Eugene Green Energy Standard

The Eugene Green Energy Standard is an international standard to which national or international green electricity labelling schemes can be accredited to confirm that they provide genuine environmental benefits. It is designed to encourage the generation and use of additional renewable energy sources for electricity generation, although the limited use of additional natural gas-fired cogeneration plant is also supported. [ [http://www.eugenestandard.org/mdb/docs/10_Eugenestandard.pdf Eugene Standard - Technical Document] , "Eugene", accessed 2007-06-07]

The standard

The standard confirms that energy supplied under the accredited schemes: [ [http://www.eugenestandard.org/index.cfm?inc=page&id=19 Vision] , "Eugene", accessed 2007-06-07]
*Is produced from genuinely sustainable energy sources.
*Will result in a real increase in renewable generation beyond the requirements imposed by government ('additionality').
*That the demand from consumers is matched by renewable generation.

Two variations of the standard, 'gold' and 'silver', differentiate between schemes depending on the additionality of new renewable energy supplied. The development of the standard was aided by the European Union's CLEAN-E initiative during 2005 and 2006 [ [http://www.eugenestandard.org/index.cfm?inc=page&id=62 CLEAN-E project has supported Eugene] , "Eugene", accessed 2007-06-07] [ [http://ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent/projects/altener_en.htm Intelligent Energy Europe] , "European Commission", accessed 2007-06-07]

Discussions on increasing the flexibility of the standard were due to commence during 2007 'to better reflect the reality of the voluntary green power market'. [ [http://www.eugenestandard.org/index.cfm?inc=news&id=107 Eugene Standard in a new shape] , "Eugene", published 2006-12-21, accessed 2007-06-07]

Accredited energy labels

Accredited national energy labels include: [ [http://www.eugenestandard.org/index.cfm?inc=page&id=32 Certify your product] , "Eugene", accessed 2007-06-07] :flagcountry|Germany: [http://www.energie-vision.de/ OK Power] :flagcountry|Switzerland: [http://www.naturemade.ch/e/naturemade/index.htm Naturemade Star]

The organisation also recommends certain other national schemes that are progressing towards accreditation, including: [ [http://www.thegreenpowergroup.org/pdf/euge_6.pdf The Eugene Standard] , "WWF European Climate Change & Energy Unit", published 2006-05-31, accessed 2007-06-07] :flagcountry|Finland: [http://www.ekoenergia.info/english/ Norppa ] :flagcountry|Netherlands: [http://www.milieukeur.nl/nl-NL/default.aspx Milieukeur ] :flagcountry|Sweden: [http://www.snf.se/bmv/english.cfm Bra Miljöval]

In the absence of a Eugene accredited scheme in the United Kingdom, Eugene supports Ecotricity [ [http://www.eugenestandard.org/?inc=news&id=53 Ecotricity - committed to new renewable energy] "Eugene", accessed 2007-06-07] , while Good Energy claim to be ready for accreditation to the Eugene Standard [ [http://www.eugenestandard.org/?inc=news&id=17 Case Study: UK market lacks information] "Eugene", accessed 2007-06-07]

The Eugene Standard has also been adopted in Chile, [ [http://www.eugenestandard.org/?inc=news&id=45 Eugene Standard adopted in Chile] , "Eugene", published 2004, accessed 2007-06-07] while a pilot scheme is in progress in France. [ [http://www.eugenestandard.org/?inc=news&id=89 France starts pilots to introduce Eugene Standard] , "Eugene", published 2004, accessed 2007-06-07] Discussions with other national certification bodies are also in progress.

The Eugene Network

The standard is managed by the Eugene Network (formerly the European Green Electricity Network), an international membership-based non-profit organization. The Network aims to coordinate and harmonise green energy labelling nationally and internationally, promote the adoption of the Eugene Standard as the basis for national and international green energy markets, and encourage consumers and suppliers to choose credible green energy products. Formal discussions on the Eugene standard first took place in 2000, lead by the World Wide Fund for Nature, and was officially launched on June 24 2002. [ [http://www.edie.net/news/news_story.asp?id=5671 WWF launches European green energy standard] , "Edie", published 2002-06-26, accessed 2007-06-07] The Eugene Network was legally established in 2003 and the first national energy labels were accredited in 2004. [ [http://www.eugenestandard.org/index.cfm?inc=page&id=25 History] , "Eugene", accessed 2007-06-07]

Full voting membership of the Network is open to 'citizen organisations pursuing not for profit activities with the objectives of promoting green electricity but with no direct interests in the generation and supply of energy services'. Organisations outside this scope but which do 'have a commitment and interest in creating a viable green energy market' can become non-voting associate members or supporters. [ [http://www.eugenestandard.org/index.cfm?inc=page&id=22 Membership] , "Eugene", accessed 2007-06-07]

As of June 2007, the members of the Eugene Network were: [ [http://www.eugenestandard.org/index.cfm?inc=art&id=17 List of members] , "Eugene", accessed 2007-06-07] : [http://www.panda.org/about_wwf/what_we_do/climate_change/solutions/business_industry/green_energy_eugene/eugene/index.cfm] :flagcountry|Chile: Instituto de Ecología Política [http://www.iepe.org] :flagcountry|Finland: Finnish Association for Nature Conservation [http://www.ekoenergia.info/] :flagcountry|France: Comité de Liaison Energies Renouvelables [http://www.cler.org/info/rubrique.php3?id_rubrique=92] :flagcountry|Germany: EnergieVision [http://www.energie-vision.de/] :flagcountry|Spain: Asociacion para la Defensa de la Naturaleza [http://www.wwf.es/] :flagcountry|Sweden: Swedish Society for Nature Conservation [http://www.snf.se] :flagcountry|Switzerland: Association for Environmental Friendly Electricity (VUE) [http://www.naturemade.ch/] :flagcountry|Switzerland: Swiss Federal Institute for Environmental Science and Technology (EAWAG) [http://www.eawag.ch]

ee also

*
*Electricity retailing
*Energy conservation
*Energy policy
* Energy quality
*Environmental concerns with electricity generation
*Global warming
* ISO 14001
*Low-carbon economy
*REN21

External links

* [http://www.eugenestandard.org Eugene Standard (official site)]
** [http://www.eugenestandard.org/mdb/docs/10_Eugenestandard.pdf Eugene Standard - Technical Document]
* [http://www.greenlabelspurchase.net/EUGENE.html GreenLabelsPurchase.net: Eugene]
* [http://www.ekoenergia.info/pdf/Presentation.pdf Present and Future Development of Bra Miljöval-labelled electricity (2005-02-14)]
* [http://www.recs.org/doctree/RECS%20International/In%20the%20Press/Advertorials/05_03%20Advertorial%20RECS%20in%20Greenprices.PDF Additionality in renewable energy]
* [http://www.aecb.net/PDFs/green%20electricity%20illusion.pdf Association for Environment Conscious Building: The Green Electricity Illusion]
* [http://ecolabelling.org/ecolabel/eugene-standard/ Eugene Standard entry at ecolabelling.org]

In the media

*January 1 2007, "Leonardo Energy": [http://www.leonardo-energy.org/drupal/node/1408 Green Power labels not yet at full power]
*October 2 2002, "World Wildlife Fund": [http://www.livingplanet.com/about_wwf/where_we_work/europe/what_we_do/epo/news/index.cfm?uNewsID=2695 Green electricity that really is green]

References