German transmission system operator, 50Hertz, has partnered with LichtBlick and Granular Energy to create a pilot programme that offers hourly transparency on the origin of green electricity. The project enables several of LichtBlick's corporate customers to utilise a platform set up by Granular Energy, allowing them to track the exact hour at which they purchase green electricity from certain renewable generation plants. This hourly transparency certification will be managed and purchased through 50Hertz's Energy Track and Trace Register.
To qualify as green electricity in Germany, energy providers must carry a green guarantee of origin (HKN), certifying when and where the green electricity was produced and purchased. Currently, it is only necessary for proof to be generated and recorded on the balance sheet at the end of the delivery year, without the need for hourly comparison between consumption and production. The Federal Environment Agency in Germany maintains the Register of Guarantees of Origin.
The new pilot programme will offer increased transparency, as customers can now verify the hourly origin of their green electricity. The Energy Track and Trace Register, launched by 50Hertz in partnership with Elia Belgium, the Danish grid operator energinet, and the Estonian grid operator Elering, will enable the purchase and management of hourly certificates. VertiCer, a Dutch certification company, has also joined the platform.
The hourly transparency will be crucial for many companies seeking to measure their carbon footprint. By providing a more precise target for matching production and consumption, the certification will also encourage financial incentives for expansion of flexibilities and storage.
“Hourly energy tracking is crucial to increase confidence in green electricity products. It also creates a razor-sharp price signal that will accelerate investment in the technologies needed to deliver clean energy around the clock around the world,” said Toby Ferenczi, Co-Founder of Granular Energy.
