Guarantees of Origin
The European solution to scope 2 emission reductions
A Guarantee of Origin or GO, is an electronic document which provides proof of the environmental attributes of the generation of one megawatt hour (MWh) of electricity produced by a renewable source (e.g. wind, solar, biomass, hydro, biogas, geothermal).
GOs enable people to credibly claim renewable electricity consumption and report lower Scope 2 emissions according to the Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG-P), Scope 2 Guidance. Both the GHG-P and the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) promote the use of reliable tracking systems as a way of proving that on-site electricity consumption originated from a specific off-site source.
A GO is ‘used’ through the process of cancellation: which retires the relevant certificate and allocates the environmental attributes of the electricity to the single end-user. Cancelling a GO is the only way to redeem its benefits while ensuring that the certificate will not be traded or used by another end-user.
Where are Guarantees of Origin available?
GOs are available in 28 countries in the European Union (EU) plus Norway, Switzerland and Iceland. Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin (REGOs) are available in the UK. Bulgaria, Malta, Poland and Romania also have their own national systems. Head over to the Renewable Energy page to see worldwide systems, including, Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) in north America and International RECs (I-RECs). Each scheme allows the customer to optimise the selection criteria such as technology type, location, electricity vintage and more. However, certificates can only be cancelled for power consumption in the same region that the certificate was issued.
Increase your revenue and make a planet positive impact
Understanding the effects that your company has on the environment is crucial in our journey to a Net-Zero economy. By showing your concerns and the appreciating the effects climate change will have on future business, you position your company in the best position for profitability.
A wide range of benefits exist from a customer and stakeholder viewpoint
- The easy first step to becoming Carbon Neutral, Reduce your carbon footprint by reporting zero emissions from supplied electricity (scope 2).
- Consumers are expecting business to take action. Appeal to the growing wave of conscientious customers that prefer sustainable and ethically focused brands.
- Build investor confidence by demonstrating action on climate change.
- Using clean energy sends a powerful message to employees, which will support wider energy saving initiatives and can help save your organisation money.
You don’t even have to change your electricity supplier
As all electricity enters the same grid network, the provenance of your supply gets confused. certificates are traded separately to the underlying source, matching end-user electricity with a renewable source. This means that municipalities and large consumers can purchase green certificates independently from the physical electricity and thus “green up” their electricity mix.
Redshaw Advisors - Your perfect partner
Independent
Transparent
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Fair margins
Experienced
Global solutions (GOs, REGOs, RECs, IRECs)
High quality project portfolio
Assistance across all 3 emission scopes
Certification and marketing material
RE 100
Adopting a renewable energy plan will accelerate the transformation of the global energy market and aid the transition towards a low carbon economy. The RE 100 is a global collaborative initiative of influential businesses committed to 100% renewable electricity. RE100 companies are switching to renewables at pace, generating positive local impacts and influencing suppliers, policymakers and utilities, while aligning with the growing expectations of customers, shareholders and employees.
