Make renewable claims safely: what you can say, what you should avoid, and what evidence you need
Important: This is educational guidance, not legal advice. Claims should be reviewed by your legal/compliance team.
Sustainability teams
Preparing disclosures
Finance/leadership teams
Approving external claims
Anyone buying RECs/green tariffs/PPAs
And wanting clarity
You can only claim what you can prove with:
Quantity
kWh
Time
which period/year
Place
where it applies
Instrument evidence
what was purchased
Beginner rule: If your claim can't survive an internal audit, don't publish it.
You buy certificates separate from electricity supply.
Pros: fast, simple, scalable
Cons: claim strength depends on market and disclosure; can be misunderstood
You buy a utility program that allocates renewable attributes.
Pros: simple, often location-aligned
Cons: must understand what's included and how it's documented
You contract for renewable generation (physical or virtual structure).
Pros: stronger claim story if structured well
Cons: complex contracts and accounting; long-term commitment
You generate renewable electricity at your site.
Pros: operationally tangible
Cons: limited by roof/space and interconnection; still requires documentation for claims
"We report location-based Scope 2 emissions and disclose methodology."
"We purchased renewable electricity instruments covering X% of our electricity consumption for YYYY."
"We matched 100% of our electricity consumption with renewable instruments for YYYY, using documented procurement instruments."
"100% renewable electricity / zero-emissions electricity / carbon-free electricity"
Beginner rule: Prefer "matched with instruments" language over blanket "100% renewable electricity" claims.
| Portfolio/Region/Site | Reporting year | Consumption (kWh) | Instrument type | Provider | Quantity (kWh) | Evidence link | Notes / limitations | |---|---|---:|---|---|---:|---|---|
Claim posture for reporting year [YYYY]: Public language level: [ ] Level 0 (report methods only) [ ] Level 1 (we purchased instruments covering X%) [ ] Level 2 (we matched 100% with instruments) [ ] Level 3 (carbon-free / 100% renewable electricity) — requires additional review Approver(s): - Sustainability: - Finance: - Legal/Compliance: Key limitations we must disclose: - geographic limitations - partial portfolio coverage - timing mismatches - data gaps
Renewable Electricity Disclosure (Starter) For reporting year [YYYY], we report Scope 2 emissions using location-based methodology and, where applicable, market-based methodology supported by documented renewable electricity procurement instruments. We maintain an instrument inventory including type, quantity, period coverage, and evidence documentation. We do not make claims beyond the quantity and period supported by our inventory, and we disclose known limitations where data or coverage is incomplete.
Use cases (choose one): A) Partial coverage - "We purchased renewable electricity instruments equivalent to approximately [X%] of our electricity consumption in [YYYY]." B) Full instrument matching (if true and documented) - "We matched 100% of our electricity consumption with documented renewable electricity instruments for [YYYY]." C) Subset coverage - "For [subset/region], we matched [X%] of electricity consumption with renewable instruments in [YYYY]. We report the rest using location-based methods." Avoid vague statements like: - "We are 100% renewable" (without defining scope and evidence) - "Zero emissions electricity" (without careful definitions)
Claims and disclosures
Consistent and repeatable year over year
Every claim traceable
Back to an inventory row with evidence
Reduced confusion and risk
Internal clarity, external credibility
Assumptions: You can compile procurement documentation.
Where this can fail: Overclaiming or missing evidence.
v1.0 (2026-01): Latest release