REC (renewable energy certificate)
A renewable energy certificate is a tradable instrument representing the environmental attributes of one megawatt-hour of electricity generated from a renewable source. Buyers retire RECs to support claims of renewable energy use. RECs can be bundled with power or sold separately. In environmental diligence, REC also means recognized environmental condition, a different term used in Phase I reports.
The full guide · Power & interconnectionRenewable Energy Procurement and How It Affects Data Center SitingHow data centers buy renewable energy through green tariffs, PPAs and RECs, and how market rules, grid mix and land decide which sites meet clean energy goals.