HBE (Hernieuwbare Brandstof Eenheden)
Renewable Fuel Units - make money by selling electricity to a vessel (€0.04 - €0.20 kWh)
Frequently Asked Questions
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Producers of fossil fuels are required to buy a certain amount of Renewable Fuel Units (HBEs).
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It is currently being investigated, but generally speaking it is all vessels of any flag, as long as fuel combustion is replaced by shore power.
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You get €0.04 for grey electricity and €0.20 for green electricity. These are indications however, as the market is an auction with buyers (fossil fuel producers) and sellers (green fuel producers). You only get the high price for fully green fuel.
Green fuel means locally generated renewable energy which is directly inserted into the transportation device (a vessel in the case of shore power).
About “Hernieuwbare Brandstof Eenheden”
Renewable Energy Units - Hernieuwbare Brandstof Eenheden - are a Dutch system of certificates based on the EU Renewable Energy Directive (RED). They can be compared to CO2 certificates, but aimed specifically at transport. The system has been in existence since 2015.
Under the system, parties that produce liquid fossil fuels for transport have an obligation from the government to purchase REUs. Companies that create or produce green energy for transport create these REUs, which can thus be sold to the parties who are obliged to buy them. In effect, this system makes sure that money flows from ‘grey’ to ‘green’ modes of transport.
Per year, €1 billion REUs are traded in the Netherlands. About 180 parties create or buy certificates each year, rising steadily at 20% annually. It is a spot market where prices vary. The average price for 1 REU is €12.35 at the time of writing. That converts into 4.5 eurocents per kWh when produced using a grid connection, and 18 eurocents per kWh when produced with local renewable sources.
Impact for you
You can earn up to 18 eurocents per kWh extra when selling electricity to a ship.
For a ‘regular’ sea-going vessel with a power consumption of 100 kW, you could earn almost €1.000 per day. The owner of the local grid connection (EAN code) is the rightful owner of the certificates however and ‘earns’ the money flowing from selling of REUs. Usually this is not the shipowner. Contact the helpdesk for more options.
References
NEA - Marktmechanisme en HBE's
