Tracking the transition: inside the Energy Community’s drive for trusted renewable electricity
Propelled by the increasingly urgent imperative to decarbonize, renewable capacity in the Energy Community surged to 5.1 GW in 2024 — more than doubling since 2020, according to the Energy Community Secretariat’s 2025 CBAM Readiness Tracker. The ultimate success of Southeast and Eastern Europe's clean transition will hinge not only on continued expansion, but on markets capable of sustaining it — markets that can link clean power seamlessly with consumers and trading partners, even across borders.
At the heart of this market transformation is a new generation of digital systems transforming how green power is traded. Emerging Guarantees of Origin (GOs) registries — developed with the support of the Energy Community Secretariat — certify where and how renewable electricity is produced, allowing it to be tracked, verified, and traded with trust. Beyond strengthening transparency within national markets, these registries are fast becoming linchpins of regional integration with the EU's electricity market — a process that, under the Energy Community framework, can advance even ahead of full EU membership.
With the European Commission preparing a 2026 decision on mutual recognition of GOs, the systems could soon unlock new pathways for investment, transparency, and decarbonisation.
As this shift gathers pace, we asked Contracting Parties what Guarantees of Origin mean for their national energy transitions — and how they’re shaping the future of renewables across the region. Six shared their perspectives, offering a snapshot of how this new system is taking root.
-
Albania
Because Albania’s power generation mix is already over 99% renewable, electricity generators have thus far shown limited interest in issuing Guarantees of Origin (GOs), according to Albania's Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy. This is mainly due to the currently scarce demand within the Contracting Parties’ markets and the absence of mutual recognition with the EU market, which limits the commercial value of GOs.
Nevertheless, Albania has successfully implemented a fully digital platform for the issuance, transfer, and cancellation of GOs. The system is fully aligned with the technical and procedural standards required by the Energy Community Secretariat, ensuring compatibility and readiness for cross-border recognition once the EU decision is adopted.
In parallel, the Albanian Energy Regulatory Entity (ERE) has been granted observer status within the Association of Issuing Bodies (AIB), as a preparatory step toward full membership.
"This engagement demonstrates Albania’s commitment to integrating its renewable certification system with European structures and ensuring transparency, traceability, and market readiness for renewable electricity certification," The Ministry underscores.
-
Georgia
Georgia, with renewable-dominated electricity generation, has been at the forefront of developing a national system for Guarantees of Origin. In 2023, it established the first operational and fully electronic registry within the Energy Community project with Grexel. Since, the country has been making strides in fostering interest among local companies, with 36 active participants as of 2025.
So far, Georgia has issued more than 5 million certificates annually, and as the interest in GOs continues to rise, the country hopes to see a surge in GO-related activity in the future. It should be noted that the issuing body of GOs – the Georgian State Electrosystem – has been an observer to the Association of Issuing Bodies since 2023, and remains committed to advancing the national GO framework in line with international best practices and EU standards.
“Georgia remains fully committed to fulfilling renewable energy goals, accelerating clean-energy transition and maintaining a strong engagement with the Energy Community Secretariat and local enterprises. Integrating Guarantees of Origin in the electricity sector is an important contributor to this process, and with the full transposition of Directive (EU) 2018/2001, this success can be replicated in other areas of the Georgian Energy Sector. Hopefully, mutual recognition of GOs with EU member states in the future, will spark additional interest, and incentivize the engagement of the private sector in the system even more,” The Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia underscored.
-
North Macedonia
North Macedonia has made rapid progress in its roll out of Guarantees of Origin. Since launching its electronic GO register in April 2025, developed with Grexel in line with AIB and EECS standards, the National Electricity Market Operator (MEMO) has already issued more than 122,000 GOs to producers including AD ESM.
“Guarantees of Origin are a crucial step for the Macedonian energy transition. They ensure transparency, stimulate investment in renewables, and prepare our companies for the European market and future carbon pricing,” said Sanja Bozhinovska, Minister of Energy, Mining and Mineral Resources. “This is not merely a technical reform — it is a transformation that will encourage both citizens and businesses to choose green energy. Guarantees of Origin open new opportunities for Macedonian companies in promoting sustainable electricity consumption. With this, North Macedonia takes another step forward in building a transparent, European-standard energy market.”
-
Montenegro
In Montenegro, which launched its national electronic GO registry in July 2024, progress has been equally tangible. In 2024 alone, 1.35 million GOs were issued — including 6,922 for solar, 291,463 for wind, and over 1 million for hydropower.
“Guarantees of Origin are a cornerstone of Montenegro’s clean-energy transition,” stated the Ministry of Energy and Mining. “They provide transparent, verifiable proof that electricity comes from renewable sources, unlock long-term corporate Power Purchase Agreements, and strengthen investor confidence — all of which accelerate the deployment of renewables and lower emissions. By making renewable production traceable and tradable, GOs help convert our renewable potential into real climate and economic benefits for Montenegrin citizens and businesses.”
-
Moldova
Moldova is set to transition from a temporary, manual system to a fully digital, EU-compatible registry for Guarantees of Origin by the end of 2025. Developed by Grexel under the coordination of the Energy Community Secretariat, the platform will automate the issuance, transfer, and cancellation of GOs — enabling international trade in compliance with CEN EN-16325 standards. By then, ANRE is expected to issue more than 220,000 GOs, marking a decisive step toward cross-border recognition of Moldovan renewable electricity. The shift marks a major step toward transparency, market integration, and cross-border recognition of renewable energy in Moldova.
"The benefits of the guarantee of origin mechanism include the possibility for renewable energy producers to obtain additional income from their marketing, and for consumers to demonstrate compliance with sustainability standards," said Dorin Junghietu, Minister of Energy. "Until the amendment of the Law on the Promotion of the Use of Energy from Renewable Sources in 2023, guarantees of origin only referred to electricity from renewable sources. Now, the guarantees also refer to electricity, low-carbon gases, including hydrogen, or heating and/or cooling produced from renewable energy sources.”
-
Ukraine
In Ukraine, the system for Guarantees of Origin — operational since August 2024 — is taking root amid an evolving energy landscape shaped by war recovery, market reform, and EU integration.
“Guarantees of Origin are essential to building trust and transparency in our renewable energy markets," affirmed Svitlana Grynchuk, Ukraine's Minister of Energy. "As Ukraine advances on its path toward full integration with the EU energy system, working toward mutual recognition of GOs will not only strengthen investor confidence but also help ensure that every unit of clean energy produced in our country is fully valued across Europe.”