“How to prove the electricity you are using is from renewable energy sources? No worries, the “Taiwan Renewable Energy Certificate” (T-REC) mechanism has been developed by the government. T-REC could be used as renewable energy identification card, to ensure the energy sources are generating renewable electricity. It could also be used for tracking and managing the usage or purchase of renewable electricity.

Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection (BSMI), MOEA, will issue the first batch of T-REC on May 19, 2017. Each T-REC represents 1000 kWh of renewable electricity. The companies that have been approved includes: Chimei Materials Technology Corp., Chunghwa Telecom, Formosa Heavy Industries, Industrial Technology Research Institute, Rich Electric, Taipei City Government, Taiwan Power Company, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Fab 6 (listed in alphabetic order). The total number of T-REC issued is 268. All the relevant information would be available on National Renewable Energy Certification Center website (http://www.trec.org.tw/). Starting from today, Taiwan will be entering the new era of using renewable energy.

Enable to achieve the energy structure transformation, the Executive Yuan has instructed BSMI to develop the renewable energy certification mechanism as response to the industry needs. On April 21, 2017, there was an opening ceremony for the National Renewable Energy Certification Center (T-REC Center) Preparatory Office. During the opening ceremony, Minister of MOEA reaffirmed the policy of Non- Nuclear Homeland in 2025 and the goal of 20% of the total power generation from renewables. Therefore, the Electricity Act was amended on January 16, 2017 to achieve these goals.

After the establishment of T-REC Center Preparatory Office, a series of promotional work has been launched immediately:

1. Establishing the mechanism: Learning from Europe, Unites States, Japan, and other countries to complete the T-REC operation mechanism;

2. Communication with industries: Besides communicating with international businesses like Apple and Microsoft, will also hold seminar for Taiwanese company (such as green supply chain), to obtain opinions, recognitions, and willingness of participation, to ensure T-REC would be internationally accepted;

3. Establishing a strict checking and verification mechanism: will visit renewable energy facilities in Taiwan, such as Taiwan Power Company’s hydropower, wind power, and solar electric facilities, also will visit privately owned wind power and solar electric generation facilities; the facility would must go through rigorous equipment checking and verification procedure, to confirm actual power generation amount, whereby establish credibility for T-REC.

BSMI indicates that a lot of Taiwanese companies and local governments have responded enthusiastically to applying T-REC, including Pingtung County Government, Yunlin County Government, and Changhua County Government have all inventoried possible application sites, such as Pingtung County’s Guangtsai Wetlands and Changhua County’s XianRong Temple. Other companies such as, Advance Semiconductor Engineering Inc., Apple, Cathay Financial Holdings, CTBC Co., Ltd., Fubon Financial, Lite-On Technology Corporation, Microsoft, and Taishin Financial Holdings (listed in alphabetic order), are all interested in participate in the T-REC Program for the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), to become part of the international green supply chain.

In response to global renewable energy development trend, companies have committed to use renewable energy, which is also an important topic for governments for the sustainable development of the Earth. With the concerted efforts from all sectors, to establish a credible renewable energy certification mechanism. This is a historical moment for Taiwan to witness the energy structure transformation, and to achieve the goal of 20% of the total power generation is from renewable energy.
BSMI Spokesman: Deputy General-Director Mr. Chung-Lin Wang”

Source: https://www.trec.org.tw/en/news/en_2017-05-19%2016-53-00