• Ensures accurate renewable energy tracking and verification.
• Advances decarbonization by enabling precise supply-demand matching.
• Supports green hydrogen verification and corporate green claims.

Google joined industry leaders, solution providers, non-profits, and advocates in urging the swift implementation of Granular Guarantees of Origin (GOs) within the EU, as enabled by the recent Renewable Energy Directive update.

Why It Matters:

Granular GOs enhance electricity origin tracking by adding sub-hourly production times. This advancement offers several benefits:

1. Renewable Hydrogen Verification:
   • The EU’s renewable hydrogen regulations will require hourly matching of renewable electricity and hydrogen production by 2030. Granular GOs will facilitate this verification at scale, aligning with potential importers like the US.
   • “Harmonized tracking is crucial for establishing global markets for green hydrogen and other green products,” said an industry spokesperson.
2. Enhanced Green Claims:
   • The upcoming Green Claims Directive will require substantiated green claims based on accurate information. Granular GOs provide precise data on green electricity and hydrogen origins, supporting more detailed clean energy claims.
3. Decarbonization and Flexibility:
   • Granular matching, which aligns energy consumption with clean energy supply by the hour, can accelerate emission reductions and create incentives for investments in storage, demand response, and clean generation technologies.
   • “Increasing the clean flexibility of the electricity system is vital for a reliable, decarbonized grid,” noted a research report by Riepen and Brown.
4. Improved Corporate Disclosure:
   • The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive demands rigorous corporate disclosure. Granular GOs enable companies to provide detailed reports on their clean energy procurement, demonstrating the true impact of their sustainability goals.

Technical Feasibility:

The EnergyTag Initiative has developed a standard for Granular GOs that integrates into existing registry software, proving its technical feasibility through global demonstrations. Some EU Issuing Bodies are already prepared to offer Granular Certificates.

Related Article: Google Signs Another 5 PPA’s with ENGIE for 118MW of Renewable Power in Belgium

EU Member States and Issuing Bodies must integrate Granular GOs into national frameworks and ensure timely issuance. This will enhance energy tracking, support green claims verification, and position the EU as a leader in energy market innovation.

“We stand ready to support Member States and Issuing Bodies in this transformation of energy origin tracking in Europe,” stated a collective of industry leaders.

Read the full joint letter here.