Navigating the changes to GHG reporting with traceability and transparency

Achieving net zero is an evolving journey, it’s not simply a straight road ahead but a winding one that requires increased traceability and transparency. As companies across the UK intensify their decarbonisation efforts, the industry frameworks which guide their reporting are sharpening their focus.

A significant development on the horizon is the increasing emphasis of Scope 2 emissions within the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol, particularly concerning the procurement and reporting of renewable electricity. The call for greater transparency and, crucially, time-matching of Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin (REGO) certificates with consumption, is becoming the benchmark for credible renewable energy claims, aligning directly with the ambitions of initiatives like the UK Green Building Council (UKGBC), the RE100 and its parent company, the Climate Group.

Embracing traceability

For businesses committed to achieving genuine emissions reductions and maintaining stakeholder trust, purchasing unbundled REGOs at the year-end is becoming a less viable option. The policy landscape, driven by the need for a more accurate reflection of grid decarbonisation and renewable energy consumption, demands a more granular and traceable approach.

This shift towards time-matching – demonstrating how your energy consumption corresponds to half hourly renewable generation – builds greater confidence in your claims and aligns with the rigorous standards of the RE100 and UKGBC, which advocate for transparent renewable procurement. With the Climate Group championing credible sourcing, time-matching is equally important for demonstrating genuine sustainability.

Ignoring this evolving landscape carries significant risks. Businesses relying on outdated procurement and reporting methods may face increased scrutiny from investors, regulators, and environmentally conscious consumers. Claims of "100% renewable electricity" based solely on annual matching will be challenged, potentially leading to reputational damage and undermining net zero ambitions – the very ambitions which drive participation in initiatives like the RE100 and UKGBC.

So, how can businesses navigate this complexity and ensure their renewable energy reporting satisfies the demands of these key organisations? The answer lies in embracing traceability.

How SmartestEnergy can help: Traceable Renewable Supply

SmartestEnergy's Traceable Renewable Supply product offers an essential solution to the upcoming policy changes. We understand the complexities of your net zero journey and the importance of confidence and transparency in your renewable procurement. Our product, powered by cutting-edge technology from Granular Energy, offers your business the tools to achieve true traceability of its renewable power, so you can better align with commitments to initiatives like the RE100 and UKGBC.

Traceable Renewable Supply empowers your business to move beyond annual reconciliation and into half-hourly energy reporting, enabling you to confidently report progress against RE100 and UKGBC expectations.

With Traceable Renewable Supply, you can:

• Pinpoint the source of your renewable power: Securing REGOs from named generators, providing irrefutable evidence of origin and delivering credible renewable energy procurement.
  
  
• Match your consumption with generation at half-hourly granularity: Offering unprecedented insight into when your renewable energy was produced and consumed, aligning directly with evolving best practices and potential future GHG Protocol requirements.
  
  
• Access digitalised, validated reporting: Delivering on the robust data integrity expected by industry bodies, using an intuitive portal to view your renewable consumption, offering on-demand reporting for regulatory updates on matching within the year, as well as year-end reporting for a validated view of renewable allocation.
  
  
• Improve your Carbon Free Energy (CFE) score: Enabling you to demonstrate, by percentage, how much of your energy consumption is met by renewable sources. Equipped with the necessary data to identify areas of improvement, you can enhance your environmental credentials and showcase tangible progress towards RE100 and UKGBC goals.
  
  
• Integrate seamlessly with existing contracts: Our solution is suitable for half-hourly metered customers on any supply contract type, simplifying the process of achieving industry-leading reporting.

Real life examples: Traceable Renewable Supply in action

The success of our work with JLL, a global real estate company committed to complying with the 2023 UKGBC renewable energy procurement guidance, encapsulates the power of Traceable Renewable Supply. 

We supported JLL to drive positive change through offering a product specifically designed to meet UKGBC recommendations and anticipated GHG Protocol changes. Recognising our solution’s alignment with their sustainability goals, JLL received 100% GHG Scope 2 annual matching and a significant 73.8% Carbon Free Energy (CFE) score over the 2023-2024 compliance period.

Looking to the future, JLL intends to use this granular data to inform their building-run strategies, further optimising their demand response and improving their CFE score – a clear example in how detailed data facilitates deeper decarbonisation, a key objective for the Climate Group.

Navigate the transition, with SmartestEnergy

The direction of travel is clear. The GHG Protocol and wider policy landscape is moving towards a greater emphasis on the quality and traceability of renewable energy procurement.

SmartestEnergy's Traceable Renewable Supply isn't just a product; it's a proactive step towards futureproofing your net zero strategy and aligning with the highest standard of renewable energy reporting advocated by these influential bodies, solidifying your leadership in the transition to a low-carbon future.