WattCarbon Energy Attribute Tracking System (WEATS)
The WattCarbon Energy Attribute Tracking System (WEATS) is the first registry designed specifically for distributed energy resources, enabling transactions of Energy Attribute Certificates (EACs) for any hour, from any clean energy resource. WEATS is designed to support the transition from annual clean energy matching to full decarbonization of our energy system.
WEATS Pillars
Inclusive of all energy resources
WEATS is the first registry to unlock the entire ecosystem of clean energy technologies to participate in clean energy markets. Now, anyone that owns the rights to a carbon-reducing asset may monetize the environmental benefits.
Transparent energy attributes
WEATS provides detailed visibility into all attributes of clean energy, enabling procurement based on specific decarbonization impacts. Energy Attribute Certificates (EACs) contain specific details for every watt-hour of energy, including grid emissions intensity, carbon impact, location, generation time and more. Organizations can buy and sell with confidence based on their unique needs.
For example, an EAC sourced from solar energy produced from a rooftop in West Virginia will contain a wholly different set of attributes than an EAC of battery energy dispatched into the Texas energy market during a peak evening demand hour. An organization trying to maximize its carbon impacts might choose to procure the EAC from West Virginia, while the company trying to achieve a 24/7 CFE goal in Texas might opt for the battery EAC.
24/7 Hourly EACs
WEATS enables hourly clean energy matching by generating unique EACs for every watt-hour of energy. Organizations may buy & retire EACs for any time of day needed to meet 24/7 goals or opt for an emissionality strategy by prioritizing carbon intensity.
EAC Registration & Certification
WEATS adheres to the open standards developed by EnergyTag, a non-profit that is creating standards for hourly clean energy tracking.
Preventing double counting
WEATS prevents double counting by assigning a unique ID for every watt-hour for each EAC and providing a publicly available interface for cross-checking sites and assets against other registries. The unique identifier enables WEATS to identify the specific source and timing of the underlying energy resources and allows for complete auditability for all transactions. Any audits or other reporting will be able to trace the claim to clean energy back to the source, including a complete history of all transactions subsequent to initial creation of the EAC.
Measurement and Verification
WEATS supports measurement & verification methodologies related to Electrification, Solar, Battery Storage, Demand Response, Energy Efficiency, Smart Thermostats, and Hourly Grid Emissions & Carbon Intensity. Every recorded EAC references a “measurement body” that is responsible for reporting energy data to WEATS. The measurement body is a third party, independent entity that is responsible for supplying energy data, such as a utility meter or market operator. You can read more about our metered and modeled approaches to M&V here.
OpenEAC Alliance
WattCarbon is a founding member of the OpenEAC Alliance, an independent industry group formed to ensure quality, consistency and transparency in distributed energy resource measurement and verification.
The OpenEAC Alliance creates open source methodological frameworks for certifying all EACs generated on WEATS. Each EAC on WEATS is linked to a methodology file, and the current version of each method will be published here.
Read more about the OpenEAC Alliance on the blog, here.