Tradable Renewable Energy Credits in California: The Struggle with Implementation

On Mar. 11, 2010, the California Public Utilities Commission authorized the use of tradable renewable energy credits to satisfy at least a portion of the obligations imposed by California's Renewables Portfolio Standard. The decision allows California's largest investor-owned utilities and other retail providers to purchase TRECs to meet up to 25 percent of their annual RPS compliance obligations, but implementation has raised a series of questions.