, and we know it is critical that we hear the concerns and suggestions of affected and interested parties. To that end, our agency will hold stakeholder meetings during summer 2017 to discuss the issue.