What is the difference between a REC and Renewable Electricity?
A REC is documentation of the environmental benefits, but not the electrons, of a MWh of renewable electricity. A MWh of electricity with the REC stripped off of it is known as null power and takes on the average emissions associated with electricity generated the region in which it was produced that is not being used for RECs or other voluntary programs (see also What is the difference between the Compliance and Voluntary Markets for renewable energy? below). Renewable electricity is a REC and a MWh of null power bundled into a single product. An electricity provider can combine RECs with an equivalent amount of electricity and offer their customers the resulting renewable electricity. Renewable electricity can be created with RECs and non-renewable electricity, or directly sourced from a renewable generator as a bundled electricity product.
