Ownership of Attributes: On-Site PV with Utility Program

Summer Minchew

Managing Partner

Ecoimpact Consulting

LEEDuser Expert

171 thumbs up

December 15, 2023

The LEEDonline form for this credit requires us to, "Upload On-site Renewable Energy Systems...Contract and evidence of renewable attribute ownership.

For each on-site renewable system, upload confirmation of renewable attribute ownership if the on-site renewable energy system is owned by the building owner"

Do owners of on-site PV systems who participate in utility programs where the energy produced on-site is pushed back onto the utility owned grid still qualify? We are questioning who technically owns the renewable attribute in this case.

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Marcus Sheffer

LEED Fellow

7group / Energy Opportunities

LEEDuser Expert

4454 thumbs up

Mon, 12/18/2023 - 15:00

Maybe. Who owns them would be spelled out in the contract. The attributes must be retained or retired to qualify.

Bryna Dunn

Vice President

Moseley Architects

LEEDuser Premium Member

10 thumbs up

Tue, 01/21/2025 - 19:10

to clarify, if the utility owns the system and retains the RECs, then the PV install would not qualify for LEED points? it only qualifies for LEED points if the utility allows the building owner to retain the RECs? what then would be the incentive for the utility to partner with a building owner to put PV on their project?

Marcus Sheffer

LEED Fellow

7group / Energy Opportunities

LEEDuser Expert

4454 thumbs up

Mon, 01/27/2025 - 22:15

Hey Bryna. Not necessarily. It all depends on the contract. If the utility owns the system, retains or retires the RECs and then the LEED project has a lease to buy the power generated for at least 10 years then that works.