One guarantee per megawatt hour
Each guarantee of origin stands for 1 MWh, which is 1,000 kWh of electricity from renewable energy. The Umweltbundesamt compares it to a birth certificate for electricity.
Green electricity · As of October 2026
Green electricity: what is really behind it
Many tariffs are called green electricity (Ökostrom). But what do you actually get, and how can you recognise a good offer? This page explains guarantees of origin, electricity labelling and labels in simple words. MB Finance helps you find a suitable green electricity tariff among the tariffs of the suppliers MB Finance works with.
- Guarantees of origin
- Electricity labelling
- Labels
- Green gas in brief
What green electricity means
In general, green electricity means electricity from renewable energy, for example from wind, sun or hydropower. Physically, a green electricity tariff changes nothing: the electricity from your socket is the same as your neighbours' electricity, because all power plants feed into the same grid.
What changes is the accounting in the background. For the amount it sells as green electricity, your supplier must use guarantees of origin (Herkunftsnachweise). They prove that the same amount of electricity was generated from renewable energy in Europe and fed into the grid.
Guarantees of origin alone do not tell you whether a tariff also moves the energy transition (Energiewende) forward, for example through new plants. The German Environment Agency (Umweltbundesamt) points out that only additional labels say something about the environmental quality.
How guarantees of origin work
Register at the Umweltbundesamt
In Germany, the Umweltbundesamt has kept the guarantee of origin register (Herkunftsnachweisregister) since 1 January 2013. It prevents the same amount of green electricity from being sold twice.
Cancellation
When a supplier sells green electricity, it must cancel (entwerten) the matching number of guarantees in the register. Only then may it show the electricity as renewable in its electricity labelling.
Often from abroad
Electricity from plants that receive support under the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) does not get guarantees of origin. That is why many guarantees come, for example, from Norway or Austria. In the electricity labelling (Stromkennzeichnung), suppliers must also state which countries the guarantees of origin come from (§ 42 EnWG).
The electricity labelling on your bill
Every supplier must state which energy sources its electricity comes from and how much CO2 and radioactive waste are produced per kilowatt hour (§ 42 EnWG). You can find this electricity labelling (Stromkennzeichnung) on your electricity bill and on the supplier's website, together with a comparison with the German average.
The information refers to the previous year. For the supply year 2026, it must be available by 1 July 2027 at the latest. Look at the company's overall electricity mix: if a supplier sells mainly fossil electricity and has only a small green electricity tariff, then, according to the Umweltbundesamt, switching supplier has more effect than switching tariff.
How to recognise good green electricity tariffs
The Umweltbundesamt recommends choosing a green electricity tariff with a label. These features help you assess a tariff.
Good signs
- “Grüner Strom” label: the supplier invests a fixed amount per kilowatt hour used in projects for the energy transition.
- “EnergieVision – Das Ökostromsiegel” seal: the former ok-power label. A criteria advisory board sets the requirements, and external auditors check them.
- Clear exclusions: according to the consumer advice centre (Verbraucherzentrale), both labels exclude suppliers with stakes in nuclear, lignite or new hard coal power plants, with a few exceptions.
- Open information: countries of origin, types of plant and electricity mix are easy to find.
Look closely
- Only guarantees of origin: the tariff is then correctly shown as green electricity, but often brings no additional benefit for the energy transition.
- Regional electricity (Regionalstrom): regional guarantees (Regionalnachweise) refer to subsidised plants within a radius of 50 km. This is something different from green electricity with guarantees of origin.
- High extra charge: according to the Verbraucherzentrale, guarantees of origin cost only a fraction of a cent per kWh. A clear extra charge should be explained by additional benefits.
- Green tariff from a fossil supplier: the company's overall mix shows what your money is used for as a whole.
In brief: green gas and biogas share
There are also “green” tariffs for gas. The Verbraucherzentrale distinguishes three types: tariffs with a share of biomethane, tariffs with CO2 offsetting, and tariffs with hydrogen or gas made with renewable electricity (power-to-gas).
The biomethane share is often only 1 to 10%. According to the Verbraucherzentrale, tariffs with 100% biomethane cost about twice as much as normal natural gas. With offsetting tariffs, you receive normal natural gas; the extra charge goes into climate protection projects whose effect is difficult to check. In the view of the Verbraucherzentrale, there are no reliable labels for green gas (Ökogas) yet.
Since April 2024, the Umweltbundesamt has also been responsible for guarantees of origin for gas.
For heating, using less often has the biggest effect. You can find tips in the guide “Saving on heating costs”.
How it works with MB Finance
There is no live tariff comparison on this website. You can get specific green electricity tariffs through “Request a quote” or in a consultation.
- 01
Send a request
You contact us by phone, WhatsApp, email or through the request form and tell us what matters to you about green electricity.
- 02
Check consumption and contract
We look at your annual consumption and your current contract: prices, contract term, notice period and price guarantee (Preisgarantie).
- 03
Compare tariffs
We compare suitable green electricity tariffs from the suppliers MB Finance works with. We include information on guarantees of origin and labels where the supplier provides it.
- 04
Receive your quote as a PDF
You receive the quote as a PDF in German and, if you wish, also in Persian or English.
- 05
Sign the order
If you agree, you sign the order directly on the screen or through a link.
- 06
Switch without interruption
The new supplier usually cancels your old contract and registers you with the network operator (Netzbetreiber). Your electricity supply continues without interruption.
Frequently asked questions
Is green electricity more expensive than normal electricity?
Not necessarily. Guarantees of origin cost only a fraction of a cent per kilowatt hour. That is why many green electricity tariffs cost about the same as other tariffs. Tariffs with a label and fixed contributions for new plants can be a little more expensive.
Will green electricity really come out of my socket?
No. Physically, all households receive the same electricity from the grid. With a green electricity tariff, you make sure that guarantees of origin for electricity from renewable energy are cancelled for your consumption.
What is the guarantee of origin register?
It is an electronic register at the Umweltbundesamt. Guarantees of origin for electricity from renewable energy are issued, transferred and cancelled there. This prevents the same amount of electricity from being sold twice as green electricity.
Which labels are recommended?
The Umweltbundesamt names the “Grüner Strom” label and the “EnergieVision – Das Ökostromsiegel” seal, formerly ok-power. Both aim to make sure that a tariff supports the expansion of renewable energy.
Does MB Finance only arrange green electricity?
No. We compare tariffs from the suppliers MB Finance works with, with and without green electricity. If green electricity or a particular label is important to you, we take this into account when choosing.
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Learn moreSources
- Umweltbundesamt: Guarantees of origin for renewable energy
- Umweltbundesamt: Background on green electricity and electricity labelling
- Umweltbundesamt: Environmental tips – green electricity
- Verbraucherzentrale: Does a tariff with green electricity or green gas make sense?
- Solarserver: Green electricity seal ok-power becomes EnergieVision (29 September 2026)
- Grüner Strom Label e. V.: The label
Get personal advice
Call us, send us a message on WhatsApp or by email, or request a quote directly. We give advice by phone or Microsoft Teams – in German, Persian and English.