Eugene Green Energy Standard
The Eugene Green Energy Standard is an international standard to which national or international green electricity labelling schemes can be accredited to confirm that they provide genuine environmental benefits. It is designed to encourage the generation and use of additional renewable energy sources for electricity generation, although the limited use of additional natural gas-fired cogeneration plant is also supported.[1]
The standard
The standard confirms that energy supplied under the accredited schemes:[2]
- Is produced from genuinely sustainable energy sources.
- Will result in a real increase in renewable generation beyond the requirements imposed by government ('additionality').
- That the demand from consumers is matched by renewable generation.
Two variations of the standard, 'gold' and 'silver', differentiate between schemes depending on the additionality of new renewable energy supplied. The development of the standard was aided by the European Union's CLEAN-E initiative during 2005 and 2006[3][4]
Discussions on increasing the flexibility of the standard were due to commence during 2007 'to better reflect the reality of the voluntary green power market'.[5]
Accredited energy labels
Accredited national energy labels include:[6]
The organisation also recommends certain other national schemes that are progressing towards accreditation, including:[7]
In the absence of a Eugene accredited scheme in the United Kingdom, Eugene supports Ecotricity[8], while Good Energy claim to be ready for accreditation to the Eugene Standard[9]
The Eugene Standard has also been adopted in Chile,[10] while a pilot scheme is in progress in France.[11] Discussions with other national certification bodies are also in progress.
The Eugene Network
The standard is managed by the Eugene Network (formerly the European Green Electricity Network), an international membership-based non-profit organization. The Network aims to coordinate and harmonise green energy labelling nationally and internationally, promote the adoption of the Eugene Standard as the basis for national and international green energy markets, and encourage consumers and suppliers to choose credible green energy products. Formal discussions on the Eugene standard first toook place in 2000, lead by the World Wide Fund for Nature, and was officially launched on June 24, 2002.[12] The Eugene Network was legally established in 2003 and the first national energy labels were accredited in 2004.[13]
Full voting membership of the Network is open to 'citizen organisations pursuing not for profit activities with the objectives of promoting green electricity but with no direct interests in the generation and supply of energy services'. Organisations outside this scope but which do 'have a commitment and interest in creating a viable green energy market' can become non-voting associate members or supporters.[14]
As of June 2007, the members of the Eugene Network were:[15]
World Wide Fund for Nature [1]
Chile: Instituto de Ecología Política [2]
Finland: Finnish Association for Nature Conservation [3]
France: Comité de Liaison Energies Renouvelables [4]
Germany: EnergieVision [5]
Spain: Asociacion para la Defensa de la Naturaleza [6]
Sweden: Swedish Society for Nature Conservation [7]
Switzerland: Association for Environmental Friendly Electricity (VUE) [8]- Switzerland: Swiss Federal Institute for Environmental Science and Technology (EAWAG) [9]
See also
- Category:Energy by country
- Electricity retailing
- Energy conservation
- Energy policy
- Environmental concerns with electricity generation
- Global warming
- Low-carbon economy
- REN21
External links
- Eugene Standard (official site)
- GreenLabelsPurchase.net: Eugene
- Present and Future Development of Bra Miljöval-labelled electricity (2005-02-14)
- Additionality in renewable energy
- Association for Environment Conscious Building: The Green Electricity Illusion
In the media
- January 1, 2007, Leonardo Energy: Green Power labels not yet at full power
- October 2, 2002, World Wildlife Fund: Green electricity that really is green
References
- ^ Eugene Standard - Technical Document, Eugene, accessed 2007-06-07
- ^ Vision, Eugene, accessed 2007-06-07
- ^ CLEAN-E project has supported Eugene, Eugene, accessed 2007-06-07
- ^ Intelligent Energy Europe, European Commission, accessed 2007-06-07
- ^ Eugene Standard in a new shape, Eugene, published 2006-12-21, accessed 2007-06-07
- ^ Certify your product, Eugene, accessed 2007-06-07
- ^ The Eugene Standard, WWF European Climate Change & Energy Unit, published 2006-05-31, accessed 2007-06-07
- ^ Ecotricity - committed to new renewable energy Eugene, accessed 2007-06-07
- ^ Case Study: UK market lacks information Eugene, accessed 2007-06-07
- ^ Eugene Standard adopted in Chile, Eugene, published 2004, accessed 2007-06-07
- ^ France starts pilots to introduce Eugene Standard, Eugene, published 2004, accessed 2007-06-07
- ^ WWF launches European green energy standard, Edie, published 2002-06-26, accessed 2007-06-07
- ^ History, Eugene, accessed 2007-06-07
- ^ Membership, Eugene, accessed 2007-06-07
- ^ List of members, Eugene, accessed 2007-06-07