MONTPELIER, Vt. (Legal Newsline) -- The Vermont Attorney General’s Office and Department of Public Service has followed up on its December guidance to solar projects by releasing additional guidance to companies dealing in renewable energy projects in the state.
“Today’s guidance follows the earlier statement on solar energy projects and clarifies that all renewable energy projects must comply with the law and avoid deceptive marketing statements,” Attorney General William Sorrell said.
The guidance given applies to projects in which the renewable energy certificates (RECs) are sold to out-of-state entities. Only the purchaser of these RECs can claim the renewable attributes. The guidance, therefore, advises any marketer of renewable energy projects selling RECs out of state to avoid public claims that Vermonters consume renewable energy from the projects.
The guidance is in accord with regulations released by the Federal Trade Commission that prohibit deceptive claims by renewable energy projects that sell RECs.