Guarantees of origin

According to the Energy Sector Organization Act Elering will issue guarantees of origin to the producer to certify that the electricity has been generated from renewable energy sources or by high-efficiency cogeneration process.

The origin of the electricity consumed is certified by using guarantees of origin issued in Estonia or in  a Contracting State of the European Economic Area.

Guarantees of origin are regulated by the Energy Sector Organization Act. Amendments to the Energy Sector Organization Act entered into force on 28 May 2022 and REDII was transposed into Estonian law.

A guarantee of origin remains valid for cancellation 18 months following production of the energy. A guarantee of origin may be transfered during 12 months following production.

As of September 2014, Elering, and therefore the Estonian domain, is a member of the association for issuance of guarantees of origin, AIB (Association of Issuing Bodies). AIB administers the central electronic registry for guarantees of origin (the AIB Hub), which facilitates cross-border trade in guarantees of origin and promotes the standardised pan-European framework of rules (the European Energy Certificate System or EECS). A short brochure explaining the AIB in more detail is available here.

The full list of members available for trading guarantees of origin can be found on the AIB website.

Map of AIB countries

 

The guarantee of origin database can be found at green.elering.ee.  The Estonian Domain Protocol describes the main activities and procedures that a producer or trader may encounter when using the guarantee of origin database. For queries please use email avp.go@elering.ee or call (+372) 71 51 243.

Generating installations listed in Elering’s certificate of origin database, and their capacities

Technology

Number of generating installations

Total capacity (MW)

Wind

28

309

Solar

4 552

265

Hydro

19

6,3

Biogas

3

2
Biomass 20 1 015
Fossil fuels 12 543
In 2022 the national RES electricity production was 2622 GWh and in turn, guarantees of origin were issued for 2380 GWh of RES electricity.

GO statistics figure

 

Guarantees of origins for electricity in 2023 (by transaction date), MWh=GO
  Issued

Cancelled

 Exported Imported

Expired
January 182 037 132 914 125 373  469 129 13 593
February 230 184 272 526 681 047 220 727 10 746
March 208 800 416 233 184 367 166 552 11 642
April 217 770 63 818 218 418 24 848 17 496
May 227 785 18 215 165 013 12 046 16 295
June 206 255 130 769 270 913 158 446 12 211
July 182 366 41 580 254 935 244 514 11 288
August 168 378 104 021 116 043 270 621 10 684
September 163 112 17 261 124 469 80 479 14 242
October 203 781 238 848 274 216 129 209 14 702
November 189 484 157 617 93 874 343 879 14 956
December 176 075 72 465 145 222 1 134 755 12 390
TOTAL 2 356 027 1 666 267 2 653 890 3 255 475 160 245
  • A producer located in the Republic of Estonia generating electricity from renewable energy sources or in efficient CHP mode provided for in the Electricity Market Act, or a trader authorised by such producer, has the right to submit an application for the issuance of a guarantee of origin.
  • The standard unit of energy of a guarantee of origin is one megawatt-hour. One guarantee of origin is issued in respect of each megawatt-hour of electricity generated. If the full number of megawatt-hours in the application is exceeded, the remaining kilowatt-hours can be used in the application for the next period’s guarantees of origin.
  • A prerequisite for submitting an application for the issuance of guarantees of origin is registering a production device located in the Republic of Estonia in the database administered by the transmission system operator (green.elering.ee)
  • When applying for guarantees of origin for electricity generated in an efficient cogeneration mode, you will also need to submit to the transmission system operator (via avp.go@elering.ee or directly at green.elering.ee) the relevant fuel and heat data necessary for checking the fulfilment of efficiency requirements.
  • A market participant does not need to be located in the Republic of Estonia in order to trade guarantees of origin, but both producers and traders must accept and sign the Standard Terms and Conditions and the application to register with the database. Market participants from outside Estonia are kindly requested to fill in the Know-Your-Customer questionnaire.

Guarantees of origin for electricity produced from renewable energy sources include at least:

  • the name and address of the producer
  • the name, location, type and installed electrical capacity of the generating installation, and the designated energy source used for the generation of electricity;
  • the date on which the generating installation first became operational;
  • the start and end date of production of the energy unit;
  • whether the producer has received investment support or production support;
  • the date of issue of the guarantee of origin and its identification number;
  • other relevant information.

In addition to the information above, certificates of origin of electricity generated in an efficient CHP process also include the following:

  • the heat capacity of the generating installation;
  • the lower calorific value of the fuel used;
  • the volume and manner of use of the thermal energy generated in the cogeneration process;
  • the nominal electrical and thermal efficiency of the generating installation;
  • information about primary energy savings.

Elering AS administrates the registry for the guarantees of origin (GO) in Estonia.

From 1st May 2022 the service fees are applied for export and import of guarantees of origin.

  Fee
Export of GO 0,026 €/MWh
Import of GO 0,026 €/MWh

Value-added tax will be added to the service fees. Elering AS issues an invoice in the beginning of the quarter based on the number of transactions in previous quarter.

Registration fee is not applicable. Fees for issuance, cancellation and transfers between the accounts in the Estonian GO registry are not applicable.

  • A producer located in the Republic of Estonia generating electricity from renewable energy sources or in efficient CHP mode provided for in the Electricity Market Act, or a trader authorised by such producer, has the right to submit an application for the issuance of a guarantee of origin.
  • The standard unit of energy of a guarantee of origin is one megawatt-hour. One guarantee of origin is issued in respect of each megawatt-hour of electricity generated. If the full number of megawatt-hours in the application is exceeded, the remaining kilowatt-hours can be used in the application for the next period’s guarantees of origin.
  • A prerequisite for submitting an application for the issuance of guarantees of origin is registering a production device located in the Republic of Estonia in the database administered by the transmission system operator (green.elering.ee)
  • When applying for guarantees of origin for electricity generated in an efficient cogeneration mode, you will also need to submit to the transmission system operator (via avp.go@elering.ee or directly at green.elering.ee) the relevant fuel and heat data necessary for checking the fulfilment of efficiency requirements.
  • A market participant does not need to be located in the Republic of Estonia in order to trade guarantees of origin, but both producers and traders must accept and sign the Standard Terms and Conditions and the application to register with the database. Market participants from outside Estonia are kindly requested to fill in the Know-Your-Customer questionnaire.

Guarantees of origin for electricity produced from renewable energy sources include at least:

  • the name and address of the producer
  • the name, location, type and installed electrical capacity of the generating installation, and the designated energy source used for the generation of electricity;
  • the date on which the generating installation first became operational;
  • the start and end date of production of the energy unit;
  • whether the producer has received investment support or production support;
  • the date of issue of the guarantee of origin and its identification number;
  • other relevant information.

In addition to the information above, certificates of origin of electricity generated in an efficient CHP process also include the following:

  • the heat capacity of the generating installation;
  • the lower calorific value of the fuel used;
  • the volume and manner of use of the thermal energy generated in the cogeneration process;
  • the nominal electrical and thermal efficiency of the generating installation;
  • information about primary energy savings.

Elering AS administrates the registry for the guarantees of origin (GO) in Estonia.

From 1st May 2022 the service fees are applied for export and import of guarantees of origin.

  Fee
Export of GO 0,026 €/MWh
Import of GO 0,026 €/MWh

Value-added tax will be added to the service fees. Elering AS issues an invoice in the beginning of the quarter based on the number of transactions in previous quarter.

Registration fee is not applicable. Fees for issuance, cancellation and transfers between the accounts in the Estonian GO registry are not applicable.

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