TLDR;
This webinar by the Association of Issuing Bodies (AIB) discusses upgrades to the European system for Guarantees of Origin (GOs). It covers statistical monitoring, IT infrastructure, and residual mix calculations. The goal is to improve the GO system in line with the Renewable Energy Directive (RED II) and the EN 16325 standard, supporting a multi-energy carrier certificate system.
- Project framing and introduction by the European Commission.
- Upgrading GO market statistics with insights from a survey.
- Discussion on residual mix, particularly for non-electrical energy carriers.
- Vision for IT systems to facilitate cross-border transfer of GOs.
Introduction and Project Overview [0:01]
The webinar aims to improve the European GO system, with experts presenting on various aspects of the upgrade. Henrik Dham from the European Commission frames the project, explaining its initiation to provide technical support for standardization and effective migration of technical infrastructure. The project addresses the need to issue, transfer, and cancel GOs for electricity, gases, and heating/cooling, compliant with the EN 16325 standard. The Fast Go service contract has significantly contributed to drafting the revised standard, incorporating technical analysis and stakeholder consultation.
Project Outline and Task Packages [9:46]
The Fasco project, led by AIB, involves cooperation with various organizations to gather experts and facilitate stakeholder consultation. The project's mission is to establish an upgraded GO system through cost-efficient implementation of the Renewable Energy Directive in member states and facilitate standardization of GOs. Task packages support this mission, including mapping existing standardization frameworks, developing a text proposal for the revised EN 16325 standard, and IT system development.
Upgrading GO Market Statistics - Survey Results [17:38]
Adam White presents the results of a survey on potential enhancements to GO statistics. The survey shows a good balance between respondents working with electricity and gas sectors, with issuing bodies being the largest single block. AIB statistics are primarily used for gaining an overview of the market, and respondents are generally satisfied with the data content and presentation. There is clear interest in the central collection of GO statistics from non-AIB member countries.
Recommendations for Statistical Data [25:18]
Markus Klimszewski discusses recommendations based on the survey, dividing open answers into seven categories: improving usability, new data elements, new tools, external data, price information, other energy carriers, and miscellaneous modifications. Key proposals include ready-made graphs, data in pivot format, and analytics on historical data. Recommendations include considering immediate implementation of usability improvements and carefully weighing the benefits, costs, and confidentiality of introducing new data elements.
Feasibility Reflections for Issuing Bodies [39:19]
Lisbeth Switton reflects on the feasibility for issuing bodies, emphasizing AIB's strong support for the Fasco project and ongoing efforts to improve statistics gathering, processing, and publication. AIB has implemented a statistics module in the AIB hub, enabling members to upload national statistics. Future aims include automatic communication between members and the hub for efficient data gathering and publication.
Polls and Q&A on Statistics [48:02]
Poll results indicate interest in raw data publication, with a preference for free access. A majority would like to join a forum to discuss improvements in statistical reporting. The Q&A session addresses confidentiality, price reporting, and feasibility, with discussions on conducting price research while respecting GDPR and securing confidentiality on contract parties.
Residual Mix for Non-Electrical Energy Carriers [1:02:19]
Markus Klimszewski presents the initial concept for residual mixes of non-electrical energy carriers. Key principles for reliable residual mix calculation include having a disclosure system, monitoring renewable tracking, and using the same parameters for consumption and production. An interim solution of a fossil-only residual mix is recommended for hydrocarbon gas, hydrogen, and district heating, ensuring no double counting of renewable attributes.
Disclosure Systems and Recommendations [1:12:21]
The presentation discusses the interplay of hydrocarbon and hydrogen disclosure systems, recommending separate geo systems with conversion and blending rules. For heating and cooling, interim solutions and options for disclosure implementation are laid out. Additional work is needed for disclosure to kick off for new energy carriers, including designing specific disclosure systems and implementing best practices.
Polls and Q&A on Residual Mix [1:20:54]
Poll results show that two-thirds of the audience agree with the fossil-only residual mix proposal before transparent tracking and disclosure are implemented. A majority thinks that the geographical origin of natural gas should be disclosed. The Q&A session addresses methane leak disclosure, certification of renewable energy, and the calendar basis for residual mix calculation.
Vision for Future IT Infrastructure [1:37:13]
Phil Moody presents the vision for the future IT infrastructure for GOs, discussing options such as peer-to-peer, centralized, hub-centric, and hybrid systems. Lessons from EU ETS are considered, highlighting the challenges of centralization and the importance of quality assurance. The preferred way forward involves retaining local systems, implementing a central coordination hub, and allowing the system to evolve.
Evolutionary Solution and Shared Facilities [2:01:58]
The evolutionary solution means there is no need to change the EN 16325 standard. Main points include evolution not revolution, recognizing national and collective activities, and cooperating rather than centralizing. Shared facilities such as cross-border transfers, account holder databases, VAT fraud detection, and statistics are discussed.
Poll and Q&A on IT Infrastructure [2:07:40]
Poll results show that three-quarters of the audience support the proposed evolutionary approach. The Q&A session addresses the use of QR codes, expanding the GO system to cover CO2, and the consideration of legacy SOAP web protocols for data transfer.
Data Protocol for Multi-Energy Carrier and High-Level System Specification [2:11:41]
Marco Ledovara discusses the data protocol for multi-energy carrier and multi-purpose certificates, highlighting the challenges of a moving target, multiple targets, and different interest groups. The basic data structure of the proposed system is presented, including common data elements and those relevant for different certificate types. The high-level system specification involves creating a blueprint for the future IT infrastructure, building on the results of previous tasks.
