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Rheinisches Braunkohlerevier: "The system of guarantees of origin in its current form leads to exaggerated expectations among consumers"
Photo: Frank Röder / imagebroker / imago images
Climate protection sells well.
Even with electricity: intermediary portals such as “Verivox” or “Check24” report that the demand for green electricity tariffs has increased significantly in the last two years.
At »Check24«, almost two thirds of consumers today opt for such a tariff.
But are they actually doing something for the climate?
"Most green electricity tariffs make practically nothing of the energy transition and climate protection," says Udo Sieverding, head of the energy department at the North Rhine-Westphalia consumer center.
This is mainly due to the sometimes bizarre rules of the energy market.
Those who want to supply their customers with green electricity usually acquire so-called guarantees of origin.
Suppliers prefer to buy these from operators of hydropower plants abroad, for example in Norway.
With this evidence, utilities can label energy that they buy as gray electricity on the stock exchange or produce themselves in coal, gas or nuclear power plants as green - legal greenwashing.
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