With so-called green gas or climate gas tariffs, many suppliers promise to reduce the CO2-emissions elsewhere. However, there are no established standards for this and there is a risk of greenwashing. The real CO2-emissions here on site are not reduced and nothing changes in the actual energy supply - only fossil natural gas continues to be burned.
"Who wants to refer pollution free biogas must be careful not to buy a Mogelpackung. From an environmental point of view, most tariffs are not recommendable, regardless of whether they are called Klimagas, Ökogas or Biogas," says Rosa Hemmers, chairwoman of the environmental association Grüner Strom Label (GSL), which awards the Green Gas seal of approval. "You only make an ecologically good choice if it contains biogas that has been produced under strict environmental conditions. That's what we look out for."
In the case of Green Gas-certified products, at least ten percent biogas is added to the natural gas. The label also guarantees environmentally friendly production. For example, the use of genetic engineering, hazardous pesticides such as glyphosate and fertilizers from factory farming are excluded. The label, on the other hand, gives a positive rating to the use of biogenic residues, such as kitchen waste. All the biogas volumes certified to date have come from such residual materials.
"For a 100 percent renewable energy supply, we also need biogas. Instead of taking the glossy route of compensation, we are showing how biogas can be produced in a way that is compatible with nature," says Dr. Werner Neumann, GSL board member and spokesman for the energy working group at the Bund für Umwelt- und Naturschutz Deutschland (BUND). Together with other environmental associations such as EUROSOLAR, NABU and the Deutscher Naturschutzring, BUND is one of seven sponsors of the label. The Green gas-label is the only biogas label in Germany that is supported and recommended by nature conservation associations.
Currently, four gas products from two nationwide energy providers are certified. A list and the detailed criteria of the label are available at www.gruenesgas.info .
About Grüner Strom Label e.V.
The Grüner Strom Label e.V. certifies green energy products. The association awards two seals of approval for this purpose: the Green Electricity Label for green electricity with added value and the Green Gas Label for environmentally compatible biogas. The association is backed by seven non-profit environmental and consumer associations and peace organizations. The Green Electricity and Green Gas labels are the only quality seals for green electricity and biogas in Germany that are supported by leading environmental associations.
