Data Collection

This specification outlines the requirements and process for receiving hourly interval meter generation data from registered producers as part of the PEC registry's monthly or quarterly submission cycle.

1. Submission Frequency

• Data submission periods: Producers are required to submit data either monthly or quarterly, as determined by the frequency of REC issuance.

• Submission deadline: Data submissions must be received by 10 days after the end of the reporting period (monthly or quarterly).

• Grace period: An additional 5 days will be allowed for late submissions. After this, the submission will be marked as overdue.

2. Data Format

• File format: Data should be submitted in a machine-readable format such as CSV, XML, or JSON.

  • File naming convention: ProjectID_year_month.csv

• Column headers (for CSV): The data file must contain the following headers:

  • Timestamp – in ISO 8601 format (e.g., 2024-01-01T00:00:00Z)

  • Generation (MWh) – positive values for generation, negative for consumption

  • Meter_ID – unique identifier for the meter

  • PEC Project_ID – unique identifier for the project, consistent with the onboarding metadata

• Time zone: All timestamps must be provided in UTC unless otherwise specified in the onboarding metadata.

3. Submission Process

• Submission portal: Producers must upload data through the REC registry web portal.

• API submissions: Producers also have the option to submit data via an API integration. The API endpoint and token will be provided during project onboarding.

• Manual upload: Producers without automation capabilities can manually upload data files via the web interface.

4. Data Content Requirements

• Time interval: Data must be submitted for hourly intervals.

• Units: All energy generation and consumption values must be expressed in megawatt-hours (MWh).

• Data validation rules:

  • Positive values: Generation values must be positive.

  • Negative values: Consumption values must be negative.

  • No zero values: Zero values are only acceptable in cases where the system was non-operational (e.g., during downtime). Otherwise, they may indicate an error and should be flagged for review.

  • No missing hours: Each hour in the reporting period must have a corresponding data point.

5. Quality Control Requirements

• Automated data checks: Submitted data will undergo the following automated checks upon receipt:

  • Time interval consistency: Ensure there are no missing hours.

  • Data completeness: Verify all required fields are populated.

  • Data format validation: Ensure the data is in the correct format (e.g., proper timestamp formatting, numeric generation values).

  • Outlier detection: Flag any data points that deviate significantly from historical patterns or expected ranges.

• Manual review: In the case of flagged data, the producer may be required to provide additional documentation or resubmit corrected data.

6. Data Resubmission

• Correction window: Producers will have up to 10 business days from the notification of errors to resubmit corrected data.

• Flagging mechanism: Producers will be notified via email or the portal about data quality issues that require resolution.

• Versioning: Resubmitted data will overwrite the previous submission, and the new version will be tracked in the system.

7. Metadata Requirements

• Project metadata consistency: Submitted data must match the metadata provided during onboarding, including:

  • Project ID

  • Meter ID

  • Installed capacity

• Cross-referencing: Data submission will be automatically cross-checked with the project’s onboarding details, including expected ranges for generation.

8. Security and Authentication

• User authentication: Only authorized users with valid credentials may upload or submit data.

• Data encryption: All data transfers, whether via the portal or API, must be encrypted using HTTPS.

• Audit trail: Each submission will be logged with a timestamp, user ID, and versioning to maintain a complete audit trail for compliance purposes.

9. Notifications and Alerts

• Submission receipt: Producers will receive an automatic confirmation once their data has been successfully uploaded and passed initial validation.

• Error notifications: If any issues are detected with the submitted data, producers will be notified with specific error messages (e.g., missing intervals, outliers) within 24 hours of submission.

10. Support and Assistance

• Technical support: Producers can contact the REC registry support team via email or through the web portal for assistance with data submission or technical issues.

• FAQ and Documentation: Detailed submission guides and FAQs are available on the web portal to help producers with the submission process.