Greenpeace Energy sells 99 percent fossil gas marketed as "WindProGas" with authorization from Greenpeace

Hello, As it occurs to us, it might be helpful to share information on Greenpeace Energy, who we are, what we do and why we do it. Our proWindgas gas product was introduced in 2011 to offer the 20 million households in Germany heating with gas an opportunity to accelerate and participate in the transformation of the heating sector away from fossil gas. Customers pay a surcharge which is used as a subsidy to help drive the transformation of the gas supply, particularly the development of green hydrogen which is essential for decarbonizing all sectors of our economy (e.g. steel industry in high temperature processes or replacing fossil based raw materials in the chemical industry), where this cannot be achieved by renewable power directly. This surcharge finances real progress in much needed power-to-gas technology. That is why we called it proWindgas from the beginning: because the tariff fosters the transition towards green hydrogen and a green gas market for many important sectors in general. We are aware that the share of fossil gas in the mix of our product needs to be reduced much faster than in the past. Starting in 2021 all four existing proWindgas tariffs contain 10 percent biogas, approximately 1 percent green hydrogen, the remainder being natural gas. This fossil gas part we will phased out completely until 2027 at the very latest and will be replaced with high standard biogas for all our currently 30.000 customers. This phase-out-plan is consistent with the 1.5°-goal and is the most ambitious plan within the entire gas industry in Germany. Our goal was and is to change the existing gas market in Germany, where more than 50 percent of private households use 100 percent natural gas for their heating system. Many of these households lack the financial means to exchange their heating system to more efficient systems such as heat pumps on a short notice, others are not in the position to do this as they are tenants. While Greenpeace Energy has always stressed that the future of the private heating sector needs to be rely primarily of renewable electricity we aimed to provide an opportunity today to households unable to switch now. Until gas based heating systems can be phased out completely, we will replace fossil gas as fast as possible by high quality green gases, mainly biogas. The pace of this change depends on the availability and price of green hydrogen and other green gases that meet our high standards. As there are currently very limited amounts of these kinds of gas available, we invest – supported by our customers – in a decentralized power-to-gas infrastructure as well as innovative biogas sources (such as biogas from Paludi cultures) and new production facilities in order to provide additional quantities. Greenpeace Energy has become a market maker for renewable hydrogen: five electrolysers (two of which were set up by Greenpeace Energy) now produce wind gas for Greenpeace Energy. They operate in a way that is conducive to the energy transition and—particularly in view of the German and European hydrogen strategies—serve as a model for the entire industry. However, the share of wind gas in the proWindgas product has been stagnant at around 1 percent for years, despite a sharp increase in the quantities of green hydrogen added. This, on the one hand, is due to the equally strong increase in customer numbers, which is proof of the heightened interest in an energy transition in the fossil gas market. Above all, however, the concept of hydrogen had to be publicized and promoted over many years, a process in which Greenpeace Energy has played a decisive role. Greenpeace Energy is still the only energy supplier in Germany that buys hydrogen from many electrolysers, and until a few years ago there was no government support for the technology. As a result, the supply, especially of hydrogen that has actually been produced in an energy-efficient manner, is still extremely limited; and any amount of hydrogen that is available in the market is purchased by us. However, in light of the harsh regulatory circumstances and unfair market rules for green hydrogen, we had to conclude that the proportion of windgas (green hydrogen) in the delivery mix to customers fell short of our own expectations. For us, it became increasingly clear that while – unfortunately – natural gas is currently still a factor in the heat generation for many customers, because of its enormous climate damage, a more rapid phase-out of natural gas must be achieved. That is why Greenpeace Energy 2020 decided to supplement its own gas strategy: In addition to windgas, which alone cannot replace natural gas in the foreseeable future, we also rely on ‘good’ biogas – which we add since 2021, with an additional share of 10 % to our gas tariff. In a nutshell: The aim of tariffs like proWindgas is to make our consumers (all our consumers, not just minor parts as is current practice for some competitors) independent from natural gas the fastest way possible – as explained above, we want to reach that point in 2027, at the latest, which is a very ambitious goal. - Is it not a paradox that an energy cooperative with Greenpeace in its name has a gas product which contains natural gas? Without the context given above, it may appear to be a paradox. Yet, when we started our proWindgas tariff, we did this as a pioneer and, given the existing circumstances, we did not see any alternative in order to get the power-to-gas-technology started which is indispensable for the energy transition in all sectors of our economies. However there has never been a doubt for us that we have to work hard to replace fossil gas with renewable energy as quickly as possible. Fossil gas has no future in our energy system, on a global level we will have to phase out fossil fuels altogether over the next 15 years at the latest in order to meet the Paris climate targets and limit global warming to 1.5°. At the same time, Greenpeace Energy as an energy cooperative aims to give opportunities to participate and support this transition away from fossil gas to households that cannot afford or do not have the necessary conditions to replace their gas heating through i.e. heat-pumps immediately. proWindgas provides such an opportunity for tenants and less affluent households alike. - Why don't you have a product made entirely or at least mainly of green hydrogen even if it is more expensive? Currently green hydrogen is extremely scarce and thus ten to twenty times more expensive than fossil gas. (High quality biogas is about four times more expensive.) Although the purchase price of gas is only one part of what defines the total price for consumers, the others being taxes and expenses, a variant of proWindgas with 100 percent green hydrogen would be an extremely expensive luxury product available only to the most affluent, and at the same time reducing the available amount of green hydrogen for all other customers. From our perspective, this would not be a fair and sensible solution. Participation in the energy transition should not be limited to those with higher incomes.

Dear Göran Falemo Thank you for getting your climate warning to level 2! We have reached out to Greenpeace Energy and asked for a response. I will keep you updated on any progress! /Adam We Don't Have Time

Sad and shameful

What? That’s shocking.

I’m shocked to read that!

What, totally weird...

Greenpeace has always been about upset, not solutions . I can not support there ideology. This doesn't surprise me either. As there is no realistic replacement for natural gas if a home needs gas for heating. We need to follow science, not big NGO 's. Like friends of the earth, greenpeace or WNF as well. On climate sollutions.