France appoints EEX custodian for biogas GOs and production certificates

The French Ministry of Energy Transition has commissioned the European Energy Exchange (EEX) to develop and operate registry and auctioning services for biogas Guarantees of Origin (GOs), as well as registry services for biogas production certificates.
In coordination with the Ministry, EEX will launch the biogas GO registry on 1 October 2023, taking over from the French gas distributor GrDF, the current operator of the scheme.
First auctions for biogas GOs are expected to be held at the beginning of 2024.
Similar to the French Power GO registry, managed by EEX since 2013, and the operation of the corresponding primary auctions, the company will become the issuing body (registry operator) as well as auction operator for the new products.
For the registry services, EEX will use the G-REX platform, developed by Grexel, which is the state-of-the-art platform for registries in Europe, according to EEX.
GOs and registry services are central to the company’s efforts to support the energy transition through increasing transparency and trust for market players to adopt renewables, it added.
GOs provide transparent tracking of origins of renewable energy within the EU, including sources for renewable electricity, biogas and hydrogen.
In addition, registries provide a standardised, transparent and efficient energy certification scheme, in line with European legislation, that companies can use in their decarbonisation efforts.
Peter Reitz, EEX CEO, commented: “We are delighted to extend our collaboration with the French state. Biogas markets are critical for the energy transition, which is a fundamental objective for the EEX Group and our stakeholders. Reliable GO mechanisms will increase trust through transparency and accelerate adoption of such renewable fuels.
"The French Ministry of Energy Transition already entrusted us with managing the registry and associated auctions in the power sector, and we look forward to replicating the same success with the first cleared biogas GO auctions, while moving together towards a cleaner energy future.”