[adamsch]

Indeed, RECs are known to have very little additionality and there is a ton of research questioning their role in decarbonization.

"A number of studies have zeroed in on the influence of voluntary RECs—those purchased by private customers—on renewable energy production and have gathered significant evidence to suggest that these certificates have had little to no impact. One of these studies, led by researchers at Princeton, Harvard, and UCLA, for example, found that if the power market for voluntary RECs did not exist, “the amount of electricity generated by wind power in the United States would be little different than what we actually see today.”

A paper published in 2022 in Nature which received significant attention from the media argued that due to the drop in the prices of RECs in recent years, the revenue associated with these certificates is insufficient to promote an increase in green energy production. The paper concludes that while the group of companies being analyzed reported a combined 30.7% reduction in emissions resulting from their REC purchases, the actual reduction was closer to 9.9%."

https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/commentary/blog/renewable-e...

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-022-01379-5

[ncapati]

Thanks for raising this—these studies are important and we’ve read them too.

Our goal isn’t to resolve the long-standing debate around additionality, but to solve a more immediate and pragmatic problem: helping individuals and companies claim their property - in this case RECs.

For most people and businesses, participating in commodity markets (where RECs are bought and sold) is a black box. We’re focused on creating infrastructure and tools usable so they can. Whether you're buying RECs or exploring other environmental commodities, we think the user experience and the clarity around what you own and what you’re buying matter deeply.

[fauigerzigerk]

This criticism seems circular to me. If the certificates are too difficult to claim, then of course they don't have the desired effect of acting as an incentive.

[ncapati]

Totally agree with this take—it highlights a core issue we’ve seen over and over again. It's no surprise RECs struggle to live up to their potential as market signals. We think part of the solution is usability. If more people could actually see what they’re buying, why it matters, and how it fits into the bigger system, the signal could become stronger over time.