Green-e Energy Auditor Verification Training, Reporting Year 2019

Green-e® Energy staff hosted this webinar for auditors who will conduct audits for Green-e® Energy participants, in order to go over verification and materials and answer questions.

Transcript

1. AUDITOR
   VERIFICATION TRAINING
   Reporting Year 2019 (RY2019)
   Maggie Lund
   MANAGER,
   CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS
   

   View Slide

2. Verification
   Overview
   PAGE
   2
   © 2020 Center for Resource Solutions. All rights reserved.
   

   View Slide

3. Annual Verification Process
   PAGE
   3
   © 2020 Center for Resource Solutions. All rights reserved.
   Who?
   Green-e® Energy Participants and an independent Auditor (CPA or CIA)
   What?
   An audit of Green-e® Energy Participants’ purchases and sales to make sure their products meet the
   Green-e® Energy Standard for Canada and the US and program rules
   When?
   Deadline: Due June 1, 2020
   Covers all certified sales made in 2019
   The verification software opened on March 2nd, 2020
   Where?
   www.green-e.org/verification/auditor
   

   View Slide

4. 4
   Agreed-Upon
   Procedures
   Report
   (Protocol & Training in
   Verification Software)
   

   View Slide

5. 5
   MWh- Megawatt-hour (1,000 kWh)
   kWh- Kilowatt-hour (kWh)
   REC- Renewable Energy Certificate
   Tracking System- An electronic database for tracking the sales and ownership of
   Renewable Energy generation and the Renewable Energy Certificates associated
   with it
   Double Counting- Any situation where a MWh of renewable energy is being
   claimed by more than one party
   Resource Type- Type of renewable energy resource used: Solar, Wind, Hydro,
   etc.
   Participant- Utility, ESP, REC marketer that participates in Green-e Energy by
   offering a Green-e Certified renewable energy product
   Common Terms and Units
   

   View Slide

6. 6
   Components of the Market: Renewable Energy Certificates. Fossil fuel generation produces electricity. Renewable
   generation also produces electricity, but for every megawatt-hour of electricity generated, a Renewable Energy
   Certificate (REC) is also produced. This REC embodies the additional environmental benefit of renewable
   energy—little or no pollution.
   Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs)
   

   View Slide

7. Annual Verification Process - Timeline
   PAGE
   7
   © 2020 Center for Resource Solutions. All rights reserved.
   2019
   2018 2020
   Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3
   Q2 Q3 Q4
   21-month vintage window for RY2019
   Calendar year for which sales should be
   reported for the RY2019 audit
   Reporting Year 2019
   Sales: All certified sales made during
   Calendar Year 2019 (1/1/2019 – 21/31/2019)
   should be reported during RY2019 verification.
   Exception for Wholesale - wholesale sales in 2020 may be eligible for
   RY2019 if they are 1) certified wholesale transactions and 2) the
   purchaser is a Green-e® participant who uses that generation for
   their RY2019 retail sales.
   Supply: All supply used to substantiate
   certified sales must have been generated:
   • In the calendar year in which it’s sold (2019); or
   • During the first 3 months of the following
   calendar year (Jan – Mar 2020); or
   • During the last 6 months of the prior calendar
   year (July – Dec 2018).
   

   View Slide

8. What’s new in RY2019?
   PAGE
   8
   © 2020 Center for Resource Solutions. All rights reserved.
   • Tracking System Reports – NAR, M-RETS, PJM-GATS
   • Tracking System Requirement
   • No sales into Maryland
   • Certified Brokers
   • General bug fixes
   

   View Slide

9. Reminders for RY2019
   PAGE
   9
   © 2020 Center for Resource Solutions. All rights reserved.
   “New Date” for facilities used toward 2019 sales is 2005.
   Facilities in RGGI, Michigan, California or delivering electricity to the CA grid may
   require additional documentation. More information can be found in the Protocol.
   The Tracking Attestation is online. Facilities registered in a tracking system that did
   not submit a tracking attestation by January 31st, 2020 must upload a confirmation
   email to the software to show that a tracking attestation has been submitted and/or
   approved.
   If a Participant is using your audit firm for the first time this year or you are a new
   auditor, make sure the Participant sends us the auditor’s contact information if they
   have not already
   Green-e Direct Audit Protocol to be completed by Auditors for Participants with a
   certified Green-e Direct Product.
   

   View Slide

10. Reminders for RY2019
    PAGE
    10
    © 2020 Center for Resource Solutions. All rights reserved.
    Participant can identify the Auditor in the software for RY2019 before submitting the
    data to them
    Once the verification data has been submitted to Auditor, you can unlock individual
    sections for your Participant to revise, without unlocking all of your data
    All contracts for supply must be signed, dated, and executed no later than June 1st, 2020.
    The price and volume of the supply must also be determined at or before this time.
    Delivery of the supply must be taken by Participant in the form of transfers through a
    Tracking System or receipt of completed Green-e® Energy attestation forms by this date.
    Historic PCL must have state information included (if applicable).
    All transactions listed must have attestation or Tracking System documentation meeting
    the requirements in Appendices D and E of the Protocol. Information entered must
    match the attestations / Tracking System Reports.
    Appendix B lists documentation your Participants must provide to you and to Green-e.
    

    View Slide

11. The
    Verification
    Software
    PAGE
    11
    © 2020 Center for Resource Solutions. All rights reserved.
    

    View Slide

12. Attestations
    and Chain-of-Custody
    Verification
    PAGE
    12
    © 2020 Center for Resource Solutions. All rights reserved.
    

    View Slide

13. For facilities registered in an approved tracking system, the
    tracking attestation and tracking system report (in some
    cases) are required.
    Tracked Facilities
    PAGE
    13
    © 2020 Center for Resource Solutions. All rights reserved.
    Tracking Attestation (Online) Tracking System Report (Exported)
    

    View Slide

14. For facilities not registered in a tracking system, there are three
    possible forms to fill out. Depending on the chain-of-custody,
    more than one form may need to be submitted for each facility.
    Untracked Facilities
    PAGE
    14
    © 2020 Center for Resource Solutions. All rights reserved.
    Generator Attestation (PDF) Wholesale Attestation (PDF) Small Generator Attestation (PDF)
    

    View Slide

15. Attestation Scenarios
    PAGE
    15
    © 2020 Center for Resource Solutions. All rights reserved.
    Renewable Energy
    Generator not
    registered in a
    Tracking System
    and
    selling a
    Green-e® Energy
    certified product
    Wholesale Supplier
    and
    selling a
    Green-e® Energy
    certified product
    Renewable Energy
    Generator registered
    in Tracking System
    and
    selling a
    Green-e® Energy
    certified product
    Renewable Energy
    Generator not
    registered in a
    Tracking System
    and
    not selling a
    Green-e® Energy
    certified product
    Wholesale Supplier
    and
    not selling a
    Green-e® Energy
    certified product
    Renewable Energy
    Generator
    registered in
    Tracking System
    and
    not selling a
    Green-e® Energy
    certified product
    

    View Slide

16. Scenario 1 – Purchasing Directly from
    an Untracked Facility
    PAGE
    16
    © 2020 Center for Resource Solutions. All rights reserved.
    Chain-of-Custody
    Participant
    Company
    (You)
    Customer
    Generator
    Attestation Form
    

    View Slide

17. Scenario 2 – Purchasing Certified
    Directly from an Untracked Facility
    PAGE
    17
    © 2020 Center for Resource Solutions. All rights reserved.
    Chain-of-Custody
    Participant
    Company
    (You)
    Customer
    Generator
    Attestation Form
    

    View Slide

18. Scenario 3 – Purchasing from an Untracked
    Facility via a Wholesale Transaction
    PAGE
    18
    © 2020 Center for Resource Solutions. All rights reserved.
    Chain-of-Custody
    Participant
    Company
    (You)
    Customer
    Generator
    Attestation Form
    Wholesale
    Attestation Form
    

    View Slide

19. Scenario 4 – Purchasing from an Untracked
    Facility via a Certified Wholesale Transaction
    PAGE
    19
    © 2020 Center for Resource Solutions. All rights reserved.
    Chain-of-Custody
    Participant
    Company
    (You)
    Customer
    Generator
    Attestation Form
    Wholesale
    Attestation Form
    X
    When buying
    certified wholesale,
    only the wholesale
    attestation is
    needed!
    

    View Slide

20. Scenario 4 – Purchasing from an Untracked
    Facility via Multiple Wholesale Transactions
    PAGE
    20
    © 2020 Center for Resource Solutions. All rights reserved.
    Chain-of-Custody
    Participant
    Company
    (You)
    Customer
    Generator
    Attestation Form
    Wholesale
    Attestation Form
    When there are multiple wholesale transactions in
    the chain-of-custody, you must provide
    attestations tracing the chain-of-custody back to
    the generator. In other words, you must provide a
    Wholesale Attestation for each entity that took
    ownership of RECs throughout the chain-of-
    custody.
    Wholesale
    Attestation Form
    

    View Slide

21. Scenario 5 – Purchasing from an Untracked
    Facility via Multiple Wholesale Transactions
    PAGE
    21
    © 2020 Center for Resource Solutions. All rights reserved.
    Chain-of-Custody
    Participant
    Company
    (You)
    Customer
    Generator
    Attestation Form
    Wholesale
    Attestation Form
    If the RECs you purchased are certified by the most
    recent wholesale seller, you’ll only need to provide
    one Wholesale Attestation from that seller.
    Wholesale
    Attestation Form
    X X
    

    View Slide

22. Scenario 6 – Purchasing Directly from a
    Tracked Facility
    PAGE
    22
    © 2020 Center for Resource Solutions. All rights reserved.
    Chain-of-Custody
    Participant
    Company
    (You)
    Customer
    Tracking Attestation
    Form
    Tracking attestations can last for up to three years; if
    the facility you sourced from already has a tracking
    attestation on file with CRS, an additional form
    doesn’t need to be submitted. Check a facility’s
    tracking attestation status on the Green-e® Energy
    Participant Portal.
    Tracking System Report
    +
    

    View Slide

23. Scenario 7 – Purchasing Certified
    Directly from a Tracked Facility
    PAGE
    23
    © 2020 Center for Resource Solutions. All rights reserved.
    Chain-of-Custody
    Participant
    Company
    (You)
    Customer
    Tracking Attestation
    Form
    Tracking attestations are required regardless of if
    the Participant purchased certified wholesale or
    not.
    Tracking System Report
    +
    

    View Slide

24. Scenario 8 – Purchasing from a Tracked
    Facility via Multiple Wholesale Transactions
    PAGE
    24
    © 2020 Center for Resource Solutions. All rights reserved.
    Chain-of-Custody
    Participant
    Company
    (You)
    Customer
    Tracking
    Attestation Form
    If a facility is tracked in a tracking system, only
    one tracking attestation needs to be submitted to
    CRS regardless of how many entities take
    ownership of the RECs during the chain-of-
    custody. This same process applies if the most
    recent wholesale transaction was certified.
    Tracking System Report
    +
    

    View Slide

25. Scenario 9 – If Facility is Tracked but Generator
    Won’t Complete Tracking Attestation
    PAGE
    25
    © 2020 Center for Resource Solutions. All rights reserved.
    Chain-of-Custody
    Participant
    Company
    (You)
    Customer
    Generator
    Attestation Form
    Wholesale
    Attestation Form
    Generator and/or Wholesale Attestations must be
    submitted through the whole chain-of-custody
    AND a Tracking System Report is required.
    Wholesale
    Attestation Form
    Tracking System Report
    +
    

    View Slide

26. Tracking System Reports
    PAGE
    26
    © 2020 Center for Resource Solutions. All rights reserved.
    - Appendix E
    - Separate Sub-Account
    - “Green-e® Energy RY2019”
    - RETIRED (retail) or TRANSFERED (wholesale)
    - Transaction confirmed, not just “pending”
    

    View Slide

27. Q&A
    PAGE
    27
    © 2020 Center for Resource Solutions. All rights reserved.
    

    View Slide

28. © 2020 Center for Resource Solutions. All rights reserved.
    Contact
    verification@green-e.org
    Maggie Lund
    MANAGER, CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS
    maggie.lund@resource-solutions.org
    415.561.8499
    Judy Chen
    ANALYST, CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS
    judy.chen@resource-solutions.org
    415.568.4281
    www.resource-solutions.org
    

    View Slide

29. View Slide