RPS Class I
RPS Class I Generation Units were built on or after January 1, 1998 and have met the requirements of the RPS Class I regulations. These Units can be located anywhere in the ISO New England control area, as well as in the adjacent control areas (northern Maine, New York, Quebec, or the Canadian Maritime Provinces), provided that they transmit their power into New England and meet other import criteria. Their NEPOOL GIS Certificates are known as RPS Class I Renewable Energy Certificates or Massachusetts Class I RECs. Massachusetts Class I RECs can be used only for compliance with the Massachusetts RPS Class I Renewable Energy Minimum Standard, not for any other energy portfolio standard.
Qualified Class I Renewable Generation Units
Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target (SMART)
Solar Tariff Generation Units qualified under the SMART program were built on or after January 1, 2018 and are interconnected to one of the three Massachusetts Electric Distribution Companies (Eversource, National Grid, or Unitil). Qualified Units receive incentive payments directly from the Distribution Companies, which in turn receive the Class I RECs generated by the Solar Tariff Generation Units.
Qualified SMART Solar Tariff Generation Units
RPS Solar Carve-out
RPS Class I Solar Carve-out Units were built on or after January 1, 2008 and have met the requirements of the RPS Class I regulations. These Units can be located anywhere in Massachusetts. Their NEPOOL GIS Certificates are known as Massachusetts RPS Class I Solar Renewable Energy Certificates or SRECs. SRECs can only be used for compliance with the Massachusetts RPS Class I Solar Carve-out Minimum Standard, not for any other energy portfolio standard.
Qualified Solar Carve-out Generation Units
RPS Solar Carve-out II
RPS Class I Solar Carve-out II Units were built on or after January 1, 2013 and have met the requirements to be qualified as Solar Carve-out II eligible. These Units can be located anywhere in Massachusetts. Their NEPOOL GIS Certificates are known as RPS Class I Solar Carve-out II Renewable Energy Certificates or SREC IIs. SREC IIs can only be used for compliance with the RPS Class I or Solar Carve-Out II Minimum Standards.
Qualified Solar Carve-out II Generation Units
RPS Class II
RPS Class II Renewable Generation Units pre-date 1998 and have met the specified criteria outlined in the RPS Class II Regulation, 225 CMR 15.05. These Units can be located anywhere in the ISO New England control area, as well as in the adjacent control areas (northern Maine, New York, Quebec, or the Canadian Maritime Provinces), provided that they transmit their power into New England and meet other import criteria. Their NEPOOL GIS Certificates are known as RPS Class II Renewable Energy Certificates or Massachusetts Class II RECs. Massachusetts Class II RECs can be used only for compliance with the Massachusetts RPS Class II Renewable Energy Minimum Standard, not for any other energy portfolio standard.
Qualified Class II Renewable Generation Units
RPS Class II Waste Energy
Waste Energy Generation Units pre-date 1998 and have met the specified criteria outlined in the RPS Class II Regulation, 225 CMR 15.05. All of these Units are located in Massachusetts and must comply with enhanced waste management regulations of the Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP). Their NEPOOL GIS Certificates (one certificate per MWh of electricity generation) are known as Waste Energy Certificates (WECs). WECs can only be used for compliance with the Massachusetts RPS Class II Waste Energy Minimum Standard, not for any other energy portfolio standard. Under MassDEP regulations, half of the proceeds from selling WECs are paid into a fund at the MassDEP for recycling program expenses.
Qualified Class II Waste Energy Generation Units
APS
APS Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Generation Units were built on or after January 1, 2008, APS Renewable Thermal Generation Units were built on or after January 1, 2015, and APS Fuel Cells and Waste to Energy Thermal Generation Units were built on or after January 1, 2016. These Units can be located anywhere in the ISO New England control area, as well as in the adjacent control areas (northern Maine, New York, Quebec, or the Canadian Maritime Provinces), provided that they transmit their electric power into New England and their Useful Thermal Energy to a load in Massachusetts, while meeting other import criteria and requirements. Their NEPOOL GIS Certificates are known as Alternative Energy Certificates, or AECs. AECs can be used only for compliance with the APS Minimum Standard, not for any other energy portfolio standard.