Renewable power certification now available in Turkey via I-REC

Companies in Turkey are now able to buy renewable power documented by the International REC Standard (I-REC), a scheme similar to the RECs in North America and the Guarantees of Origin in Europe.

Renewable energy solutions firm ECOHZ and GTE Carbon announced this week they are the first to offer renewable power under I-REC in Turkey. Thus companies with offices and plants in the country have access to an internationally valid tracking system to document their renewable electricity consumption.

“Demand for renewable electricity is increasing in Turkey but there has not been a reliable certification or monitoring scheme in place,” said Kemal Demirkol, managing director in GTE Carbon. The first I-RECs issued there are from the 48-MW Bayramhacili hydropower plant (HPP), for which GTE Carbon acted as project developer. The company now handles the production and sale of the I-RECs on behalf of the owner.

Currently, I-REC is available in select markets in Africa, Asia and Latin America. The system is recognised by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol as a tool to document electricity consumption from renewables.

Earlier this month, Google (NASDAQ:GOOGL) announced that it is giving a seed grant to help the Center for Resource Solutions (CRS) structure renewable energy certificate (REC) programmes across Asia. Google stressed how important REC programmes are in helping companies actually know that the power they buy comes from a renewable energy source. “It may not sound like much, but these programs are critical to creating well-functioning voluntary renewable energy markets.”

ECOHZ said it is building a global portfolio of I-REC power plants, so as to be able to offer to multinational companies different options covering most regions in the world.

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