Professionals, get informed with Mon Courtier Énergie to obtain Green Certificates and Guarantees of Origin for your company.

The renewable energy market in Belgium and Europe relies on mechanisms that certify the origin of green electricity. Among these, Green Certificates (GCs) and Guarantees of Origin (GOs) play a key role in providing traceability and economic value to renewable energy producers.

What is a Green Certificate?

In Belgium, a Green Certificate is a tradable title issued by public authorities for each megawatt-hour (MWh) of electricity produced from renewable sources. It guarantees the sustainable origin of the electricity injected into the grid, which would otherwise be indistinguishable from electricity generated from fossil fuels.

How Does the Green Certificate System Work?

Green Certificates serve as an incentive mechanism to support green electricity production by providing financial compensation to producers.

• Certification of Production: Any electricity producer wishing to benefit from the system must first obtain official recognition proving that their energy comes from renewable sources.
• Issuance of Certificates: Once certified, the producer receives Green Certificates proportional to the energy produced. Each region in Belgium applies its own regulations:
  • Wallonia: Certificates issued by SPW
  • Brussels: Certificates issued by Brugel
  • Flanders: Certificates issued by VREG
• Selling the Certificates: Producers can sell their Green Certificates to two types of buyers:
• Distribution network operators (DNOs), under guaranteed purchase schemes.
• Energy suppliers, who must meet Green Certificate quotas imposed by regulators based on their supply volume.
• Submission and Cancellation: At the end of the process, suppliers and DNOs submit the purchased certificates to regulators, who cancel them to verify compliance with renewable electricity obligations.

Guarantees of Origin: A European System

Guarantees of Origin (GOs) operate similarly to Green Certificates but have a European scope. Also known as Labels of Guarantee of Origin (LGO), they certify that one MWh of electricity has been produced from renewable sources.

The process follows the same principles as Green Certificates:

Producers sell their Guarantees of Origin to electricity suppliers. Suppliers offering green electricity plans commit to covering their production with an equivalent amount of electricity from renewable sources. Once used, the guarantees are canceled through the AIB (Association of Issuing Bodies), which oversees the market at the European level.

A specific market allows these Guarantees of Origin to be traded, with prices fluctuating based on supply and demand. Unlike Green Certificates, this mechanism also applies to renewable gas, for which LGOs have been implemente