Why you should care about v80, the new EECS GO format?

So, why should you care about V80?  

The message format used by the AIB hub for facilitating international transfers of Guarantees of Origin (GOs) might not be the most interesting subject of our time. But the introduction of the V80 message format means a significant step-up, and I hope I’ll be able to convince you that it indeed is something to get excited about.

This year, the AIB Hub has upgraded to support the message format it uses to communicate with national GO registries from Version 71 to Version 80. It’s the first time in over a decade that the format has changed extensively, and it is most likely the largest change since the launch of the hub in around 2008.

But let’s take a step back. Why do we need the hub? If it weren’t for the hub, each national GO registry would have to bilaterally agree with every other registry on how GOs are transferred across domains. If you don’t work in IT, you might think that’s a walk in the park, but I can assure you it’s not. It makes sense to have a central interface instead of bilateral connections, much like it makes sense to use the post office and not deliver your mail in person.

Figure 1. The AIB Hub allows different GOs to be internationally transferred using a single interface

Looking at the above figure, you might think: “six interface types…that’s not impossible”. However, there are currently some 30 domains connected to the AIB hub. If I do the math correctly, that will amount to more than 400 different ways to connect between the registries, for electrical energy carrier alone.

Driven by market need and the REDII directive, over the past few years, countries have been adopting GO systems for gas, hydrogen as well as heating and cooling. The time for setting up a messaging infrastructure for these new GOs is now. Otherwise, before you know it, countries are using money and time to set up bilateral connections between their new energy carrier GO registries. Kudos to AIB for moving fast! We really do need the hub to be able to process international transfers of non-electrical GOs now, and not 5 years and 1,000 interfaces later! That’s what the V80 is all about.

So, what really is changing? The major update will be that gaseous energy carrier GOs can be transferred via the hub (heating and cooling will also follow in time). In addition, we expect some further changes and improvements:

• Addition of conversion information: to indicate whether the GO is issued following energy carrier conversion as well as specific legacy information prior to conversion (see AIB Fact Sheet 23)
• Addition of dissemination level: More information on how the energy was transferred (e.g. via a grid or vehicle) from production to consumption (see AIB Fact Sheet 20).
• Additional sustainability information (optional): Such as the name of the scheme, reference to the requirements, certification body etc.
• More precise production period: Production period changes from date to date and time to allow GOs to carry a more precise timestamp of production.
• Clearer separation between high-efficient cogeneration and CHP in general.
• Clearer format for additional environmental labels on a GO.
• Clarifications for data fields for non-RES GOs, i.e., for GHG emissions and radioactive waste.
• Adding a possibility to deliver a message from transfer sender to receiver company.

The new schema also allows new flexibility for changes that might take place in the future, such as: the possibility to introduce other than MWh as a face value for certificates and the possibility to add new products, such as target certificates.

Please see the entire list of V80 message fields starting from page 43 of the “HubCom”: European Energy Certification System (aib-net.org). All AIB Fact Sheets available at: https://www.aib-net.org/eecs/fact-sheets

Grexel is implementing the necessary changes to G-REX before the end of this year and cooperating with its issuing body clients on how to realize the transition in their respective domain. Most of the changes are only technical and thereby only affect Grexel as the registry provider. With regards to new mandatory and optional fields it is worthwhile to agree on whether and how those fields should be utilized in the future in the respective domain of the issuing body. But all in all, if you’re our client and not invested in all the details, don’t you worry, we will take care of this for you and involve you as much as you deem necessary:).

The migration to V80 means better service and the ability to transfer not only electricity GOs, but a framework that can be used for all REDII GO energy carriers, guaranteeing that no piece of information will be lost along the way. Now that’s good postal service!