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REGO
Key takeaways
- A REGO (Renewable Energy Guarantee of Origin) is a certificate issued by Ofgem for each MWh of renewable electricity generated in the UK.
- Suppliers use REGOs to evidence that green tariff sales are matched by renewable generation.
- REGOs are tradable separately from the electricity itself, which is why ‘100% renewable’ varies in quality.
What is a REGO?
REGO stands for Renewable Energy Guarantee of Origin. Ofgem issues one REGO per MWh of eligible renewable electricity generated in the UK. Each certificate carries data about the generator and the period it covers.
Suppliers buy REGOs and ‘retire’ them against their customer sales to back claims of renewable supply. The certificates can be traded separately from the underlying electricity — which is why a tariff backed only by spot-purchased REGOs is weaker than one backed by long-term PPAs.
Why this matters for business buyers
REGOs are the basic evidence behind most ‘green’ unit rate claims in business tariffs.
When procuring, ask whether the supply is REGO-only or includes PPAs with named generators.
For sustainability reporting, REGO-backed supply is the conventional ‘market-based’ input to Scope 2 accounting.
