Energy Origin

Imagine if we all knew where our energy came from at all times, and were able to choose the green energy by the hour.   That is the vision we are working for in Project Energy Origin .

Granular Certificates for Energy Origin

Energy Origin is the natural next step in tracing the origins of electricity, as it will be a platform for tracing the origins of all energy forms, now and in the future. 

To support an energy consumption that can realize and make the enormous sustainable energy resources useful, we must first be able to prove that the energy does in fact stem from the renewable sources better than we are able to today.

To be able to document the origins of the energy on an hourly basis (so that it follows the market settlement) will give consumers new possibilities for taking green choices – and could be the very foundation for sector coupling (PTX), great scale sea wind and sustainable energy on market terms.

For what good is the green transition really, if we cannot prove that the energy we consume, truly is green? That is why we are working to granulate the origins of energy.

 

Our Ambition is to give everyone a greener choice

The demand for sustainability is growing rapidly. Sustainable products and services are in high demand – and the green must be green throughout the entire value chain. It is to these demands, Project Energy Origin speaks.

The goal of Project Energy Origin is to utilize the possibility of following the energy from the source of the production to the outlet – hour by hour – so that you may consume with a green conscience. it will also be possible to monitor your CO2 outlet.

Simultaneity between production of sustainable energy and consumption of energy – that is the real factor, that would be the foundation for future solutions - such as PtX when the fuel of the future need to be able to document a green production. This for instance when plains, lorries and ships are to sail using e-fuels, which are made from electricity from the grid (power to X). The EU commission is to publish a method of doing exactly that in 2022 – and Project Origins is a proposal for this method.

The dilemma of the current solution

Today, the guarantees of origin are calculated as an annual average in match between consumption and production. This means that a green guarantee of origin (GO) guarantees that an amount of electricity corresponding to the guarantee bought, will be produced via sustainable sources during the year.

As there is no demand on the production of green energy to be done simultaneously with the consumption, you can't be sure that you are in fact consuming the exact green electricity from the guarantee, but merely that an amount corresponding to your guarantee, will be produced in the relevant year. When there is no wind and no sun, we are in fact still very much dependent on fossil electricity production to supply everyone with electricity.

As such, there is a dilemma in the way we document the origins of electricity through guarantees of origin today. Consumers, who are buying 100 % of their annual consumption of electricity from sustainable sources, are still dependent on fossil fuels in the electricity system. In fact, there is a margin of error on production of sustainable energy of more than 50%, when calculated over a year. When it is calculated on an hourly basis, it is less than 2,5%.

We are testing as we develop the system

In 2020-2021 we tested the prototype for EnergyOrigin with more than 50 external partners, and we are now are now developing it as a system for tracking the origin of energy and thus enabling us to issue granular certificates. These certificates are not fully developed yet and have no legal value for the time being.

Currently the system still is under development, but today we are able to issue granular certificates based on renewable energy production within Denmark. These certificates are currently still not coupled with todays GO’s and there are no legal or economical obligations for you while working with these certificates. And we are looking for companies with renewable energy production facilities that will help us test the system  and give us feedback on the overall usability of the UX capabilities during the development.

Is that you? Then please contact us at datahub@energinet.dk

Be aware, The certificates are of no value and may not be used in any transactions. We also reserve the right to delete data at any time, if we have the need to do so. Once we transition into production, all data will be wiped.

Energy Track and Trace

Energy Track and Trace (ETT) is an ambitious, international collaboration working towards a cross border solution to tracking the origin of energy as near to real-time as possible.

www.energytrackandtrace.com

 

In order to scale the concept of Energy Origin, the Energy Track and Trace collaboration was formed by the following TSOs:

 

Elering

Elia Group

Energinet

 

ETT is an international collaboration between TSOs to demonstrate how granular certificates can travel cross-border, build on data and digitalization and collaborate around setting new standards, to accellerate renewable energy and thereby ensure more sustainable and cost-effective energy.