ERE certificates: how does it work?

You see it everywhere now: ERE registration. The idea is tempting. You charge at home, that counts as emission reduction, and there's value attached to it. Sounds simple, right?

Only... it's only simple once you understand two things. One: what an ERE actually is (and what it isn't). Two: which measurement and registration rules determine whether your charger can even participate.

First: what is an ERE?

ERE stands for emission reduction unit (emissiereductie-eenheid). You can see it as administrative proof that CO₂ emissions were avoided somewhere compared to a fossil reference. The official regulations can be found on the Dutch Emissions Authority (NEa) website.

Important detail: in the ERE system, it's about supply chain emission reduction. So not just "what comes out of an exhaust," but a comparison that's defined in the rules. You don't have to invent those parameters. You mainly need to be able to prove how many kWh actually went to transportation.

And yes, with home charging that's exactly where it gets interesting.

How many EREs do you get for your charger?

This is often made vague, while the basis is actually very concrete. For electricity, the Dutch Emissions Authority (NEa) uses this formula:

What does that mean in plain language?

• delivery [kWh] is the amount of electricity demonstrably delivered to transportation
• renewable share [%] is the average percentage of renewable electricity in the grid
• 183 g/MJ is the fossil reference used for electricity
• 3.6 MJ/kWh is the conversion from kWh to megajoules
• dividing by 1000 converts grams to kilograms

So you don't have to "guess" how much you'll get. You can simply calculate it once you (1) know your kWh and (2) the grid percentage for that year is known.

Calculation example

Say you charge 2,000 kWh in a year. Suppose the renewable grid percentage for that year is 50%. Then it becomes:

That equals 658.8 kilograms of CO₂-equivalent supply chain emission reduction according to the official calculation rules.

HBE vs ERE

If you know HBEs from the old system, remember this: the well-known multiplier of 4 disappears in the ERE calculation. At the same time, a higher fossil reference is used for electricity (183) than for biofuels (94). That's simply how the system is set up.

Why can't you register this yourself?

If the formula is so clear, the next question is logical. Why can't you just arrange this yourself?

Because it's not just about calculation. It's about proof, control, and especially preventing double counting. The NEa wants to verify that the connection is correct, that the measurement is correct, that the destination is correct, and that the same kWh isn't claimed twice.

That's why there's a threshold starting in 2026. Self-registration of electricity is only possible if you meet a minimum amount:

So in practice, you do ERE registration through a booking service provider (inboekdienstverlener).

What does a booking service provider do?

A booking service provider is the party that registers on your behalf and keeps the administration and burden of proof in order. Think of authorizations, linking the correct EAN, collecting measurement data, and annual verification.

For home charging, there are additional practical requirements:

• Registration is based on delivery data measured by the metered delivery point
• If the connection isn't exclusively for transportation, you must prove the kWh went solely to transportation. This can be done with a MID-certified meter on the charger
• For individuals, the EAN registration is leading—you must be linked to that connection as owner
• For households, no distinction is made between grid delivery or locally generated energy. Registration uses the grid average renewable share

You don't need to remember every detail, but one sense is useful: this is mainly about administration and control, not "smart charging."

Where Plugchoice comes in

This is where things often go wrong in practice. Not with the formula, but with the way ERE registration is technically "solved."

Some parties handle ERE registration by pulling your charger straight into their own environment. Then your charger becomes dependent on their platform, their backoffice, their terms. You usually only notice this when you want to change something—for example when you want to switch or when you're simply no longer satisfied.

Plugchoice takes a different approach. Plugchoice is a control layer for your charger. Your charger can stay connected to your existing backoffice, while through Plugchoice you can choose which booking service provider handles your ERE registration.

Data flows automatically to the party you choose, without your charger getting "stuck" on one route. Want to switch later? Your charger stays connected.

In conclusion

ERE certificates are neither a promise nor a trick. It's a system with fixed calculation rules and strict requirements around measurement and proof.

If you take it easy, it's simple. Only connect your charger after you know who sees the data, who registers for you, and what happens if you want to change something later. Also read our article on what to consider before connecting.

And if choice and control are exactly what matters to you, then that's precisely where Plugchoice helps you.

Read more

• ERE certificates: what to consider before connecting
• Booking service provider and verifier: who does what?
• What does ERE yield, and where does that 10 cents come from?
• Comparing ERE providers without regret
• NEa: FAQ on registering electricity
• NEa: Registering electricity RED3