What is TIGR and what role does it play in renewable energy markets?
TIGR stands for Tradeable Instrument for Global Renewables and operates as an online registry platform for tracking and transferring renewable energy certificates (RECs). It enables developers to generate, verify, and sell RECs in global renewable energy markets. TIGR's registry function tracks ownership, transfers, and retirement of these certificates, creating a transparent mechanism for renewable electricity attributes to be bought and sold across jurisdictions. This allows renewable energy projects worldwide to document and commercialize their environmental attributes through a standardized infrastructure.
Who operates the TIGR Registry and what is their background?
The TIGR Registry is operated by APX, a US-based company specializing in infrastructure for environmental markets globally. APX provides the technical and administrative systems required to track renewable energy certificates, manage certificate transfers, and maintain registry records. As an established operator in the environmental commodities space, APX brings expertise in creating the trustworthy, transparent mechanisms that renewable energy projects and purchasers need to participate in certificate trading with confidence in ownership verification and retirement evidence.
How do renewable energy developers use the TIGR Registry?
Developers use the TIGR Registry to generate renewable energy certificates from their projects, verify those certificates through the registry system, and subsequently sell them to purchasers. The registry provides the documentation infrastructure that proves certificate creation, confirms ownership during transfers, and records retirement when certificates are used to support renewable electricity claims. This structured process allows developers to monetize the environmental attributes from their renewable generation beyond the physical electricity sales, creating an additional revenue stream for wind, solar, and other qualifying projects.
What types of renewable energy projects can generate certificates through TIGR?
TIGR's global scope enables participation from renewable energy projects worldwide. The platform is designed to accommodate diverse renewable technologies and geographic locations, supporting the commercialization of renewable attributes across different regions and regulatory frameworks. However, specific eligibility depends on individual project characteristics, local requirements, and the particular renewable energy market context. We can assess which renewable pathways and certificate types are appropriate for a specific project, considering jurisdiction-specific rules, technology, capacity, and the intended claim the certificates will support.
How does TIGR differ from jurisdiction-specific renewable certificate schemes?
TIGR is a global registry platform that operates across international boundaries, whereas schemes like Australia's Renewable Energy Target (with STCs and LGCs), the Renewable Electricity Guarantee of Origin (REGO), and Victorian Energy Upgrades (VEECs) are jurisdiction-specific regulatory programmes with defined eligibility, creation rules, and retirement requirements. TIGR provides infrastructure for trading international renewable energy certificates (I-RECs) and similar global instruments. Understanding which instruments apply to a project requires assessing its location, technology, and intended claim. We help clients navigate these distinctions and select the appropriate pathway for their renewable electricity attributes.
What is the purpose of retiring certificates in the TIGR Registry?
Retiring certificates in TIGR establishes that renewable electricity attributes have been used to support a specific claim by their owner. Retirement is the final step in the lifecycle of a certificate, formally recording that the attributes have been consumed and cannot be resold or used again. This retirement evidence is essential for supporting renewable electricity claims and market-based greenhouse gas accounting under frameworks like the GHG Protocol Scope 2 Guidance. Proper retirement prevents double-counting of environmental benefits and demonstrates ownership of the attributes at the time of claim. We ensure clients understand retirement requirements and maintain appropriate documentation for their renewable electricity claims.
Can Northmore Gordon assist with buying and selling renewable certificates like those traded through TIGR?
Yes, we offer services to buy and sell global renewable energy certificates through our trade capability, accessible via our website under '/services/trade-with-us/'. Our renewable certificate services encompass procuring renewable electricity attributes, managing ownership and retirement requirements, and supporting commercial transactions. Our moREnewable100 service provides multi-site renewable certificate procurement with RE100-aligned sourcing, technology due diligence, and flexibility across different instruments and markets. We help clients establish the intended claim, select appropriate instruments, conduct ownership verification, and manage retirement evidence to support renewable electricity accounting and reporting.
What should a renewable energy project owner consider before generating certificates through TIGR?
Project owners should establish several foundational elements: the project location and eligible technology, any prior incentives or certificate arrangements that might affect attribute ownership, the intended claim the certificates will support (renewable electricity claim, Scope 2 accounting, or another framework), and the applicable regulatory environment. Understanding whether TIGR is the appropriate registry for the project's circumstances requires assessing the renewable energy market context and eligibility under relevant schemes. Documentation of project commissioning dates, operating conditions, and measurement of electricity generation are essential. We can conduct assessments of project eligibility, timing, evidence requirements, and the commercial case for certificate development to establish a clear pathway forward.
How do renewable electricity certificates from TIGR support corporate sustainability claims?
TIGR-traded certificates provide transparent, verifiable evidence of renewable electricity attributes that organizations can retire to support renewable electricity claims and market-based Scope 2 greenhouse gas accounting. When certificates are purchased and retired, they document ownership of specific renewable generation attributes during a defined period, enabling corporations to make credible claims about renewable electricity supporting their operations. This approach differs from physical fuel consumption reduction and serves the GHG Protocol Scope 2 Guidance framework for market-based accounting. Our certificate advisory services help organizations establish the appropriate reporting framework, select instruments aligned with their commitment (such as RE100), document ownership and retirement evidence, and ensure claims are grounded in the underlying certificate transactions and retirements.
