Albania, Republic of Srpska roll out registries for guarantees of origin

Issuing bodies in Albania and the Republic of Srpska have signed аgreements on the launch of electronic registries for guarantees of origin (GO) for electricity. Now they can start issuing them and enable trading in line with the European Union’s rules. Albania and the Republic of Srpska joined Serbia as the only contracting parties with GOs in the Western Balkans.

The issuing bodies of the Republic of Srpska and Albania have signed the agreements with Grexel, the chosen service provider, the Energy Community Secretariat said.

Under the secretariat’s initiative to establish the regional system for GOs, energy certificate registry provider Grexel was hired to develop nine registries for the contracting parties: Albania, two entities making up Bosnia and Herzegovina (the Federation of BiH and Republic of Srpska), Georgia, Kosovo*, North Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, and Ukraine.

The registries were finished in May last year. The only requirement to go live is an issuing body’s agreement with Grexel.

GOOs are serving the interests of both renewable energy producers and end users

The secretariat has praised the issuing bodies in Albania and the Republic of Srpska for the inauguration of electronic registries for GOs. It said the agreements ensure the full operability of the system in line with EU requirements, serving the interests of both renewable energy producers and end users.

The milestone clears the path for the registries to become operational in line with EU standards, enabling consumers to exercise their preference in selecting the source of their energy and actively contribute to the ongoing energy transition, the secretariat said.

GOOs play a crucial role in empowering consumers and facilitating corporate power purchase agreements (PPAs) by offering transparency and verification of renewable energy sources, the announcement reads.

Albania and the Republic of Srpska can now join the regional GO trading system established by Grexel

Energy Community Secretariat Director Artur Lorkowski said the establishment of the registries would provide end users with much-needed proofs of origin, ensuring transparency and accountability in the energy sector.

“We encourage other issuing bodies for guarantees of origin in our contracting parties to follow this suit,” he stressed.

Of note, Georgia has also signed an agreement with Grexel. As more than two issuing bodies have fulfilled the requirement, they are able to engage in GO trading through the regional system established by the service provider, the secretariat noted.