The Eugene Green Energy Standard was an
international standard
An international standard is a technical standard developed by one or more international standards organizations. International standards are available for consideration and use worldwide. The most prominent such organization is the International O ...
to which national or international
green electricity label
A label (as distinct from signage) is a piece of paper, plastic film, cloth, metal, or other material affixed to a container or product. Labels are most often affixed to packaging and containers using an adhesive, or sewing when affix ...
ling schemes could be
accredited
Accreditation is the independent, third-party evaluation of a conformity assessment body (such as certification body, inspection body or laboratory) against recognised standards, conveying formal demonstration of its impartiality and competence to ...
to confirm that they provide genuine environmental benefits. It was designed to encourage the generation and use of additional
renewable energy
Renewable energy (also called green energy) is energy made from renewable resource, renewable natural resources that are replenished on a human lifetime, human timescale. The most widely used renewable energy types are solar energy, wind pow ...
sources for
electricity generation
Electricity generation is the process of generating electric power from sources of primary energy. For electric utility, utilities in the electric power industry, it is the stage prior to its Electricity delivery, delivery (Electric power transm ...
, although the limited use of additional
natural gas
Natural gas (also fossil gas, methane gas, and gas) is a naturally occurring compound of gaseous hydrocarbons, primarily methane (95%), small amounts of higher alkanes, and traces of carbon dioxide and nitrogen, hydrogen sulfide and helium ...
-fired
cogeneration
Cogeneration or combined heat and power (CHP) is the use of a heat engine or power station to generate electricity and useful heat at the same time.
Cogeneration is a more efficient use of fuel or heat, because otherwise- wasted heat from elec ...
plant was also supported. Initially funded in part through the EU's clean-e programme, but also including some participants from outside Europe, the Eugene standard was formally discontinued after February 2009.
Dismantling
On 2 February 2009, EUGENE’s General Assembly voted in favour of its dismantling. It was agreed that the members and board would continue to work together to promote green energy in Europe, but that the EUGENE standard and the association (ASBL) under Belgian law would cease to exist.
The standard
The standard confirmed that energy supplied under the accredited schemes:
*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', differentiated between schemes depending on the additionality of new renewable energy supplied. The development of the standard was aided by the
European Union
The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are Geography of the European Union, located primarily in Europe. The u ...
's CLEAN-E initiative during 2005 and 2006
Accredited energy labels
National energy labels formerly accredited by EUGENE included:
:
OK Power:
The organisation also recommends certain other national schemes that are progressing towards accreditation, including:
::
EKOenergy
EKOenergy is a globally active nonprofit ecolabel for renewable energy (electricity, gas, and heat and cold). It is owned by the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation and managed in cooperation with other environmental NGOs.
EKOenergy star ...
:
Milieukeur
:
Bra Miljöval
There was no Eugene accredited scheme in the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
. The UK's energy regulator (
Ofgem
The Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem) is the government regulator for the electricity and downstream natural gas markets in Great Britain. It was formed by the merger of the Office of Electricity Regulation (OFFER) and Office of G ...
) published guidelines in February 2009 that broadly followed the EUGENE standard, requiring matching and additionality through carbon savings, although allowing the latter to be met through energy efficiency or offsetting, as well as through new renewables schemes. These were implemented in February 2010 in the UK'
Green Energy Supply Certification Scheme
The Eugene Standard had also been adopted in
Chile
Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in western South America. It is the southernmost country in the world and the closest to Antarctica, stretching along a narrow strip of land between the Andes, Andes Mountains and the Paci ...
, while a pilot scheme is in progress in
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
.
The Eugene Network
The standard was managed by the Eugene Network (formerly the European Green Electricity Network), an international membership-based
non-profit organization
A nonprofit organization (NPO), also known as a nonbusiness entity, nonprofit institution, not-for-profit organization, or simply a nonprofit, is a non-governmental (private) legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public, or so ...
. The Network aimed to coordinate and harmonise
green energy
Energy is sustainable if it "meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." Definitions of sustainable energy usually look at its effects on the environment, the economy, and so ...
labelling nationally and internationally, promote the adoption of the Eugene Standard as the basis for national and international green
energy market
An energy market is a type of commodity market on which electricity, heat, and fuel products are traded. Natural gas and electricity are examples of products traded on an energy market. Other energy commodities include: oil, coal, carbon emission ...
s, and encourage consumers and suppliers to choose credible
green energy
Energy is sustainable if it "meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." Definitions of sustainable energy usually look at its effects on the environment, the economy, and so ...
products. Formal discussions on the Eugene standard first took place in 2000, led by the
World Wide Fund for Nature
The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) is a Swiss-based international non-governmental organization founded in 1961 that works in the field of wilderness preservation and the reduction of human impact on the environment. It was formerly named th ...
, and it was officially launched on 24 June 2002. The Eugene Network was legally established in 2003 and the first national energy labels were accredited in 2004.
Full voting membership of the Network was 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
Energy is sustainable if it "meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." Definitions of sustainable energy usually look at its effects on the environment, the economy, and so ...
market' were able to become non-voting associate members or supporters.
As of June 2007, the members of the Eugene Network were:
List of members
''Eugene'', accessed 2007-06-07
:World Wide Fund for Nature
The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) is a Swiss-based international non-governmental organization founded in 1961 that works in the field of wilderness preservation and the reduction of human impact on the environment. It was formerly named th ...
br>
:: Instituto de Ecología Políticabr>
:: Finnish Association for Nature Conservationbr>
:: Comité de Liaison Energies Renouvelablesbr>
:: EnergieVisionbr>
:: Asociacion para la Defensa de la Naturalezabr>
:: Swedish Society for Nature Conservationbr>
:: Association for Environmental Friendly Electricity (VUE
:: Swiss Federal Institute for Environmental Science and Technology (EAWAG
See also
*EKOenergy
EKOenergy is a globally active nonprofit ecolabel for renewable energy (electricity, gas, and heat and cold). It is owned by the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation and managed in cooperation with other environmental NGOs.
EKOenergy star ...
*Electricity retailing
Electricity retailing is the final sale of electricity from electricity generation, generation to the end-use consumer. This is the fourth major step in the electricity delivery process, which also includes electricity generation, generation, elec ...
*Energy conservation
Energy conservation is the effort to reduce wasteful energy consumption by using fewer energy services. This can be done by using energy more effectively (using less and better sources of energy for continuous service) or changing one's behavi ...
*Energy policy
Energy policies are the government's strategies and decisions regarding the Energy production, production, Energy distribution, distribution, and World energy supply and consumption, consumption of energy within a specific jurisdiction. Energy ...
*Energy quality
Energy quality is a measure of the ease with which a form of energy can be converted to useful work or to another form of energy: i.e. its content of thermodynamic free energy. A high quality form of energy has a high content of thermodynamic ...
* Environmental concerns with electricity generation
*Global warming
Present-day climate change includes both global warming—the ongoing increase in global average temperature—and its wider effects on Earth's climate system. Climate change in a broader sense also includes previous long-term changes ...
*ISO 14001
The ISO 14000 family is a set of international standards for Natural environment, environment management systems. It was developed in March 1996 by International Organization for Standardization. The goal of these standards is to help organizations ...
*Low-carbon economy
A low-carbon economy (LCE) is an economy which absorbs as much greenhouse gas as it emits. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions due to human activity are the dominant cause of observed climate change since the mid-20th century. There are many proven ...
* REN21
References
External links
GreenLabelsPurchase.net: Eugene
Present and Future Development of Bra Miljöval-labelled electricity (2005-02-14)Additionality in renewable energy
Association for Environment Conscious Building: The Green Electricity IllusionEugene Standard entry at ecolabelling.org
;In the media
*1 January 2007, ''Leonardo Energy''
Green Power labels not yet at full power
{{Webarchive, url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928003922/http://www.leonardo-energy.org/drupal/node/1408 , date=2007-09-28
*2 October 2002, ''World Wildlife Fund''
Green electricity that really is green
2003 introductions
Environmental standards
Renewable energy certification