More than 15 million households in Europe now purchase green electricity, but many supposedly green tariffs neither deliver real green electricity nor lead to an expansion of renewable energies. Consumers can thus rely on only a few green electricity labels.
But how important are green electricity and biogas labels to consumers?
As part of the Dialogforum Naturverträgliche Energiewende, Grüner Strom Label e.V. conducted a non-representative online survey in 2017. About 250 participants took part and were asked about the compatibility of nature compatibility and renewable energies.
Results have already been published on the topics of solar energy generation, wind turbines, the use of biomass in biogas plants and aspects of the energy transition. Finally, the results on the significance of green electricity and biogas labels follow. Not only the danger of greenwashing is discussed, but also investigations by consumer organizations on recommendable eco-energy labels.
Overall, it is clear that there is still a need for sophisticated eco-labels that both serve as a transparency feature for consumers in the complex electricity market and help shape the energy transition. The consensus is that seals of approval drive the nature-compatible expansion of renewable energy plants.
