CERC amends renewable energy certificate regulations

What happened

The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission notified the CERC (Terms and Conditions for Renewable Energy Certificates for Renewable Energy Generation) (First Amendment) Regulations, 2026, Renewable Watch reported on 30 March 2026. As reported, the amendment:

• Extends the REC mechanism to captive generating stations that self-consume renewable energy but do not meet the conditions for captive generating plants under the Electricity Rules, 2005.
• Adds definitions including "designated consumer", "renewable consumption obligation" and "virtual power purchase agreement".
• Provides that RECs under virtual PPAs transfer to the consumer for meeting purchase or consumption obligations and are extinguished on use, and may be carried forward but not traded on power exchanges.

Why it matters

For industrial consumers, certificates and virtual arrangements are part of how renewable claims are documented. Contract terms should state clearly who holds the environmental attributes. See renewable power and sustainability reporting. Refer to the notified regulations for exact terms.