Certificates of origin for Swiss electricity - a service offered by swissgrid
Laufenburg (ots)
On March 6, 2007, Switzerland signed an agreement with Italy regarding the mutual recognition of electricity from renewable sources. This event wraps up an important stage in the development of electricity exchange arrangements with foreign countries based on swissgrid's system for registering and issuing certificates of origin for Swiss electricity. Within the next few days, swissgrid will be issuing its first Swiss certificates of origin on exports to Italy.
Over the course of 2006, swissgrid set up a system for issuing certificates of origin which was based on the Austrian system and took into account the specific circumstances and conditions in Switzerland. This system was successfully launched at the end of November 2006. By being able to issue certificates of origin, we now have a suitable tool at our disposal which clearly verifies and guarantees the method used for generating electricity.
The day following the Federal Council's enactment of the "DETEC (Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications) ordinance regarding the certification of the production method and origin of electricity", the Federal Office of Energy issued a decree authorizing swissgrid to issue certificates of origin in accordance with this ordinance. Switzerland has thus established clear legal, non-discriminatory and EU-compatible framework for issuing certificates of origin for electricity. By fulfilling the three requirements of establishing an origin certification system, enacting the appropriate legislation and authorizing swissgrid to issue certificates of origin, Switzerland has met Europe's key criteria for Europe-wide recognition of certificates of origin for Swiss electricity. From a Swiss perspective, the ability to certify the origin of electricity is also crucial for trading in renewable energies and hydropower exports to Italy, in particular.
swissgrid will be expanding its Swiss origin certification system in 2007 by adding interactive online access and providing functional support for electricity labeling. Moreover, work will continue on integrating the Renewable Energy Certificate System (RECS) as well as linking this system to the international origin certification hub which, in the future, will enable certificates of origin to be exchanged electronically throughout Europe. Finally swissgrid is striving for accreditation as a conformity evaluation body in this area.
moving power - swissgrid is the national transmission system operator. In its capacity as transmission grid operator, it ensures the secure, reliable and cost-effective operation of the Swiss high-voltage grid. Headquartered in Laufenburg, swissgrid employs approximately 130 highly qualified employees. As a member of the Union for the Coordination of Transmission of Electricity (UCTE) and the European Transmission System Operators (ETSO), it is also responsible for grid monitoring and grid usage with regard to European electricity exchange. swissgrid is wholly owned by the seven Swiss grid companies Atel, BKW, CKW, EGL, EOS, EWZ and NOK.
For more information about certificates of origin for Swiss electricity write to herkunftsnachweis@swissgrid.ch or call +41 (0)58 580 28 00.
Contact:
swissgrid Media Service
Monika Walser
Werkstrasse 12
5080 Laufenburg
Tel.: +41/58/580'24'00
Fax: +41/58/580'24'94
E-Mail: media@swissgrid.ch
Internet: www.swissgrid.ch