E-driver bonus: booster for e-mobility with blemishes

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E-driver bonus: booster for e-mobility with blemishes-e-mobility

Anyone who owns an e-car will in future receive money for their saved CO2 emissions – nothing else is hidden behind the unwieldy name greenhouse gas reduction quota (or GHG quota for short). In principle, it is good that not only industry but also consumers benefit financially from reducing emissions and driving change in the transport sector, believes Marion NOldgen, Germany boss of the smart green electricity provider Tibber. However, one area could be improved.

From 2022, private electric car owners can also benefit from the GHG quota to reduce emissions in the transport sector. E-drivers should be rewarded for the emissions they save by officially registering them as a quota. The digital energy company Tibber is one of the first providers to expand its e-mobility services to include the GHG quota. With immediate effect: the premium will be deducted directly from the monthly statement from February or credited as a bonus in the Tibber store.

Rising quotas, falling emissions

The amount for the individual quotas is currently around 250 euros. However, since the price is subject to market dynamics, it fluctuates depending on supply and demand. Companies subject to quotas, i.e. those that sell fossil fuels, must acquire these quotas. In the future, it can be assumed that the requirements for them will become even stricter, so that the quota prices will increase annually at least until 2030 due to the desired steering effect.

The expansion of the law on the GHG quota for e-drivers is a good political tool to create stronger incentives to switch to electric cars. Because according to co2online, cars with combustion engines have a high ecological footprint: Between 18 and 32 kilograms of CO2 are emitted per 100 kilometers – depending on the manufacturer and model. It is therefore to be welcomed that fossil industry giants bear greater financial responsibility for their emissions and that the money goes to those who have opted for a more sustainable form of mobility.

Unfortunately, the new legislation has a catch: It is also possible to charge electric cars with CO2-intensive gray electricity. This reduces the savings effect of emissions, since these only shift and are still emitted during power generation. It would be conceivable, for example, that consumers could prefer to register their quotas with green electricity suppliers.

Decarbonizing transport: the faster, the better

A look at the emissions in the transport sector is sobering: CO2 emissions in the transport sector have remained almost constant compared to the base year 1990. According to the Federal Environment Ministry, they fell by 11.4 percent for the first time in 2020 – an effect of the reduced traffic volume during the Covid 19 pandemic. In a nationwide comparison, according to the Federal Environment Agency, the transport sector accounts for a whopping 30.6 percent of total energy consumption in Germany – more than all private households. So there are good reasons to set incentives to reduce emissions from the transport sector – and fast.

The electrification of transport is an important criterion for the success of the energy transition. And the more citizens are involved, the faster acceptance of new developments, such as the switch to electric cars, will spread.

Lowering, but right: Green and flexible instead of gray and rigid

With the expansion of the GHG quota, politicians are sending an important signal to consumers and giving them clear impetus to switch to electromobility. In addition, however, further incentives are needed to operate one’s own e-car sustainably. Politicians should also create the framework for flexibility more quickly so that consumers can charge their electric cars when there is a particularly large amount of green electricity in the grid.

About the author: Marion NOldgen is the German head of the digital green electricity provider Tibber, which offers green electricity at a purchase price and is financed by a fee of 3.99 euros per month. Customers with smart meters benefit from hourly fluctuating electricity prices.

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3 thoughts on “E-driver bonus: booster for e-mobility with blemishes”

  1. Above all, Tibber’s business model on the German market is broken. Because with electricity on the stock market at the daily rate, you are currently at a complete disadvantage. Right now 71c/kWh. Also, Tibber’s offer of GHG payout doesn’t seem very beneficial to me. It’s a pity, but Marion will soon be able to report to the employment office.

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  3. This bonus is awesome 😉
    Not only do the dirty plug-in burners have to stay outside, the height also varies a lot.
    I pay max. 49 cents per kw/h of “green electricity” and now also get 360 euros.
    Great, this makes BEV driving even more fun.

    Reply

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