The I-REC Standard Foundation (I-REC Standard) has recently released its International Attribute Tracking Standard (Standard). Since the founding of the I-REC Standard Foundation in 2015, the organization has seen significant growth in the usage of the associated attribute tracking systems they facilitated. The decision that the I-REC
Standard Foundation should be an independent entity, separated from the underlying market facilitation, was approved by the I-REC Standard Foundation Board in 2018. The updated Standard represents the completion of that separation and the recognition that other Products may be offered under the quality flag of the I-REC Standard.

The Standard is a set of requirements that ensures the condition and nature of attribute tracking systems are of the highest quality and meet the most rigorous expectations of stakeholders, market parties, and end-users. The Standard defines how various organizations can coordinate and facilitate attribute tracking systems, as well as their associated markets, and be Accredited or proven as compliant with the regulations set forth in the Standard. The goal of the International Attribute Tracking Standard is to provide clear and concise rules for organizations that facilitate the Product markets for Product Certificates, as well as for the users of those associated markets. While the Standard does not define the Products adherent to the Standard, it ensures that all Products adhere to the same high-quality requirements.

Jared Braslawsky, Executive Director of the I-REC Standard Foundation explains that, “s the I-REC Standard Foundation, our role is to provide clear coordination of the set of rules associated with the facilitation and development of Product markets, as well as to ensure that they meet high quality standards and have mechanisms in place to ensure fair and robust implementation for all parties. And it is our experience that Products like electricity, non-fossil gas, hydrogen, carbon dioxide removal (CDR), and other Products that can benefit from an attribute tracking infrastructure, will benefit from the common rules provided in the Standard.”

For more information on the International Attribute Tracking Standard, visit here. To review the Standard, click here. For more information around the release of the standard, see the explanatory document, here.  And if you require any additional information, please contact the I-REC Standard secretariat at secretariat@irecstandard.org.