GUARANTEES OF ORIGIN OF “GREEN” ENERGY: A TOOL FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT THAT IS ALREADY OPERATING IN UKRAINE

Sustainable development today is not a trend but a new standard of responsible business. Companies around the world are focusing on the energy transition, reducing their carbon footprint, and ensuring transparency regarding the origin of energy — factors that determine their credibility, reputation, and investment attractiveness.

In Ukraine, an important step in this direction has been the introduction of the system of guarantees of origin of electrical energy, the trading of which is carried out on the platform of JSC “Market Operator”.

What are guarantees of origin?

A Guarantee of Origin of electrical energy (GOEE) is an electronic document confirming that a certain volume of electricity has been generated from renewable energy sources. It is issued by the National Energy and Utilities Regulatory Commission (NEURC) through the Register of Guarantees of Origin of Electrical Energy produced from RES.

One guarantee of origin corresponds to 1 MWh of “green” energy. If a producer confirms the generation of 20 MWh of electricity from RES, this means they will receive 20 guarantees of origin.

This mechanism operates in parallel with the physical supply of energy. Therefore, ownership rights to a guarantee of origin may be transferred separately from the electricity itself. This allows companies to documentarily confirm that they consume energy from renewable sources, regardless of where it is physically generated.

Why this is important for business

Companies increasingly disclose their environmental responsibility in ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) reporting. One of the key indicators of such reports is the share of energy consumption from renewable sources.

Guarantees of origin enable businesses to:

• confirm the use of “green” energy in the production of goods and services;
• reduce the carbon footprint of their operations;
• increase attractiveness to investors and partners, especially in international markets;
• comply with sustainable development principles that are becoming mandatory for large corporations and publicly listed companies.

For Ukrainian companies, this is not merely a trend — it is an entry ticket into the European economy, where carbon footprint accounting, green certification, and ESG reporting have already become standard practice.

Who can sell and who can buy guarantees of origin

The right to receive guarantees is granted to:

1. All electricity producers using renewable energy sources (solar, wind, biomass, etc.);

2. Consumers who have their own RES generating facilities for self-consumption;

3. Active consumers;

4. The Guaranteed Buyer and suppliers of universal services.

Guarantees of origin may be purchased by Ukrainian and international companies seeking to confirm compliance with sustainable development principles, including for ESG reporting.

These include manufacturing companies, IT companies, financial institutions, logistics operators, and even municipalities seeking to reduce their carbon footprint.

The guarantees of origin market is already operating

Trading of guarantees of origin has been introduced in Ukraine in accordance with the requirements of the EU RED II Directive on promoting the use of energy from renewable sources. The platform for such transactions is JSC “Market Operator”, a central participant in the organized segments of the electricity market.

During the first year of the system’s operation, more than 100,000 guarantees of origin of electrical energy were sold on the Market Operator’s trading platform, which corresponds to the equivalent amount of “green” electricity in MWh.

More than 15 companies have already purchased guarantees of origin, including representatives of international business, among them companies whose shares are listed on the London Stock Exchange.

Ukrainian business on the path to green transformation

Demand for “green” energy is growing not only among large corporations. Small and medium-sized enterprises also recognize that investments in sustainable development contribute to their own competitiveness.

One successful example is the Limited Liability Company “Rivne Regional Electricity Supply Company” (hereinafter — LLC “ROEK”), which purchased guarantees of origin of “green” energy on the Market Operator’s platform to support the sustainable development of green energy in Ukraine.

“For us, these are not just figures in a report — this is a concrete step toward building a sustainable business that minimizes negative environmental impact and demonstrates responsibility to the state,” noted Bessmertnyi Serhii Oleksandrovych, Director of LLC “ROEK.” “Purchasing guarantees of origin through the Market Operator’s platform enables us to transparently confirm the actual consumption of green energy.”

Purchasing guarantees of origin is a simple yet effective step toward responsible energy consumption — one that does not require technical changes to the electricity supply system but has significant reputational and strategic effects.

JSC “Market Operator” is creating a reliable and transparent infrastructure for the development of this segment. With the launch of the system of guarantees of origin, Ukraine has taken another step toward European standards of energy policy, where clean energy and sustainable development are becoming the backbone of economic growth.

In 2024–2025, 128,609 guarantees of origin of “green” energy were sold on the platform of JSC “Market Operator.”