Certificate of origin (energy industry)
The certificate of origin is an electronic document that certifies the origin of electricity in Germany. It certifies how and where electricity was produced from renewable energies. At the same time, this document ensures that this quality can only be sold once. The certificate of origin therefore helps producers of electricity from renewable energies . You can have certificates of origin issued by the Federal Environment Agency for the amount of electricity you produce and feed into the grid , provided that the electricity is not already remunerated through the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG).
The electricity label on the electricity bill shows how much of the electricity used comes from renewable energy sources. Basically there are two types of renewable electricity: that which all electricity customers finance through the EEG surcharge, and that which is produced without this subsidy. The former is shown on the electricity bill with a corresponding reference to the EEG. This happens regardless of the electricity tariff. Electricity that is not financed via the EEG surcharge but also comes from renewable energy sources is shown separately. For this electricity, the supplier must present and have validated proof of origin in the appropriate quantity at the Federal Environment Agency.
Legal framework
The legal framework for the use of guarantees of origin is regulated in Section 42 of the Energy Industry Act (EnWG). This states that the electricity supplier, for example the local municipal utility, must show its customers the composition of the energy sources of the electricity supplied (e.g. coal, gas or renewable energies); this is the so-called electricity marking .
This obligation applies in accordance with Section 66 (9) of the EEG and Section 118 (5) of the EnWG since the commissioning of the certificate of origin register (HKNR) in the Federal Environment Agency on January 1, 2013. This means that the electricity bill will be changed to include the information pursuant to Section 42 of the EnWG by November 2014 at the latest.
Certificate of origin register
The Certificate of Origin Register (HKNR) is an electronic register and comparable to an online banking system. The Federal Environment Agency manages the entire life cycle of the certificate of origin in the HKNR. It issues the guarantees of origin, transfers, imports, exports and validates them.
In Germany, the Federal Environment Agency is setting up the register of proof of origin in order to implement the requirements of EU Directive 2009/28 / EC1 in Germany. According to Article 15 of this directive, the member states must set up an electronic register for electricity from renewable energies. The Renewable Energy Sources Act assigns this task to the Federal Environment Agency (see Section 55 EEG).
Web links
- Certificate of origin register
- Frequently asked questions about the register of guarantees of origin (HKNR) (PDF; 0.2 MB)
- Directive 2003/54 / EC (PDF)on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources
Individual evidence
- ^ Federal Environment Agency: Certificates of origin for renewable energies . Information on the certificate of origin for renewable energies at the Federal Environment Agency, accessed on January 21, 2014.
- ↑ a b The Certificate of Origin Register (HKNR) accessed on January 21, 2014.