REGO (Renewable Energy Guarantee of Origin)
A REGO is a certificate proving that one megawatt-hour of electricity was generated from a renewable source.
What it is
REGO stands for Renewable Energy Guarantee of Origin. Ofgem issues one certificate for each megawatt hour (MWh) of eligible renewable electricity generated by an accredited station. A MWh is 1,000 kWh. The certificates exist so that customers can see how much of a supplier's electricity came from renewable sources.
Where you will see it
- In green tariff marketing: "100% renewable" claims are usually backed by REGOs.
- In a supplier's annual fuel mix disclosure, which licensed electricity suppliers must publish.
Why it matters
A REGO does not mean the electrons in your wires came from a wind farm. The grid is shared. It means a supplier has bought a certificate matching the volume you use. That is why different green tariffs can differ in what they offer, for example whether the generator is new or the supplier just buys certificates in bulk. We cover this in are green business tariffs really green and REGO certificates explained.
Example
A restaurant uses 36,000 kWh a year. That is 36 MWh, so a supplier backing its supply with REGOs would need 36 certificates for that year. Ask whether the REGOs come from the same generation sources the supplier advertises and whether the tariff costs extra, as discussed in green business energy tariffs.
Related terms
See green tariff and smart export guarantee.
Common questions on this topic
Sources
General information only. Energy prices, rules and supplier terms change; check the latest position with your supplier, Ofgem or the Energy Ombudsman before you act.