Ontario Program

Overview of Ontario's Clean Energy Credit Program

In response to government policy, the IESO has launched a provincial clean energy credit (CEC) registry to provide Ontario businesses with a new tool to meet their corporate environmental and sustainability goals.

CECs are electronic certificates used to demonstrate that clean energy from Ontario based generation has been acquired, to meet a voluntary target. Each credit represents 1 MWh of clean energy that has been generated and is intended to be exclusively purchased and claimed (or retired) by a load customer within Ontario.

Transmission and distribution-connected generators of the following clean energy fuel types are eligible to participate in the sale of clean energy credits in Ontario:

  • Biofuel
  • Biogas
  • Biomass
  • Hydro
  • Nuclear
  • Solar
  • Wind

Ontario CEC Program

Eligible generators and loads participating in the sale and purchase of CECs are to register with Midwest Renewable Energy Tracking System (M-RETS) for the Ontario Program. The M-RETS registry platform allows for the creation, transfer and retirement of CECS.

Once an organization has enrolled into the Ontario Program, the organization can enlist the services of a broker or independently sell and purchase CECs. See M-RETS Operating Procedure and Ontario Program Rules, and Summary of Operating Procedure Changes posted on the M-RETS Registry Documents website. Training on how to use the M-RETS registry is also available:

The IESO will annually report on the transfer of CECs by volume and energy source.

Sale of IESO-Owned Environmental Attributes

IESO CECs originate from the environmental attributes associated with clean electricity generation produced under contract with the IESO, and are available for purchase in accordance with Ontario’s CEC regulations. The IESO has engaged a third-party broker, Karbone Inc., to support the IESO with sales of IESO-owned CECs. Those interested in purchasing IESO-owned CECs including pricing inquiries, can contact CEC@karbone.com or Karbone’s phone line at +1 (646) 291-2900 or visit www.karbone.com for more information.

Further to a letter from the Minister of Energy dated July 10, 2023, the IESO is developing advice and recommendations to the Government of Ontario for the creation of a new Future Clean Electricity Fund (FCEF) that would leverage proceeds from the sales of IESO-held CECs to support clean energy projects and decarbonization while reducing ratepayer costs. To learn more about the development of options for FCEF, visit the FCEF engagement page.

For market participants with generating facilities under contract with the IESO, please reach out to the IESO at contract.management@ieso.ca to confirm ownership of the environmental attributes and eligibility to participate in the Ontario CEC program.

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