Green Electricity
Both renewable and non-renewable electricity is transported over the same power grid. Consumption is therefore always a mix of fossil and renewable generation. Green Certificates offer a reliable tracking mechanism that can trace the consumption back to its generation source. The certificates are traded separately from the power.
STX Services offers a wide range of green electricity certificates, from different countries and technologies.
Target Compliance Certificates
Energy suppliers (or in some countries the energy producers) have an obligation to source a growing percentage of their energy supply (or energy production) from national renewable production installations.
The target compliance is registered through certificate systems. Failure to comply results in a fine per MWh, which drives the price for certificates.
This support systems stimulates national renewable energy production. The price for the certificates is a big incentive for investors to start new projects.
Voluntary Certificates: Fuel Mix Disclosure and Consumers Choice
Energy suppliers have an obligation to publish their energy supply mix. Consumers want to have a choice on how the energy they consume was generated. Some consumers choose to exclude nuclear power, other choose to reduce their carbon footprint. All electricity is however transported over the same grid and is therefore always a mix of green and non-green electricity. Energy consumption can be tracked back to the generation source with a certificate tracking system.
Guarantees of Origin (GOO) and Renewable Energy Certificates (REC) separate the green value from the physical electricity. These certificates provide a reliable tracking system to match production with consumption.
Special labels
The certificates carry information about how, when and where energy was generated. Label organizations like TÜV SÜD in Germany, Bra Miljowal in Sweden or Nature Made in Switzerland create combinations of certificates with different product specifications. These labels claim higher quality products and the price for these labeled products are higher.
Special certificates: UK Levy Exemption Certificates
The UK charges a Climate Levy on electricity consumption. If the consumed electricity is green, the consumer gets exempted. This exemption can be claimed by submitting UK Levy Exemption Certificates.
The certificates can be traded separately from the physical electricity. The supplier claiming the exemption however, has to proof a flow of physical electricity from the generation source to the consumer.