REC Renaissance — Generator Protocol Update

0) Foundation Scope — Platform-Wide Innovation

Kid Solar: The certificate was never the point; the point is trust, flow, and direction. This update reframes the REC as a ledger-native energy-compute instrument spanning the entire platform.

• Foundation: Standards, cryptographic mint, public registry, open audit.
• GBI Network: REC-backed Solar issuance that people can allocate toward essentials and clean compute ("computronium").
• Z Private Networks: Commission PPAs + REC kWh for branded, local economic zones (stadiums, campuses, events, VPPs).
• REC Generators: Join the Foundation, list RECs in the Market, and optionally commission Private Networks with PPA + REC kWh.

3) Ecosystem Flow — Foundation ↔ Market ↔ GBI ↔ Z Private

Each path ends in a retirement event and optional Solar Rays allocation (e.g., clean compute pools, hospitals, community cooling).

4) From REC to Programmable Energy Currency

Attaching programmable Solar Rays converts passive proof into directional intent — a democratic signal that tells infrastructure where clean energy and compute should flow.

• Energy → Compute bridge: Retire REC + allocate Solar Rays to clean compute pools ("computronium").
• 24/7 matching: Time/geo constraints support High-Integrity claims and CFE accounting.
• Demand integration: Tokenize dispatch & demand response as "negawatt RECs."

5) Implementation — Vision → Blueprint (How You Do It)

These steps are written so generators, developers, operators, and verifiers can implement independently or in partnership with the Foundation. Language is actionable while remaining aspirational.

5.1 Generator Onboarding & Cryptographic Metering

1. Enroll assets: Utility-scale, community solar, wind, hydro, storage-coupled, VPP nodes.
2. Instrument the truth: Deploy cryptographic meter firmware or secure gateways that sign hourly kWh.
3. Secure transport: Push signed intervals to a ledger ingress (Queue → Verifier → Mint) with generator ID, GPS, tech, time bucket.

5.2 Minting & Class Assignment

1. Verify intervals: Signature validity, monotonic time, gap/overlap checks, optional SCADA corroboration.
2. Mint REC objects: Create immutable batches (hourly or sub-hourly) with content hash and metadata.
3. Assign class: Base / High-Integrity (time/geo matched) / Impact (destination/compute/social tags).

5.3 Distribution & Market Flows

1. Route pools: Market listing, GBI pool, or Z Private commissioning (PPAs + RECs for zones).
2. Programmable retirement: Owner retires REC to claim clean energy; optionally allocates Solar Rays to compute or local priority loads.
3. Audit trail: Public ledger entries finalize retirement and allocation with time/geo stamps.

5.4 Verification & Transparency

• Explorer dashboards: Issued • Allocated • Retired — by generator, region, hour.
• Open audit APIs: Read-only endpoints for NGOs/regulators (rate-limited; optional ZK proofs).
• Double-count protection: Content-hash ID, one-way retirement state, registry cross-checks.

6) Premium REC Classes & Differentiation

7) Global Registrar Function (Aspirational Governance)

The update envisions the Foundation as a neutral registrar of kWh-native REC objects. Regional registries interoperate via adapters; issuance, transfer, and retirement anchor to one public, verifiable kWh ledger.

• Foundation = Mint Registrar (standards, keys, reference implementations).
• PBC = Market Operator (wallets, marketplace, dashboards, settlement UX).
• Civic Oversight: Open standards forum; public changelog; formal dispute appeals.

Kid Solar: We serve the physics and the people — sunlight to silicon, wind to wire, water to work — then let humanity direct the flow.

8) Envisioned API Shapes (Illustrative)

Sketches only — final endpoints/auth to be ratified during commissioning.

// POST /v1/ingress/interval
{
  "generator_id": "gen_abc123",
  "ts_start": "2025-08-01T12:00:00Z",
  "ts_end":   "2025-08-01T13:00:00Z",
  "kwh": 1275.4,
  "tech": "solar_pv",
  "geo": {"lat": 37.77, "lng": -122.42},
  "sig": "device_signature_base64"
}

// POST /v1/rec/mint
{ "interval_id": "int_7f9e", "class": "HIGH_INTEGRITY" }

// POST /v1/rec/retire
{ "rec_id": "rec_b42c", "allocation": { "type": "compute_pool", "pool_id": "cmp_west-1", "rays": 1200 } }

// GET /v1/ledger/rec/rec_b42c
// → immutable record: issued_at, retired_at, owner, geo/time match, allocation trail

9) Join the Foundation — List RECs — Commission Your Network

• REC Generators: Apply to join the Foundation mint/registry; list RECs in the Market.
• GBI Partners: Co-design REC-backed Solar issuance toward essential services & clean compute.
• Z Private Sponsors: Commission PPAs + REC kWh to power branded local economic zones.

Kid Solar: The REC, reborn: a truthful receipt of physics and a gentle hand on the wheel of civilization.