Evident’s journey to one billion I-RECs

Earlier this year, Evident issued its one billionth International Renewable Energy Certificate (I-REC), marking a major milestone in the expansion of global renewable energy markets. To put this into perspective, this is enough clean energy to power Africa for over a year, Chad for 2,654 years, Jamaica for 222 years, or Colombia for 11 years.

Each certificate represents independently verified renewable electricity generation, helping drive investment into new projects and supporting the transition to a clean economy.

“This achievement demonstrates the scale and maturity of renewable energy certification,” said Ed Everson, CEO of Evident. “Behind every certificate is renewable electricity generation, supporting energy access, investment, and climate goals across the Global South and other economies.”

Since 2015 Evident has grown from a single market to more than 60 countries, serving over 95% of the voluntary renewable energy certificate market outside Europe and North America. This milestone reflects years of sustained collaboration with governments, NGOs, and partners to build trusted certification systems across diverse policy and market environments.

How Evident has built trusted markets for renewable energy certification

1. Partnering across diverse markets
Evident have worked closely with policymakers and market stakeholders to implement renewable energy certification frameworks that bring the standards set by the I-TRACK Foundation, the independent global standard setting body for I-RECs, into practice.

By collaborating with governments and regulators, Evident understands national priorities and energy strategies. This approach has enabled the implementation of I-REC across diverse economies including Brazil, India, South Africa, and small island states such as Singapore – each with distinct clean energy priorities, opportunities, and regulatory settings.

2. Strengthening energy access through partnerships

Working with organisations such as Energy Peace Partners and the D-REC Initiative, Evident has supported certification models that expand clean energy access in underserved communities and conflict-affected regions. These partnerships demonstrate the role of certificates in advancing both climate action and social development.

3. Ensuring global standards with local application
Evident operates in line with the global standards set by the I-TRACK Foundation. At the same time, Evident also works with national issuers who understand national policy and regulatory environments, to create effective local markets.

This balance of global rigour and local implementation underpins the reliability of renewable energy certification across different regions.

4. Scaling responsibly
To meet rising demand, Evident has expanded its operational capacity while maintaining the highest quality standards. Growth has been matched with a commitment to quality, ensuring that every certificate issued represents verified renewable generation.

Looking ahead
One billion certificates are more than a milestone. It reflects the growing role of renewable energy certification in enabling climate action, helping channel investment, and supporting energy access worldwide. As we look to the future, Evident will continue to work with governments, NGOs, and other organisations to strengthen certificate markets and accelerate the global transition to a clean economy.