Many Geneva residents are making efforts to reduce their carbon footprint and are choosing green electricity for their homes, such as the Vitale Vert offer from SIG. One question comes up regularly: why is this choice not taken into account in the individual calculation of the carbon footprint, when consuming 100% renewable electricity seems like an obvious ecological gesture? The answer has to do with the functioning of the Swiss electricity grid, the logic of calculators and the physical reality of electricity.
A single electricity grid shared by everyone
To understand why your Vitale Vert subscription is not included in your carbon footprint, we need to look at the structure of the Swiss electricity grid: it is what is known as an "interconnected" or "common pool" grid. All electricity production (hydro, wind, solar, nuclear, thermal, etc.) is fed into the same physical grid, which supplies all homes, businesses and infrastructure in the country.
Green electricity on an individual scale, a "useful contribution"
Purchasing green electricity is nevertheless an important way to support the energy transition: it finances renewable energy sources, encourages the development of loc al infrastructure, and signals to suppliers that citizens are increasingly interested in these offers.
However, on an individual level, even if you have subscribed to Vitale Vert, your consumption still has a carbon impact:
- Everyone continues to physically consume electricity from the actual mix of the Swiss grid, which has a carbon footprint that varies depending on the proportion of imports, demand and climatic conditions.
- If everyone subscribed to a "green" offer, it would not instantly change the composition of the grid, which would still be shared.
The only exception? Total self-consumption through self-production, i.e. owning your own solar panels (or wind turbine) to cover part of your needs without impacting the grid.
How Nos Gestes Climat calculates the emission factor
Nos Gestes Climat for Geneva takes these realities into account: to calculate CO₂ emissions linked to electricity, the tool combines the average emission factor of the Swiss grid with local electricity production in Geneva, which is exclusively renewable.
The calculated factor is an estimate of the true carbon footprint of the electricity consumed in Geneva, taking into account, for example, imports of high-carbon electricity during peak consumption periods, whether you have a Vitale Vert subscription or another type of subscription.
Key points:
- Choosing a "green" offer does not directly reduce your calculated carbon footprint,
- But it accelerates the transition of the network as a whole by stimulating the supply of renewable electricity.
What if I invest in self-production?
Actual self-consumption via a local production system (photovoltaic panels on your roof, mini wind turbine) can help reduce your individual emissions. Our Climate Actions allow you to incorporate this specific feature if you are a self-producer.
Conclusion
In summary, if you opt for green electricity with Vitale Vert, your choice remains committed and beneficial to the energy transition, but does not impact your carbon footprint calculated by Our Climate Actions.
**To go further: **
https://www.ge.ch/document/bilan-carbone-du-territoire-cantonal-resultats-encourageants
https://www.ge.ch/dossier/bienvenue-cinq-profils-climato/cinq-profils-climato/climato-feerique
https://monplanclimat.ch/geneve/plan-climat/7-grands-axes/axe-1-energie-et-batiments.html