Since 1 July 2004, the EU has demanded that all electricity consumers must be able to obtain an electricity label from their utility company or electricity trader. In Denmark, an order concerning the labelling of electricity was issued in December 2005 (applicable from 2006). Information about the electricity label must at least be given once a year in connection with the annual statement or with reference to a website.
For electricity utilities and traders
To assist electricity utilities and traders, Energinet.dk has prepared an electricity label. It is based on the same calculation of environmental impacts as Energinet.dk’s environmental impact statement for electricity. As a result of the EU rules, the calculation also includes contributions from the nuclear power share of net electricity imports from Germany and Sweden.
As an additional service for electricity consumers, Energinet.dk’s electricity label contains far more information than is required by the EU’s minimum directive.
Average label
The electricity label describes the average electricity supplied to end users (socket). This means that the electricity label includes losses in the transmission grid and an average loss in the distribution grid of five per cent. For the sake of electricity consumers who have bought electricity with special (environmental) properties, the electricity trader must also provide a label for this special electricity.
Individual label
Electricity supplied with special environmental specifications is supported by redemption of guarantees of origin. Energinet.dk is the issuing body for guarantees of origin in Denma