24/7 Carbon-Free Energy and Granular Certificates Explained
24/7 carbon-free energy matches electricity consumption to carbon-free generation in the same hour, and usually in a deliverable location. Granular certificates, as specified by EnergyTag, are time-stamped energy certificates covering one hour or less. They are not the same as.
24/7 carbon-free energy matches electricity consumption to carbon-free generation in the same hour, and usually in a deliverable location. Granular certificates, as specified by EnergyTag, are time-stamped energy certificates covering one hour or less. They are not the same as an annual I-REC(E) redemption. This guide explains the difference and the official documents to use.
What is 24/7 carbon-free energy?
24/7 carbon-free energy, often shortened to 24/7 CFE, is the practice of matching a buyer's electricity consumption with carbon-free generation on a much tighter time step than an annual energy attribute certificate claim, usually hourly, and within a defined deliverable market. The aim is a claim that more closely reflects when and where the electricity was produced.
The 24/7 Carbon-Free Coalition, convened with Climate Group, has published technical criteria for partner companies. Those criteria, like the RE100 technical criteria, are largely an interpretation of market-based instrument principles. They are stricter than a typical annual renewable electricity claim on time matching, market boundaries, resource type and, in some cases, resource age. They are a voluntary campaign standard, not a substitute for the GHG Protocol.
The Coalition's public criteria treat resources such as wind, solar, certain geothermal, marine, sustainable hydropower and nuclear as carbon-free for this purpose, based on fuel-cycle operating emissions rather than embodied construction emissions. Buyers should read the current criteria themselves rather than treat that list as Financely's classification, and should not assume every "green" tariff already meets 24/7 tests.
What is a granular certificate under EnergyTag?
An EnergyTag-compliant granular certificate is a certificate for the characteristics of energy produced during a period of one hour or less, issued under a scheme that meets the EnergyTag Granular Certificate Scheme Standard. The current standard is written for electricity tracking. EnergyTag also publishes a matching standard for pairing certificates with consumption.
EnergyTag is a not-for-profit standard setter. It does not issue, sell, or broker granular certificates, and it does not run buyer demonstration projects as a registry. Certificates are issued by accredited or recognized scheme operators, often existing energy-certificate registries, system operators, or other platforms that can use verified hourly metering data. If a vendor says it is "the EnergyTag registry," that claim should be checked against EnergyTag's own materials.
Granular certificate schemes are designed either to supplement an existing energy attribute certificate scheme or to sit beside one, with controls against double counting of the same attributes. That last point matters for generators that already issue annual I-REC(E) or other certificates. Hourly attributes and annual attributes cannot both be claimed by different parties for the same megawatt hour.
| Instrument or claim | Usual time match | What it is for | What it is not |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual I-REC(E) or similar EAC | Typically a reporting year, subject to the scheme and the buyer's policy | Market-based Scope 2 and many RE100 claims, when Quality Criteria and RE100 rules are met | Not automatically a 24/7 CFE claim |
| Granular certificate | One hour or less, if the scheme follows EnergyTag | Time-stamped attributes that can be matched to consumption in the same hour | Not issued by EnergyTag itself |
| 24/7 CFE claim | Hourly matching, plus location and resource tests in the chosen criteria | A tighter procurement and reporting goal used by Coalition partners and other buyers | Not a GHG Protocol requirement unless and until the Protocol says so for a given year |
Does the GHG Protocol already require hourly matching?
No. The current GHG Protocol Scope 2 Guidance, which companies still use, is built around the 2015 market-based method and does not make hourly matching a present reporting obligation. Companies still report location-based and, where applicable, market-based totals, and they apply the Quality Criteria to contractual instruments they wish to use.
The GHG Protocol has consulted on possible updates to the market-based method, including hourly matching and deliverability tests. Those consultations are important for planning, but they are not adopted rules until the Protocol says they apply to a reporting year. A buyer that wants 24/7 CFE can adopt a tighter voluntary policy now. That is a policy choice, not a claim that the 2015 Guidance has already been replaced.
Annual I-REC(E) issuance and redemption remain relevant for many current Scope 2 and RE100 files. The group guide on how to generate I-RECs and the India solar page at I-REC development for solar portfolios in India still apply to that annual path. A generator that wants to offer hourly products needs measured interval data, a scheme that can issue granular certificates without double counting, and a buyer contract that says so clearly.
What should generators and buyers document if they want a 24/7 path?
They should document the matching time step, the market or deliverability boundary, the resource types that will count, how storage is treated, how unmatched hours will be reported, and how annual certificate issuance will be stopped from double counting the same attributes. They should also name the issuing scheme and the data source for hourly generation and load.
This is still an emerging contracting area. Financely can advise, as an advisor and arranger only, on how to describe those points in a file or offtake discussion. It does not issue granular certificates, operate a 24/7 registry, or assure a CFE claim. Plant financing questions remain on project finance for solar and renewable energy.
Frequently asked questions
Is a redeemed annual I-REC the same as a 24/7 CFE claim?
No. An annual I-REC(E) or similar energy attribute certificate can support a market-based Scope 2 or RE100 claim when the relevant rules are met. A 24/7 carbon-free energy claim seeks hourly, and usually locational, matching of consumption to carbon-free generation. The annual certificate does not automatically satisfy that tighter match.
Does EnergyTag issue granular certificates?
No. EnergyTag publishes the Granular Certificate Scheme Standard and a related matching standard. It does not issue, sell, or broker certificates and it is not a registry for buyers to open an account with. Certificates are issued by scheme operators that meet the standard and have access to verified interval metering data.
Has the GHG Protocol already made hourly matching mandatory?
No. The current Scope 2 Guidance still uses the 2015 market-based method for reporting. The GHG Protocol has consulted on possible updates, including hourly matching and deliverability. Until the Protocol adopts a change for a given reporting year, hourly matching is a voluntary policy or campaign standard, not a present Protocol mandate.
Can a generator issue both annual I-REC(E)s and granular certificates for the same hour?
Not for the same attributes claimed by different parties. Granular certificate schemes are supposed to prevent double counting with existing energy attribute certificate systems. If hourly attributes are issued and claimed, those megawatt hours should not also be issued or redeemed as a standard annual certificate for a second claim.
Where can I read the official 24/7 and EnergyTag rules?
EnergyTag publishes the Granular Certificate Scheme Standard and related materials on its site. The 24/7 Carbon-Free Coalition technical criteria are published with Climate Group. The GHG Protocol Scope 2 Guidance remains the greenhouse gas accounting reference. Use those primary documents, not a vendor slide, as the controlling text.
Can Financely issue granular certificates or assure a 24/7 claim?
No. Financely is an advisor and arranger. It can help a generator or offtaker think through documentation, metering, and contract language. It does not issue granular certificates, operate an EnergyTag scheme, or provide assurance over a carbon-free energy claim. Official issuance sits with the recognized scheme operator.
Related reading
If you want advisory help scoping a 24/7 or granular-certificate file, submit it through the deal submission form. Financely is an advisor and arranger only. It does not issue granular certificates or assure a carbon-free energy claim.
Sources