☑️ Why Do We Need Granular Certificates?
Granular Matching is Happening already !!! It is great to see 24/7 carbon-free energy being a reality as the granular certificate market gets more traction with the addition of more than 20 Case Studies across the globe.
Refer to the EnergyTag’s Blog on the Feasibility of Granular Certificates and Getting Started with EnergyTag page.
☑️ How Granular Certificates Work?
Granular Certification System
The figure above shows the overview of all the roles for the Granular Certificate Scheme under The EnergyTag Scheme Standard. The process of energy flows physically from Producer to Consumer and data flow from GC issuer/Consumer to Matcher to Claim verifier is self-explanatory in the figure above.
Brief definitions of each role are as follows:
Producer: The owner of a Production Device which is valid for GC Issuance.
Granular Certificate Issuer (GC Issuer): A Granular Certificate Issuer is an organization responsible for the administration of the Granular Certificates within a Domain for an Energy Carrier, ensuring the avoidance of Double Counting of the Attributes represented by the Granular Certificates it administers throughout their lifetime.
Consumer: The final beneficiary of GC/EAC cancelation and potentially the user of associated consumed energy.
GC Matcher (or GC-Consumption Matcher) (or Matcher): An Organization that matches the Attributes of canceled GCs to a specific quantity of energy consumption of a specific Consumer/Supplier, with a view to determining the content of a GC Matching Claim
Claim Verifier (or GC Claim Verifier): An organization checking that Granular Certificates (GCs) are canceled against the energy consumption measured at one or a group of multiple Consumption Points in compliance with the Matching rules in this standard and the guidelines in the GC Use Case Guidelines.
☑️ Configurations for Granular Certificate Issuance
It is crucial to have a robust mechanism for involving GC issuance and cancellation from the present EAC Market. GC issuance is either offered by an existing EAC Issuer (“Config 1”) or 3rd party based on underlying EACs (“Config 2 or 3”).
A brief Explanation of each proposed configuration by EnergyTag is as follows:
Configuration #1 - GC Scheme evolves out of EAC Scheme: the GC Scheme is an evolution of an existing EAC Scheme such that the currently operating EAC Issuing Body evolves into a GC Issuer,
Configuration #2 - GC Scheme supplements EAC Scheme: the GC Scheme is an extension of an existing EAC Scheme and is managed by verified and approved third parties. Tasks and responsibilities related to the GC Scheme are performed by third-party entities in compliance with the rules and oversight of the existing EAC Scheme and EAC Issuing Body, and
Configuration #3 - the GC Scheme is based on Canceled EACs: this GC Scheme enables GC Issuance where the EAC Issuing body does not oversee the coordination with GCs for the same production. Instead, the GC Issuer takes such coordination upon itself. This involves canceling GCs upon their Issuance, for the same beneficiary as the beneficiary of the associated EACs for the same represented energy
☑️ Crucial Attributes of Granular Certificates
Crucial Attributes of GCs are as follows:
the Energy carrier (always Electricity)
a unique identification number
the date when the Production Device became operational
the production/storage discharge interval, which shall be a maximum of one hour
the GC Issuance date-stamp
the source of produced energy
the technology used to produce energy
the name of the Production Device
the unique ID of the Production Device (if available)
the capacity of the Production Device
the country/region of Issuance
the geographical location of the Production/Storage System that released the energy for which the GC is Issued (including zip code/postcode, street, city and country, and/or GPS coordinate). Where available, GPS coordinates shall be stated,
Wh as the base unit rather than a multiple (kWh, MWh, etc.) unit
the volume of energy production represented (i.e face value of the certificate) rounded down to the nearest Wh whole number
the identity of the GC Issuer
whether it is Issued from production or released from storage
whether or not it can be used to inform consumers of the origin of the energy they consume (i.e. Disclosure)
whether or not it has been Issued following Energy Carrier conversion or release from energy Storage
configuration the GC is issued (i.e. Config-1,2 or 3).
Matching and Claiming Granular Certificates
GC Matching Standard deals with the procedure to be followed for matching consumption with production and then enabling matching claims based on issued GCs. Standard also describes the roles and responsibilities of the Matcher and Claim Verifier.
The figure below shows the process of matching and claiming to be followed for making claims EnergyTag Compliant.