SAN FRANCISCO, CA (June 19, 2003): The
Center for Resource Solutions (CRS) announced today the release
of a new policy tool, The Handbook
for Regulators on Tradable Renewable Certificates (TRCs). “This
Handbook is the first resource to provide a comprehensive discussion
of the regulatory issues surrounding utility regulation and the
renewable certificate market,” said Jan Hamrin, Executive
Director of CRS and one of the primary authors. “It also
features detailed information for market participants, environmental
regulators and certificate buyers.”
“This Handbook is an excellent reference and useful tool
for regulators, state energy offices, Attorneys General and consumer
advocates,” said The Honorable Roy Hemingway, Chairman
of the NARUC Environment and Renewable Energy Committee and a
Public Utility Commissioner from Oregon.
This first edition of the Handbook for Regulators on TRCs covers
topics such as:
- Property rights of TRCs, and regulatory applications of TRC
property rights with existing and new contracts,
- Net-metering, TRCs from utility-leased systems, and on-site
generation,
- Regulatory jurisdiction over TRCs and laws governing TRC
transactions,
- Ratesetting, ratepayer value, and tariff recovery related
to TRCs,
- Consumer protection issues, including disaggregation of
attributes, marketing, vintage of TRCs, sales of future TRCs,
and environmental disclosure,
- Banking and retirement of TRCs,
- Use and double use of TRCs to satisfy federal or state mandated
renewable energy programs or to be used as a compliance-tracking
tool for such programs,
- Nexus between TRCs and state RPS, public benefits funds,
green pricing programs, and
- Guidelines for the development of certificate accounting
systems.
The web-interactive Handbook provides ‘Basic Principles’ and ‘Best
Practices’ from domestic and international experience to
date with TRCs for each of these issues and other related topics.
For issues that are very sensitive to local conditions where
Best Practices may vary, guidance questions are provided to help
regulators with salient issues that may influence their regulatory
decisions.
This Handbook was developed under the guidance
of a Steering Committee comprised of state utility Commissioners
and their
staff. The authors presented a draft version of the Handbook
at the Winter 2003 NARUC Committee Meeting where a resolution
was passed supporting its development and use. “This Handbook
provides valuable direction for issues we face, such as pricing
green power, fostering renewable resource development, implementing
renewable portfolio standards, and ensuring accurate environmental
disclosure,” said Hemmingway. The Handbook underwent extensive
review by the Steering Committee and market participants.
An electronic version of the Handbook is available at http://www.resource-solutions.org/RegulatorHandbook.htm.
CRS is also offering a printed version in a neat binder with
tabs at cost, $30.00 plus postage. Please contact Marcelo de
Aguiar at CRS at 415-561-2100 for a printed copy of the Handbook.
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More About Center for Resource Solutions
The Center for Resource Solutions works across the US and throughout the world
to encourage sustainable growth and promote the use of clean energy. More
information on CRS is available at www.resource-solutions.org.
