The register of guarantees of origin is an electronic register and is similar to an online banking system. The guarantees of origin generated here are electronic documents that certify the origin of electricity from renewable energy sources in Germany. A guarantee of origin certifies how and where electricity from renewable energy sources was generated. At the same time, this document ensures that this quality can only be sold once. Producers of electricity can receive guarantees of origin from the Federal Environmental Agency for the amount of electricity they produce and feed into the grid, provided the electricity is not already remunerated under the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG). For example, the operator of a hydroelectric plant without EEG funding receives guarantees of origin, while the owner of a photovoltaic system for which he receives a feed-in tariff does not. As an environmental verification organization, Uppenkamp und Partner Umweltgutachter und Zertifizierungsgesellschaft mbH has the necessary approval to perform the following verification steps in the register of guarantees of origin in particular:
- Verification of the installation during the registration of the installation
- Verification of the installation during changes to the installation
- Issue of guarantees of origin.