TCO Certified Generation 11 Proposes a 30% Renewable Electricity Requirement

In June 2026, TCO Certified, a certification for electronic devices published their TCO Certified Generation 11 Draft 2 for public consultation. Generation 11 proposes increasing the renewable electricity requirement from 15% to 30% for covered factories. The draft also expands the criterion to factories manufacturing display panels larger than 10 inches and provides more detailed requirements for REC cancellation statements, reporting boundaries and electricity-consumption evidence.

For electronics brands and their suppliers, these changes mean REC procurement will need to be aligned more closely with factory-level data and documentation. Generation 11 is still a draft, with final criteria planned for December 2026 and launch planned for December 2027.

The Renewable Electricity Requirement Would Double

Under Generation 10, at least 15% of electricity used in each final assembly factory had to be procured and/or generated from renewable sources. Generation 11 Draft 2 proposes 30% and extends the criterion to factories manufacturing display panels larger than 10 inches.

For a factory consuming 10,000 MWh annually, the proposed requirement would correspond to 3,000 MWh of eligible renewable electricity rather than 1,500 MWh.

REC Cancellation Statements Must Match the Claim

Generation 11 Draft 2 places greater emphasis on REC cancellation statements when demonstrating renewable electricity use. The statement must identify the relevant beneficiary and support the same reporting boundary used for the electricity-consumption calculation.

This matters when a brand purchases RECs for a supplier. A company-level cancellation statement cannot automatically support a narrower factory-level claim. The REC documentation and electricity data need to refer to the same reporting boundary.

Generation 10 already required RECs to be owned, retained or retired on behalf of the specific factory or brand owner to prevent double counting. Generation 11 therefore strengthens and clarifies the link between certificate evidence and the electricity claim.

Brand Owners Can Still Report Their Production Share

Generation 11 Draft 2 retains the option for a brand owner to report its share of production at a factory. The share can be determined using production volume or revenue, applied consistently for the relevant factory and reporting period.

For example, an electronics brand sourcing products from a Vietnamese supplier could calculate the electricity attributable to its production share and procure additional eligible RECs to support that claim.

Unbundled RECs Still Remain an Option

Generation 11 Draft 2 continues to recognise RECs as a way to support renewable electricity claims without requiring the company to physically purchase electricity bundled with renewable attributes. The draft requires renewable electricity claims to be supported by valid REC cancellations.

This keeps unbundled REC procurement relevant for electronics manufacturers and suppliers that cannot access a suitable green tariff, PPA or other bundled renewable electricity arrangement in their market.

The important change is not the removal of unbundled RECs, but the stronger emphasis on eligible REC systems, cancellation evidence and matching the certificate boundary with the electricity claim.

Accepted REC Systems Continue to Be Listed by Country

Generation 11 Draft 2 continues to provide a country-specific list of accepted REC systems. In Southeast Asia, the draft recognises I-REC and TIGR in Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.

For suppliers, this means the REC system should be checked before procurement rather than assuming every EAC is eligible.

Cross-Border RECs Remain an Exception

The draft retains the existing mechanism for markets where accepted REC prices are high. Above USD 10/MWh, up to 30% of renewable electricity may be covered by neighbouring-market RECs; above USD 30/MWh, the allowance increases to 70%. Documented market-price evidence is required.

Local-market procurement therefore remains the normal approach, with cross-border sourcing available only under the specified exception.

What Electronics Companies and Suppliers Should Prepare

The proposed changes make four checks particularly important:

• Plan for 30%, rather than 15%, renewable electricity
• Check the accepted REC system in each manufacturing market
• Match REC cancellations with the electricity reporting boundary
• Keep independently verifiable electricity-consumption evidence

Companies with several factories should assess each covered factory separately because Generation 11 Draft 2 does not allow renewable electricity shares to be averaged across factories.

Generation 11 Makes REC Documentation More Important

For renewable electricity, the biggest proposed change is the 15% to 30% increase. At the same time, Generation 11 Draft 2 gives manufacturers clearer requirements for proving that their RECs support the specific electricity claim being made.

The draft remains subject to change. TCO Development plans to publish the final Generation 11 criteria in December 2026, with the new generation planned to launch in December 2027. Manufacturers should confirm the final requirements before treating these provisions as definitive.

Read more about the renewable electricity requirement under Generation 10 and how RECs align here.

The insights here reflect our research on how RECs relate to reporting frameworks; for detailed TCO Certified Generation 11 implementation guidance, companies should consult sustainability reporting experts.

Prepare for TCO Certified Generation 11

We support REC procurement for manufacturers and suppliers across emerging markets, including Southeast Asia, with attention to eligible markets and certificate requirements.

Contact Monsoon Carbon to discuss your REC requirements for TCO Certified Generation 11.