Making your green electricity offering visible
Since the liberalization of the electricity market, suppliers have been competing with so-called "green" offers. But what does this label really mean, given that before it reaches your business, a “green” electron generated from a renewable or carbon-free source loses its “color” by mixing with all the others? The system of guarantees of origin (GO) provides a first level of proof.
The principle: a supplier purchases guarantees of origin equivalent to the amount of electricity consumed by its customers on green energy plans: 1 GO for every 1 MWh purchased. Guarantees of origin are dematerialized certificates sold on a dedicated market by renewable electricity producers, serving as proof that their electricity has indeed been fed into the grid.
But then, that supplier has to purchase electricity to meet its customers’ needs, and it doesn’t necessarily buy it from those renewable energy producers! Nor does it buy it at the same time!
What does the Vertvolt label guarantee?
To address this issue, the French Agency for Ecological Transition (Ademe) created the VertVolt label. It is based on a set of criteria that requires, among other things, the purchase of green electricity and the corresponding green energy certificates from the same producer—and, moreover, a French one.
The label is also based on the principle that the greenest electricity is the electricity we don’t use: to qualify, companies must implement measures that encourage energy conservation and efficiency.
Two levels of commitment have been defined and reflected in the logo: “committed” (the supplier structures its portfolio by entering into contracts with clearly identified producers) and “highly committed” (a portfolio in which more than 25% consists of producers whose facilities, built after 2015, did not receive public subsidies, or who have placed their companies under shared governance).
And an optional clause, “nuclear-free”: under this clause, the supplier waives its right to access the ARENH, a mechanism that grants it access, at a regulated price, to electricity generated by existing nuclear power plants.
Are you an electricity supplier looking to demonstrate your commitment and stand out from the competition? AFNOR Certification has been commissioned by ADEME to conduct the certification audit.
