The life cycle of a certificate is as follows: 

1. Issue:                
   A RECS certificate is issued for, and uniquely relates to, a specific instance of the production of a standard quantity - one megawatt hour - of renewable electricity.  
2. Transfer:                         
   Each RECS certificate is registered as belonging to a single party at each point during its life, and this is adjusted accordingly following each transfer of its ownership. 
3. Redemption:
   RECS certificates are redeemed when they are "used". 

Through the RECS system and the certificate’s benefits Statkraft can make you green and allow your company to market itself as an environmentally friendly company as regards its electricity consumption. 

The RECS system has undergone a test phase ( 2001 – 2002) , during which 170 companies from 15 countries participated. More than 14 TWh of renewable certificates were issued. The test phase is now over, and RECS certificates have proven to be the preferred tool for buying ownership to renewable electricity production.

According to the Renewable Energy Certificate System (www.recs.org), a certificate is uniquely identifiable, transferable and therefore tradable, and contains standard information - including: a unique certificate number, issuer, generation plant identity, time of issue, type of technology and installed capacity.

The RECS certificate represent the entire benefit of renewable electricity over electricity from non-renewable sources.