The landscape of Energy Attribute Certificates (EACs) in Europe is undergoing a significant shift, driven by more ambitious climate targets and increasing demand for transparency in energy sourcing. For years, annual EAC accounting, such as Guarantees of Origin (GOs) in Europe, has been central to corporate renewable energy procurement and Scope 2 emissions reduction strategies (those linked to purchased electricity). However, as companies adopt more robust climate goals, the emphasis is shifting towards more precise time- and location-based tracking, referred to as hourly matching or 24/7 Carbon-Free Energy (CFE).

This approach aligns electricity demand with carbon-free energy generation in real time, on the same grid and with hourly or sub-hourly timestamping, offering a more granular and accurate decarbonisation method. It addresses a key limitation of annual EACs, which do not incentivise renewable generation during periods of low availability (e.g. windless nights), due to the lack of time-sensitive market signals.

Operational Challenges of Hourly EAC Tracking

Despite Europe’s leadership in smart metering and metered data exchange, the move towards hourly EAC tracking presents several operational barriers that fall into three key categories: administrative, technical, and informational.

Administrative Barriers

• Absence of Legally Appointed Responsible Parties and Unified Access Points: This leads to inconsistency and confusion over data ownership and access across different jurisdictions.
• Inadequate Authorisation Protocols: Granting third-party access to energy data often requires national identification numbers or VAT registrations, complicating communication between market parties.
• Lack of Standardised Documentation: Without uniform guidance, the processes around data consent and sharing remain unclear, slowing implementation.

Technical Barriers

• Limited API-Enabled Data Access: The lack of open digital interfaces prevents automated and real-time data exchange, crucial for hourly matching.
• Non-Standardised Energy Data: Disparities in formats and protocols impede interoperability between systems, making integration difficult.
• Diverging Security and Compliance Standards: Varying security requirements across platforms add further complexity to system integration.

Although the ambition for hourly tracking is clear, the underlying infrastructure and data standards are not yet fully developed across Europe.

Informational Barriers

• Lack of Awareness Among Consumers: Many businesses are unaware they can access their electricity consumption data without needing new hardware or meters. This knowledge gap delays the adoption of granular tracking methods.

As firms work towards 24/7 CFE goals, balancing electricity loads becomes increasingly complex. Greater variable renewable generation necessitates flexible resources from system operators, with these costs potentially redistributed through new tariff structures, introducing financial and logistical challenges for both grid operators and end users.

Emerging Solutions and the Transition to Hourly Matching

Despite these hurdles, various emerging solutions are helping facilitate the transition to hourly EAC tracking:

Clean Energy Products for Hourly Demand

New clean energy supply products are being developed to align with consumer load on an hourly basis. These offerings allow businesses to track and source renewable energy with hourly granularity, enhancing environmental impact and transparency.

Granular Guarantees of Origin (GOs)

These certificates provide time- and location-specific verification of clean energy production. Granular GOs could enable a more dynamic market, allowing over-supplied buyers to sell surplus certificates to under-supplied counterparts, thus facilitating precise, market-driven matching.

Calculating a Baseline CFE Score

Every organisation purchasing renewable electricity already has an implied hourly CFE score. Calculating this baseline helps businesses understand their current position and plan procurement for maximum decarbonisation impact.

Legislative and Regulatory Support

Under the upcoming Renewable Energy Directive, consumers will gain the right to request GOs for self-generated electricity. The European Commission’s Delegated Act on Renewable Hydrogen requires that, from 2030, electricity consumed by electrolytic hydrogen production be matched hourly with renewables on the same grid. These regulatory developments are expected to accelerate the implementation of granular tracking.

Industry Standards and Collaboration

Standardisation is vital. Initiatives like EnergyTag, an independent industry-led body, are developing frameworks to enable time- and location-based certification on a large scale. These efforts are central to creating a unified and interoperable system.

Improving Data Access and Registries

Countries such as Denmark already offer granular electricity data through national hubs. Moving forward, energy producers and retailers must share hourly metered data via APIs. Policymakers should ensure that tracking systems and registries evolve to improve the quality and accessibility of such data.

Practical Steps for Businesses

Companies looking to adopt hourly EAC tracking should consider the following actions:

1. Understand Hourly Power Usage: Establish a detailed profile of electricity consumption on an hourly basis.
2. Define a Target Hourly Matching Score: Use this benchmark to evaluate future procurement strategies.
3. Select the Right Commercial Structure: Options include:
   • 24/7 Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) offering electricity and hourly certificates
   • Relying on suppliers offering 24/7 supply contracts
   • Purchasing unbundled hourly EACs to match hourly demand on the same grid

For large consumers, increasing hourly matching can also reduce exposure to volatile wholesale electricity prices.

AFS Energy’s Role in Advancing Hourly EAC Tracking

AFS Energy plays a vital role in guiding organisations through the complexities of hourly EAC tracking. The firm provides:

• Strategic advice on granular procurement models and market entry
• A real-time trading platform equipped to handle high-volume, volatile markets and complex compliance rules
• Compliance automation tools and volatility management features, designed to streamline trading and support effective sustainability reporting

With advanced analytics and integration of live regulatory updates, AFS Energy’s platform is well-positioned to help clients transition smoothly into the era of hourly EACs. The company enables its clients to maintain robust traceability, make credible green claims, and align with evolving corporate and legislative reporting standards.

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The future of EACs in Europe is clearly trending towards greater temporal precision, with hourly tracking becoming central to next-generation decarbonisation strategies. While technical, administrative, and data-related obstacles remain, a growing ecosystem of regulatory backing, market innovation, and standardisation efforts is beginning to dismantle these barriers.

Businesses that take early action, build internal expertise, and partner with market leaders like AFS Energy will be well-positioned to meet future climate obligations, reduce risk exposure, and demonstrate authentic sustainability leadership in a data-driven energy market.