Corporate decarbonization ambitions are evolving—and so are the expectations around renewable electricity claims. RE100’s updated technical criteria signal a global shift: the bar for Scope 2 emissions reduction is rising. 

What changes are coming to renewable energy reporting, and how does it affect your business? Let’s break it down and see how you can stay ahead.  

Technical criteria are the minimum requirements for making credible renewable energy claims. These criteria are set by expert bodies and adopted by frameworks like the RE100, the GHG Protocol (GHGP), and SBTi. Their goal is simple: ensure any renewable electricity claim is verifiable, impactful, and transparent. 

Aligning your reporting with technical criteria improves the credibility of your Scope 2 emissions claims. It also ensures compliance with the frameworks shaping the sustainability landscape in your region. 

But credibility isn’t the only benefit. There’s also flexibility. Today’s technical criteria options are vast — so you can tailor procurement to your climate strategy, budget, market access, and ESG or brand priorities. 

Scope 2 compliance is becoming more complex. As markets have matured, so have technical criteria. Instead of just buying renewable electricity—often through Energy Attribute Certificates (EACs)—reporting requirements are increasingly focused on CDP, GRI, CSRD & governmental bodies. 

The new generation of technical criteria is pushing for more rigor across a few key dimensions: 

Certification

Many technical criteria now prioritize certified electricity from sources like Green-E, EKOenergy, I-REC, and other independent organizations. They apply strict standards, simplifying reporting and reducing risk. 

RE100’s recent updates, for example, highlight specific ecolabels that meet its fifteen-year facility age criteria. Buying electricity from these sources removes the need to track or disclose commissioning dates, which makes compliance much easier.  

Geographic relevance

Your electricity should come from the same market in which it’s consumed. RE100’s update clarified and tightened these market boundaries, and other technical criteria will likely do the same. To stay compliant, businesses must ensure their EACs are sourced locally or within the defined region. 

Temporal alignment

It’s not enough to just buy certificates that loosely match your annual consumption. Updated criteria emphasize matching production and consumption to the same year, or even the same month. In Europe, hourly matching is already possible. This alignment doesn’t just improve transparency and trust—it also makes sure certificates align with the realities of energy production and use.  

Additionality

Frameworks and legislation are placing growing importance on emissions reductions that support new renewable capacity. China, for example, recently passed legislation that requires new data centers in national hub regions to source at least 80% of their electricity from renewable sources. Technical criteria from other frameworks have similar requirements. 

Exclusivity and traceability

Double-counting of EACs has been a concern since their introduction whereby certificate attributes are claimed more than once. Technical criteria aim to eliminate this possibility across the board, as regulators and standards bodies are working to ensure renewable energy procurement matches reported claims and that accounting methods are more rigorous during disclosure cycles. 

Technical criteria differ by framework and geography, but all serve one purpose: integrity. Here’s how businesses use technical criteria in practice: 

• Regional preferences: Companies may prioritize wind GoOs from neighboring markets for geographic alignment and public trust. 

• Regulatory alignment: Firms operating across multiple regions may seek certificates that comply with both local rules and global frameworks (e.g., GoOs with Green-E or EKOenergy certification). 

• ESG reporting integrity: Technical criteria help validate science-based or net-zero targets and ensure claims support credible, high-impact projects.

Technical criteria are often complex and highly detailed. A great partner can help you navigate the specifics. At a high level, you should focus on the following areas: 

1. Map out your procurement strategy: Choose which technical criteria to follow based on your ESG goals, geography, and sustainability strategy. Then, assess your procurement tools like PPAs, RECs, and GoOs to ensure they meet the requirements. 

2. Verify certification standards: Review your current suppliers and ensure they offer certified products that meet RE100 or other framework requirements. Buying certified products can reduce your reporting burden and boost your credibility.  

3. Find sourcing partners with global market reach: The best procurement partners offer global market access, speed, and deep regulatory knowledge. Look for a team that can tailor solutions to your needs, without sacrificing compliance.