Introduction
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For decades, Energy Attribute Certificates (EACs)—such as Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) in North America and Guarantees of Origin (GOs) in Europe—have played a fundamental role in tracking and verifying renewable energy usage. These certificates are issued in megawatt-hour (MWh) increments and traditionally operate on monthly or annual accounting periods, allowing corporate buyers and utilities to claim renewable energy procurement at an aggregated level.
However, as the clean energy landscape evolves, a growing number of organizations are demanding more precise tracking mechanisms that can align renewable energy generation with real-time electricity consumption. The introduction of Granular Certificates (GCs) represents the next stage in this evolution, providing hourly or sub-hourly time-stamped energy attributes to enable true 24/7 carbon-free energy (CFE) procurement.
With GCs, energy buyers can move beyond annual clean energy matching and align their procurement strategies with actual grid conditions, ensuring that their sustainability claims reflect real-time impact rather than generalized averages.
The global push toward more granular tracking reshapes corporate sustainability strategies and energy markets. Major organizations—including the largest energy buyers—are shifting from conventional REC-based energy procurement to time-matching and impact of renewable energy production and consumption.
This transition is being driven by:
Increased corporate demand for high-integrity energy claims – Businesses want to ensure that their clean energy purchases actually align with their hourly load profiles, rather than relying on broad annualized averages.
More accurate carbon accounting standards – New frameworks under the GHG Protocol and SEC climate disclosure rules are encouraging time- and location-based emissions tracking.
Better grid integration and impact – By incentivizing hourly energy matching, GCs encourage energy procurement in high-impact time periods, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and improving grid reliability.
Emerging market mechanisms – The growth of hourly GC trading platforms and real-time renewable energy markets allows for more efficient clean energy transactions, unlocking premium pricing opportunities for renewable energy producers.
By providing high-resolution energy tracking, Granular Certificates support the long-term vision of a fully decarbonized power grid, ensuring that clean energy procurement is precise, verifiable, and aligned with real-world consumption patterns.
Global standards and regulatory frameworks designed to improve the transparency and credibility of clean energy markets are accelerating the adoption of granular certificates. The EnergyTag Initiative, a global coalition of industry leaders, has established the Granular Certificate Standard, defining how GCs should be issued, transferred, and retired to support hourly energy tracking.
At the same time, regulators worldwide are recognizing the need for higher-precision energy attribute tracking:
EU Renewable Energy Directive (RED III) – Mandates sub-hourly Guarantees of Origin (GOs), enabling time-based clean energy procurement across Europe.
U.S. SEC Climate Disclosure Rules – Encouraging more detailed carbon reporting, which will likely favor hourly-tracked clean energy claims over annual REC-based accounting.
California & New York Clean Energy Policies – Supporting new mechanisms for 24/7 CFE procurement, including incentive structures for hourly-matched renewable energy.
By aligning with EnergyTag and evolving regulatory requirements, The Granular Registry provides a future-proof platform for energy buyers, producers, and storage operators, ensuring compliance with the next generation of clean energy procurement standards.
