Guarantees of origin FAQ
What is a guarantee of origin, i.e. GO?
What is a guarantee of origin, i.e. GO?
From the middle of 2015, suppliers are required to prove the origin of electricity generated from renewable energy sources to consumers with guarantees of origin. A guarantee of origin (GO) is an electronic document that can be purchased completely separately from the electricity generated and whose sole purpose is to prove to the consumer the origin of the electricity they consume. A guarantee of origin for electricity can also be transferred from one holder to another, regardless of the energy associated with it. A guarantee of origin issued in Estonia or a contracting State of the European Economic Area and deleted from the Estonian register of guarantees of origin is used to prove the origin of the electricity consumed. The standard energy unit of a guarantee of origin is 1 MWh, meaning that one guarantee of origin is issued for each megawatt-hour produced.
How are guarantees of origin issued?
How are guarantees of origin issued?
In accordance with Minister of Economic Affairs and Infrastructure Regulation “Rules for issuing, transferring and cancelling a guarantee of origin and the list of particulars to be filed when applying for such a guarantee”, operations related to the issuance of guarantees of origin are carried out through an account opened in the register. To open an account in the register, a producer or supplier submits an application to the system operator, i.e. Elering AS.
Registering a device/applying for support or similar actions in the Renewable Energy Information System green.elering.ee does not automatically guarantee the issuance of guarantees of origin.
How are guarantees of origin issued?
How are guarantees of origin issued?
Guarantees of origin are issued once a month for electricity generated in the previous calendar month, usually on the 6th–7th date of the following month. If the output of the production device in the previous month is less than 1 MWh, no guarantees of origin are issued for that month, but the amount of electricity generated is carried over to the next period and a guarantee of origin is issued once at least 1 MWh of renewable energy has been accumulated.
What conditions must be met for a production device to qualify for the issuance of guarantees of origin?
What conditions must be met for a production device to qualify for the issuance of guarantees of origin?
To issue guarantees of origin, the producer must register their production device in Elering’s Renewable Energy Information System at green.elering.ee, uploading the network contract related to the production device entered into with the system operator to the information system. Another option is to send the network contract related to the production device entered into with the system operator to the e-mail address [email protected] and the device is registered in Elering’s Renewable Energy Information System based on the network contract.
How to join the register of guarantees of origin as a producer?
How to join the register of guarantees of origin as a producer?
To join as a producer, you must be the owner of a production device. The production device must be registered in the Renewable Energy Information System.
To join the register of guarantees of origin, please send a filled in and signed (please sign all the documents in the same folder) application for joining the register of guarantees of origin, standard terms and conditions for the use of guarantees of origin, and a confirmation letter regarding non-receipt of investment aid if you have not received any investment aid to the e-mail address [email protected]. Please include in your letter whether you would like to join as a producer or as a trader. You can find the necessary forms HERE.
The “market participant’s guarantees of origin account” provided in the application for joining the register of guarantees of origin – this account number is the producer’s EECS (European Energy Certificate System) number, which is displayed when entering Elering’s Renewable Energy Information System at green.elering.ee on behalf of the producer in the “My data” view and to/from which guarantees of origin can be transferred.
When registering as a producer, guarantees of origin can be transferred, but cannot be deleted (used to prove consumption).
How to join the register of guarantees of origin as a trader?
How to join the register of guarantees of origin as a trader?
To join the register of guarantees of origin, please send a filled in and signed (please sign all the documents in the same folder) application for joining the register of guarantees of origin and standard terms and conditions for the use of guarantees of origin to the e-mail address [email protected]. Please include in your letter whether you would like to join as a producer or as a trader. You can find the necessary forms HERE.
When registering as a trader, guarantees of origin can be transferred or deleted (used to prove consumption).
Will I be issued guarantees of origin even if the production device has received support?
Will I be issued guarantees of origin even if the production device has received support?
If a production device is granted state investment aid after 15 June 2022 or a decision is made regarding the production device to start the support period, as a general rule, guarantees of origin are not issued to the producer. As an exception, guarantees of origin may be issued to the producer only in the following cases:
- if, when paying out the support, income from guarantees of origin is deducted from the support in accordance with the rules for granting state aid;
- when the support received and the income from guarantees of origin are offset; or
- if the recipient of support has been identified through a reverse auction.
Guarantees of origin are issued to all producers who received aid before 15 June 2022 and have joined the register of guarantees of origin.
If you have received investment aid after 15 June 2022 and the revenue from guarantees of origin is not deducted from the support when paying out the allocated support and the recipient of support has not been determined through a reverse auction, then there are two options:
- waive investment aid; or
- submit an application for offsetting investment aid and revenue from the guarantees of origin in accordance with the regulation. If revenue from guarantees of origin has exceeded the value of investment aid granted to the same production device, the producer must submit an application and the necessary additional documents to open a guarantees of origin account, following which guarantees of origin are issued to the producer’s account for the output of the same production device starting from the following calendar month.
How much does it cost to join the register of guarantees of origin, to make domestic and intrastate transfers?
How much does it cost to join the register of guarantees of origin, to make domestic and intrastate transfers?
Joining the register for guarantees of origin is free of charge. Transfers within the register are free of charge.
From 1 May 2022, the transmission system operator Elering AS established the following transaction fees for transferring guarantees of origin to or from another registry:
Transaction fee |
|
---|---|
Export of guarantees of origin |
0,026 €/MWh |
Import of guarantees of origin |
0,026 €/MWh |
Invoices are issued quarterly based on transactions completed in the previous quarter.
How much do guarantees of origin cost?
How much do guarantees of origin cost?
The price of a guarantee of origin is variable and is mostly agreed upon through bilateral contracts between producers and traders. You can find an overview of prices on various pages, more information HERE.
Whose guarantees of origin are recognised?
Whose guarantees of origin are recognised?
In Estonia, guarantees of origin issued in all contracting states of the European Economic Area (including all European Union Member States) can be used to prove consumption. For example, guarantees of origin issued in Latvia can be entered into the Estonian register. A fee has been established for importing a guarantee of origin into the Estonian register.
Transaction fee |
|
---|---|
Export of guarantees of origin |
0,026 €/MWh |
Import of guarantees of origin |
0,026 €/MWh |
From what period are guarantees of origin issued retrospectively?
From what period are guarantees of origin issued retrospectively?
Starting in November 2022, guarantees of origin are issued only for the previous calendar month’s production (in accordance with subsection 3 (4) of Minister of Economic Affairs and Infrastructure Regulation No. 69 “Rules for issuing, transferring and cancelling a guarantee of origin and the list of particulars to be filed when applying for such a guarantee” of 13 September 2022).
How long are guarantees of origin valid?
How long are guarantees of origin valid?
Once a guarantee of origin has been issued, it can be transferred to the register within 12 months. A guarantee of origin is valid for 18 months, during which it can be used (deleted) to prove the electricity consumed.
How do I find an electricity supplier who trades guarantees of origin?
How do I find an electricity supplier who trades guarantees of origin?
In order to consume renewable electricity, you can choose a green energy package from an electricity supplier or obtain guarantees of origin separately by contacting your electricity supplier, for example.
How are guarantees of origin transferred?
How are guarantees of origin transferred?
To transfer guarantees of origin, you must log in to Elering’s Renewable Energy Information System green.elering.ee. The “Guarantees of origin” subsection contains the “My Account” view. To transfer guarantees of origin, you must select the respective guarantees of origin that can be transferred, i.e. no more than 12 months have passed since the end of the production period. When making a transfer, you must enter the register to which you want to make the transfer and the recipient’s account (EECS number). The recipient’s accounts in the Estonian register start with “23X”. Transfers within the register are free of charge. Transaction fees apply when transferring guarantees of origin to other registries.
Please do not leave transactions to the last minute. After the expiry of the deadline, guarantees of origin cannot be transferred.
To check the transfer of guarantees of origin, select the view “Account statement” → “Transfer” as “Transaction type” and the period. You can then see the quantity and by opening the detailed view you can see more detailed data. Another option is to select “My Account” → GO technology (e.g. “Solar – unspecified”) as “Technology” and the period.
How are guarantees of origin deleted?
How are guarantees of origin deleted?
Guarantees of origin can only be deleted to prove the origin of electricity consumed in Estonia. In order to delete guarantees of origin, a trader’s account must be opened. The consumer’s data must be entered to delete guarantees of origin. After entering the consumer’s data, you can select the guarantees of origin and quantity you want to delete.
Guarantees of origin can be deleted until 31 March of the following year. After that date, consumption from the previous calendar year can no longer be proven.
Guarantees of origin can be deleted during their validity period, i.e. up to 18 months following the end of the production period.
Please do not leave deletion transactions to the last minute. After the expiry date, guarantees of origin expire and can no longer be used.
Is it possible to perform operations with guarantees of origin for nuclear energy in the Estonian register of guarantees of origin?
Is it possible to perform operations with guarantees of origin for nuclear energy in the Estonian register of guarantees of origin?
The Estonian register of guarantees of origin offers the possibility to import, transfer and delete guarantees of origin for nuclear energy.
What is AIB?
What is AIB?
AIB (Association of Issuing Bodies) is an association that manages the central electronic register of guarantees of origin (AIB Hub), which facilitates cross-border trade in guarantees of origin and promotes a standardised pan-European set of rules for guarantees of origin (EECS). Through the AIB Hub, Estonian electricity producers and traders can transfer guarantees of origin to other countries that have joined the AIB.
What is energy of unproven origin, i.e. residual mix?
What is energy of unproven origin, i.e. residual mix?
Pursuant to the Energy Sector Organisation Act, the system operator (Elering AS) is obligated to develop a methodology and publish the residual mix calculated for the previous calendar year by 30 June. The residual mix represents the quantity of electricity the origin of which is not proven to consumers by guarantees of origin. In Estonia, only a guarantee of origin issued in Estonia or in a contracting state of the European Economic Area and imported into Estonia may be used to prove the consumption of electricity generated from renewable energy sources.
The results of the residual mix have been published HERE.