CleanCounts to roll out enhanced attribute tracking for high-value solar RECs

A company called CleanCounts, which tracks renewable energy credits (RECs) — the certificates that represent proof that a certain amount of electricity came from a renewable source, like solar — is adding new ways to label and verify where that clean power actually comes from. The company says it issues more than 40% of RECs in North America.

The changes mostly matter to businesses buying clean power, not directly to homeowners. As government mandates for renewable energy have faded, companies are now buying RECs voluntarily, and many want more than a generic claim of "clean megawatt." CleanCounts plans to offer certificates that show, for example, whether solar power was generated at the same hour it was used, whether a solar farm shares land with crops or pollinator habitat, whether a project sits on tribal land, or whether hydropower met standards meant to protect fish and river ecosystems. There's also discussion of tracking projects built by historically disadvantaged groups, including tribes that were left out of past federal electrification programs.

None of this changes rebates, incentives, or costs for home solar or heat pump installations. It's a shift in how the solar industry tracks and sells the environmental credit behind electricity, aimed at corporate buyers who want a more detailed story about the power they purchase. The new system is being tested now, with a full rollout planned by the end of the year. For a homeowner, the main takeaway is that some solar farms — including ones near your community — may soon carry more detailed labels about how and where they operate, but this doesn't affect what upgrades or rebates are available for your own house.