T-RECs Stakeholder Group Launches

Join the Oregon Department of Energy on June 20, 2016 for the first stakeholder meeting about Renewable Energy Certificates for generating thermal energy. The “T-RECs” stakeholder group will discuss the rulemaking process for thermal energy (the T) Renewable Energy Certificates (the RECs). A REC certifies a claim that generated energy is from a renewable resource.

Utilities that generate or purchase renewable electricity apply for RECs to comply with Oregon’s Renewable Portfolio Standard, or RPS. The RPS outlines the state’s requirements for renewable energy generation. In 2016, Oregon’s RPS targets expanded through Senate Bill 1547, so 50 percent of the energy from our largest utilities must come from renewable resources by 2040.

The bill also requires the Oregon Department of Energy to update our REC rules for facilities that produce thermal energy while they are generating electricity using biomass. For example, a facility may burn biomass (like manure or wood) to generate electricity, and the process produces thermal energy at the same time.

Our first stakeholder meeting about these new rules will be:

Monday, June 20, 2016 8:30 am – 12:30 pm Oregon Department of Transportation Room 103 355 Capitol Street NE Salem, OR

If you can’t make the meeting, you can call in to participate: (877) 402-9753, access code 2934157

There will be a brief presentation available via webinar, with the same number and access code as the call-in: www.connectmeeting.att.com

Learn more about the process, download the meeting agenda, and view future meeting dates online: www.oregon.gov/energy/Get-Involved/Pages/RPS-Rulemaking.aspx

Read more about the Renewable Portfolio Standard: www.oregon.gov/energy/energy-oregon/Pages/Renewable-Portfolio-Standard.aspx

Awesome T-Rex photo courtesy of Flickr user Nick Ares.