Electricity's role in fighting climate change
Electricity remains the single most important sector for mitigating climate change and companies have a unique role to play.
CO2 emissions from electricity
Increase in emissions
Electricity is the largest source of carbon emissions and global demand for electricity is growing rapidly. Total emissions from electricity are increasing despite recent efforts of transitioning to renewables. We must vastly speed up the renewable energy transition to avoid the most catastrophic consequences of climate change.
Call to action
We need greater scale and pace in the renewable transition
The global scientific community urges greater scale and pace in the global transition to renewables. Denmark has committed to having renewables cover at least half of the country's total energy consumption by 2030 and to be fully independent from fossil fuels in 2050. We believe that Denmark - being a pioneer in renewables - is obliged to show the way forward and be more ambitious than this.
Rethinking Electricity
Renewable and fossil electricity
Electricity from the public grid
When a solar park produces electricity, the electricity is delivered to the public grid. Here, the electricity is instantly mixed with electricity produced simultaneously at e.g. wind farms, coal fired power plants, or other sources.
You always consume a mix of electricity
It is not possible to separate electricity from fossil and renewable sources once the electricity has been delivered to the grid. Consequently, you always consume the mix of electricity available at the public grid at the time and place of consumption.
The environmental impacts of electricity
What is "green" electricity
When you buy green electricity from your utility, you are in reality buying certificates as an add-on to the electricity itself. The certificates guarantee that renewable electricity equivalent to your consumption has been delivered to the grid somewhere in Europe within the last 12 months.
The mix is unchanged
This does not change the mix of electricity that you consume. Therefore, it is more accurate to say that you buy the claim to green electricity instead of the green electricity itself.
Certificates do more harm than good
Certificates allow companies to claim the CO2 reductions coming from using green electricity instead of the mix of electricity from different sources available at the grid. This way, companies can obtain a carbon neutral electricity consumption. In reality, buying certificates does not reduce CO2 emissions from your electricity consumption. Climate-aware consumers are mislead and focus is shifted away from initiatives that create a real climate impact.
Our recommendations
Buy new green electricity
Reel offers a solution to buy new green electricity. When you sign up with Reel, we ensure that a solar park is built. The solar park produces and delivers new green electricity to the grid covering your electricity consumption.
Learn more about our solution >
Reduce your electricity consumption
The greenest electricity is the electricity you do not consume. Invest in energy optimisation measures to reduce your electricity consumption and consequently, your CO2 emissions. Bonus: You save on your electricity bill.
Introduce flexible consumption
Consume at times when the share of renewables on the grid is high. This way, you naturally reduce your CO2 emissions.
Climate impact tool
Our automated climate impact tool can be used to estimate your company's CO2 reduction potential from all three initiatives.