Energy company customers have the right to know how green their electricity or gas suppliers are. The reason for such a right derives mainly from greater transparency on the energy transition. We are not mistaken, however, if we also link it to advertising and the persuasion systems of companies on the principles of sustainability and CO2 abatement. Today, all of them declare the use of non-polluting sources to take on new customers with the forthcoming transition to the free market. But companies will have to respect more those who have signed a supply contract. It is necessary to make known as clearly as possible the quality of the energy they sell. Everything will happen in the next monthsi based on a decree of 14 July of the Ministry of the Environment. The companies are getting organised, but it's not an independent decision, it's just compliance with an obligation on the so-called "Guarantees of Origin". Customers must be specified precisely where the amount of energy in the composition of the package of sources used comes from. A certification, essentially, which refers to the energy production process. The system actually already exists, the new decree simply updates it, improves it, based on the Red II community directive.
More investment in the interest of consumers
The Red II establishes that renewable sources must rise to at least 32% of final gross consumption by 2030. According to the Ministry of the Environment, the new decree aims to build a system of transparency towards customers, but also a guarantee for companies that want to stay on the market by focusing on renewable sources. “Let's take a step forward – says the Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin- in a Europe that is looking for the best common mechanisms to certify sustainability and against greenwashing”. In terms of transparency and the green market, the Minister in these days still has to deal with the controversy over Pniec , a document that could have dared more on alternative sources. In a certain sense, the Guarantees of Origin intercept the desire of consumers, a kind of thermometer to understand if the system is going in the right direction and if clean sources are really increasing. Should companies review their methods of communicating with customers? “Fullness will implement the provisions contained in the decree in the terms and in the manner envisaged” answered by the Eni company. With the aim of further facilitating the exchange of guarantees of origin between companies, the Electricity Market Operator will prepare an electronic bulletin board on which to verify supply transactions. Furthermore, for greater consumer insurance, at the GSE there will be a national register of Guarantees of Origin linked to an evaluation of the company. Over time we should know how much gas, biomass, wind, solar is being used. The danger of false communications, at this point, it should be avoided. Customers can evaluate whether to change manager or not, according to their green preferences. The latest data on the renewable energy market are those of school of management of the Politecnico di Milano (POLIMI) according to which "the achievement of the 2030 objectives would lead to a turnover in investments for new installations between 43 and 68 billion euros“. Now having to give more satisfaction to the end consumers, we hope that the right path will be taken more quickly.
