Emissions trading is the primary climate policy instrument in Europe. In Germany participation is mandatory for the operators of some 1,900 plants. With the start of the 4th trading period (2021-2030), there are important changes that must be observed. For example, the allocation rules have been tightened and the reporting obligations expanded. With the ambitious targets of the EU and in the course of the reform proposals of the "Fit for 55" package, this development continues, as a variety of important regulatory requirements are emerging. FutureCamp will help you interpret the changing framework and find the right answers.
We are among the most experienced and competent partners for companies in this business field. We support facility operators with a broad range of consulting services across the board:
- Developing an optimal application strategy for the allocation of EU emission allowances (EUA) and taking over the application itself with the Form Management System (FMS).
- Carbon management: Defining and implementing long-term monitoring and emissions management systems
- Emissions reporting and allocation data reports - Development and adaptation of monitoring plans
- Registry account management: as a complete package or as a back-up solution for hedging purposes
- Workshops on price development and trading strategies
- Execution of trading transactions for our existing customers
- Electronic communication with DEHSt (Virtual Post Office VPS)
- Impact of the EU-ETS on investments and products
- Demand and cost forecasts
Electricity Price Compensation
- Developing the application strategy
- Preparing the data for entry in the required software (Form Management System FMS) of the German Emissions Trading Authority (DEHSt)
- Sending via the virtual post office (VPS)
"In addition to operational support, our customers get significant added value in particular through comprehensive quality assurance, comparison of application data with all relevant allocation rules, review of special rules, observation of legislative developments and administration of the application process, as well as our role as a contact and discussion partner for emissions trading-specific issues."
Stefan Weigert has been with the company since 2019 and, as Head of Emissions Trading Systems at FutureCamp, is responsible for all consulting services in national and European emissions trading and supports our clients with the various issues in this area. These range from operational implementation to strategic evaluation. He also has experience in the development of climate neutrality concepts and the preparation of complex climate assessments at organisational and product level.
FutureCamp is the go-to point of contact for many companies in the industry. These include, in particular, energy-intensive companies in the chemical industry and the steel and building materials industries, as well as numerous industrial energy supply plants in all sectors. We are market leaders in this aspect.
The German government's Climate Protection Act obliges all sectors to cut CO2 emissions. While the sectors of power generation and industrial operations are already subject to mandatory regulations through European emissions trading, measures for the sectors of transport, SMEs, services and buildings in Germany have now also followed as a result of the Fuel Emissions Trading Act (BEHG). The core component is emissions trading for combustibles and fuels, which started on January 1, 2021. The aim is to ensure that Germany reduces its greenhouse gas emissions by 65 percent by 2030 compared to 1990. In the introductory phase, a fixed CO2 price of €25 per t of CO2 will apply in 2021, rising to €55 in 2025. This measure not only affects newly covered operators, it also raises specific delimitation and implementation issues for operators already regulated by EU emissions trading. This measure not only affects the newly covered "fuel distributors", but also raises concrete demarcation and implementation issues for plant operators already regulated by EU emissions trading. Ultimately, all companies that use combustibles and fuels are indirectly affected.
FutureCamp supports all existing and new players in the CO2 market to stay on top of the challenges and opportunities, to avoid double burdens for their company and to use support programs and individual measures from the Climate Protection Act:
- Defining and implementing permanent emission monitoring systems
- Preparation of monitoring plans and emission reports
- Accompanying the verification of the emission reports by a certified company
- Submission of verified emission reports to and handling of electronic communication with DEHSt
- Defining and implementing permanent emission monitoring systems
- Assessment of the hardship clause
- Carbon leakage: support in the application process for carbon leakage offsets
- Avoidance of double counting or financial compensation
- Forecasts of demands and costs
- Registry account management: as a complete package or as a back-up solution for hedging purposes
- Execution of trades (see also Execution of trades in the nEHS)
- Assistance with the verification of emissions reports by a testing company from 2023
FutureCamp is approved as an intermediary at the European Energy Exchange (EEX). In this capacity, FutureCamp can procure nEHS certificates for customers via the EEX sales platform. The general conditions and purchase orders are available under Market Activities & Registry Services (in German).
"Fuel emissions trading has added another important building block to Germany's climate policy. It has rightfully attracted a lot of attention. In our consulting practice for companies, we nevertheless place great importance on looking not only at the risks, costs and administrative efforts associated with CO2 pricing, but also at the opportunities for new products and improved processes. This requires a holistic picture as well as the inclusion of other elements of the German climate protection program, such as support mechanisms."
Thomas Mühlpointner is Managing Director of FutureCamp Climate. He specialises in issues relating to national and EU emissions trading. He has been advising plant operators on European emissions trading since he started working for FutureCamp in 2003. His consulting services continue to focus on companies directly or indirectly affected by national emissions trading. He regularly organises and leads specialist seminars and appears as a speaker at specialist conferences. Mr Mühlpointner studied electrical engineering at the Technical University of Munich.
FutureCamp is also the contact for many companies in the energy sector and industry for national emissions trading. These include, in particular, gas suppliers and city utilities as well as energy-intensive industrial companies.
The European Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) came into force on October 1, 2023. The mechanism will gradually extend the CO2 pricing of EU emissions trading to imports. Companies in the aluminium, fertiliser and ammonia, iron, steel, electricity, cement and hydrogen sectors must expect new challenges and obligations as a result of the CBAM but can also benefit from potential opportunities.
The CBAM affects various stakeholders - including those outside the EU. FutureCamp, together with colleagues from The Climate Desk , supports you in understanding how you are affected by the new instrument, analysing opportunities and risks and meeting new requirements.
We offer the following services for importers and exporters of CBAM goods and plant operators outside the EU or EFTA:
- Understanding CBAM and its consequences for your business (strategic and compliance, markets, supply chains)
- Regular updates of developments
- Evolving analysis of obligations and opportunities for your business
- Analyzing the impacts of CBAM on competitiveness
- Optimizing internal processes for CBAM implementation (communications, data generation and processing)
- Optimizing supply chains for CBAM implementation
- Understanding changes in free allocation
- Data collection and quarterly reporting on emissions in 2023-2025
- Interacting with non-EU suppliers to collect actual emissions data
- Monitoring and calculating emissions embedded in products (product carbon footprints, PCFs)
- CBAM declaration and surrender of certificates from 2026 onwards
- Registration as CBAM declarant or operator with EU Commission
„The CBAM is a complex new instrument of European climate protection policy with a wide range of effects: it brings new reporting obligations, has an impact on the prices of purchased goods and burdens exports. It also creates new information obligations on supply chain emissions and, with the simultaneous expiry of free allocation, brings about a system change.“
Dr Christian Pacher is Managing Director of FutureCamp Climate. Mr Pacher has been working at FutureCamp since 2009 on the strategic and operational preparation and implementation of all aspects of national and EU emissions trading as well as on comprehensive climate strategy projects for our clients. He is an expert in capacity building projects and supports the relevant institutional actors in the development and implementation of international emissions trading schemes. As a recognised energy officer and auditor for ISO 50001:2011, he conducts internal audits in companies and also supports the further development of energy management systems. In addition, Mr Pacher is listed in the BAFA's list of energy auditors and carries out energy audits in accordance with DIN EN 16247-1. Mr Pacher studied civil engineering in Munich. As a research assistant at the Technical University of Munich, he then worked intensively on issues of material flow and resource management. Christian Pacher wrote his doctoral thesis at the Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Universität Aachen on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in waste management through technical optimisation in thermal waste treatment plants. He regularly designs and organises specialist seminars in the fields of climate strategy, emissions trading and energy management and appears as a speaker at specialist conferences.
You can find more information on this topic in our detailed article CBAM: Der europäische Grenzausgleichmechanismus (in German only).
Highlight:
German Federal Ministry for the Environment, GIZ, Asian Development Bank or World Bank (PMR):
Support for the introduction of MRV and emissions trading or CO2 pricing systems in other countries, e.g. Chile, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Mexico, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, Vietnam, PR China
Download: Flyer CBAM
EU emissions trading and national fuel emissions trading pose new tasks and challenges for many sectors of the economy.
Monitoring and analysing climate and energy policy developments as well as the CO2 market and its price influencing factors are of strategic and operational importance. They have implications for CO2 management and procurement strategy.
The management of the company's CO2 position and a suitable procurement strategy are crucial in order to remain competitive, utilise opportunities and hedge against tomorrow's risks today. This affects plant operators and companies that are "distributors" of fuels, as well as project sponsors, financial institutions and stock exchanges.
That is why we support you in the EU emissions trading services and in national certificate trading with a targeted trading strategy for your company with the following services, among others:
- Workshops to develop a trading strategy for the 4th trading period
- Regular market information and customised newsletters
- Market monitoring and analysis, implications for procurement strategy
- Determination of the company-specific CO2 position (scenario analysis if necessary)
- Development and management of tools for CO2 position management
CO2 trading activities
To ensure your market access for the compliance markets and the voluntary market, we are at your disposal as a trustworthy and competent trading partner in the CO2-market.
Here you will find our forms (in German) for processing of trading transactions.
We are also happy to provide you with offers for emissions certificates on the voluntary market.
"It is important for me that we offer our clients the best possible independent advice. The analysis of company-specific costs as well as customer and demand structures results in very different procurement needs in terms of price thresholds, installments and market access. If the best suited option for our clients is to procure the required quantities through us, we will be happy to do so, but we will also tell clients quite openly if we consider procurement through their house bank or the stock exchange, for example, to be more suitable, and we will be happy to arrange contacts. The same applies to registry account management. Some like to hand this over completely, others simply want a safeguard for emergencies. Filtering out and analyzing these very specific needs in each case is a task we are happy to tackle together with our customers"
Dominik Glock is Head of Trading and Climate Protection Projects at FutureCamp and is responsible for CO2 market activities and registry services as well as the development of climate protection projects and advice on offsetting greenhouse gas emissions. Since joining the company in 2006, he has supported numerous clients in the procurement and sale of emissions certificates in EU emissions trading, national emissions trading and the voluntary CO2 market. He supports companies and organisations in the development and implementation of trading strategies. In addition, he selects suitable climate protection projects in order to make a contribution to climate protection for currently unavoidable greenhouse gas emissions.
Highlight project:
Federal Environment Agency
On behalf of the UBA, we are preparing studies on "Analysing and evaluating the market structure, trading activities and other developments in the European carbon market" (German only) and on "Implications of market regulation in the carbon market" (German only).
We carry out trading transactions for our customers in European emissions trading and are listed as an intermediary on the EEX in national emissions trading. We are also happy to provide you with offers for emissions certificates on the voluntary market.
Our forms for processing trading transactions in the nEHS:
- Trading framework nEHS (German only)
- Purchase order nEHS primary market (German only)
- Buy order nEHS secondary market (German only)
- Sell order nEHS (German only)
Here you will find the trading dates offered by FutureCamp. (German only)
Our forms for processing trading transactions in the EU ETS:
- EU-ETS trading framework (German only)
- Purchase order for EU-ETS emission allowances (German only)
- Sales order for EU-ETS emission allowances (German only)
The forms can be completed interactively on a PC using an appropriate PDF reader (Acrobat, Foxit, ... or MS Edge). Please always use the latest version for new orders, which we provide for you here.
"I personally see the advantage of sourcing through FutureCamp in the independent advice provided by our interdisciplinary trading team. Rising, but also falling CO2 prices in the compliance markets are forcing companies to take active action. Securing market access, uncomplicated and fast processing of buy and sell orders create opportunities to generate competitive advantages."
Dominik Holzner is a senior consultant at FutureCamp Climate. His responsibilities include supporting our customers in the procurement and sale of emissions certificates in national and European emissions trading and on the voluntary market. He also supports our customers with registry account services and advises plant operators in national and European emissions trading. He organises workshops for affected stakeholders on site and online and acts as a speaker at our FutureCamp Academy.
Every installation operator in European emissions trading and every distributor in national emissions trading is obliged to keep a CO2 registry account. In addition, it may make sense to maintain further registry accounts for activities in the voluntary market. We therefore support you in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme and in national certificate trading with the following tasks, among others:
- Opening and managing your registry account in the Union registry and the national registry
- Opening and managing accounts in the voluntary market registries (Gold Standard, VCS) (Click here for more information on our activities in the area of voluntary climate protection contributions).
Valentin Steinberger works as a consultant at FutureCamp Climate in the areas of emissions trading systems and trading. He supports our clients with registry account services in mandatory and voluntary CO2 markets and advises operators in national and European emissions trading on emissions and allocation data reports, monitoring plans and compensation applications. He also advises and supports our clients in the procurement and sale of emissions certificates in national and European emissions trading and on the voluntary market.
The Paris Agreement (PA) confirms and expands the CO2 market mechanisms to motivate the ambitions of national climate protection contributions as a useful support tool.
The rulebook has changed now following the replacement of the former Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) by a new mechanism to avoid greenhouse gas emissions and promote sustainable development: the Sustainable Development Mechanism (SDM).
Herein, a new framework for cooperative approaches has also emerged with the so-called Corresponding Adjustments: Corresponding adjustments allow the transfer of emission reductions generated by climate protection projects between the Parties to the PA. This mechanism avoids double counting of the emission reductions achieved in the greenhouse gas inventories of the participating countries.
The possibilities for measures and activities are becoming greater, but the regulatory landscape is also more diverse and strongly influenced by the respective countries involved. This does not always have to result in tradable certificates as we understand them today; alternatives like Financial Contribution Claims are also possible. From our point of view, the decisive factor is the concrete climate protection performance of a project.
Due to our long-term experience in the development and support of over 100 JI, CDM and VER projects, we are also right at home in the new mechanism and, as such, the right partner for the implementation of your climate protection project, whether nationally or worldwide.
We will accompany you in current and future market mechanisms, from the evaluation of your project idea all the way to the marketing of the certificates. Where required, we will develop a custom methodology for your project.
Dr. Sebastian Lenz is working for FutureCamp as a Senior Consultant. He is the contact person for carbon sequestration in agriculture and advises on physical climate risks. In the area of emissions trading he supports large corporate clients from the chemical and polymer industry. Prior to joining FutureCamp Dr. Lenz worked as a research assistant at the Technische Universität München in the project “Lakes during climate change” for the Bavarian State Ministry of the Environment. He conducted research on the carbonate contribution to long-term carbon sequestration in lakes.
Overview on our Experiences on Project Based Mechanisms – Services for Project Owners:
Project highlight:
Alliance for Development and Climate
For the Alliance for Development and Climate, FutureCamp prepared the studies on "Current Status of the Voluntary Greenhouse Gas Offset Market in Germany" and "Article 6 of the Paris Agreement and the Voluntary Market for Greenhouse Gas Offsets" in cooperation with Perspectives Climate Group (These studies can be found under Publications - in German only)
On the one hand, we are aware of the needs of companies, public authorities and persons, who are active in climate protection and on the other hand, we have many years of experience in the development of climate protection projects. Here, the aim is to generate emissions savings and to promote and communicate sustainable development of the project region in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations. Having developed over 100 climate protection projects ourselves (VER, JI and CDM), we know what matters. This qualifies us well for the procurement and marketing of climate protection certificates.
Are you an industrial company, energy supplier, financial institution or public institution looking for the right climate protection project as a building block for your climate strategy? We can support you with the following services:
- Procurement of regional or international certificates or verified target contributions from high-quality climate protection projects for GHG neutrality or net-zero goals
- Solutions for the communicative use of national and regional climate protection projects as a contribution to the achievement of German climate goals
- Evaluation of contract structures for the procurement of emission reduction certificates or participation in climate protection projects
- Portfolio management (registry account management, transaction processing, decommissioning)
- Evaluation of project ideas and development of climate protection projects
Linda Leicht works as a consultant at FutureCamp Climate in the areas of the CO2 market and emissions trading. She advises clients who want to make a contribution to climate protection for currently unavoidable greenhouse gas emissions on the selection of climate protection projects and the procurement and cancellation of certificates. It also provides support with the purchase and sale of emissions certificates in national and European emissions trading. It also supports companies in national and European emissions trading with emissions and allocation data reports, monitoring plans and compensation applications. Registry account services also fall within her area of responsibility.
Project Highlight:
Bavarian State Ministry for the Environment and Consumer Protection Together with the Bavarian State Ministry for the Environment and Consumer Protection, we developed the CO2 start-up balance and reduction potentials. In addition, we supported the climate neutralization for the CO2 balance years 2018-20 by offsetting the unavoidable CO2 emissions by identifying suitable climate protection projects, as well as procuring and retiring the CO2 certificates in the corresponding registers.
Since 2001 FutureCamp is providing strategic and operational support to companies and governments on carbon markets and climate strategies. We are well-positioned to support clients at different levels on carbon activities.
We have in-depth knowledge in all aspects of compliance and voluntary carbon markets, having participated in carbon trading mechanisms since the early days of Clean Development Mechanism, Joint Implementation, and the European Trading Systems. Our robust industry expertise also comes from assisting countries in preparing for carbon pricing systems and developing climate protection projects according to requirements of independent standards. We are also very familiar with the UNFCCC processes.
In addition to providing capacity building and knowledge delivery services both at the European and international levels, FutureCamp provides bespoke strategic and policy -relevant guidance to governments on carbon market activities.
We support national governments with toolkits for identifying eligible projects that meet Article 6 requirements.
We also work with institutional representatives to develop projects whose implementation within the voluntary market can meet other domestic development needs. Our experience so far provides us with enhanced expertise in supporting developing countries with carbon market readiness activities and institutional process management.
Our Carbon Market and Strategic Policy team offers the following services:
- Corporate and country-level carbon strategy support
- Strategic support with capacity on carbon project development
- Carbon market roadmaps and frameworks
- Domestic and international carbon policy and engagement guidelines
We offer tailored capacity building on the implementation and country-level actions on Article 6 and other climate policies:
- Capacity building for national authorities and responsible institutions on developing climate protection projects
- Strengthening capacities of Public and Private actors for voluntary carbon market activities as well as support with implementation of methodological requirements
- Article 6 market mechanisms: building Host countries’ capacities on Article 6 readiness activities including reporting, stakeholders’ mapping and implementation of legal and methodological requirements
Working with Development Partners
- Provide strategic advising to National Authorities on development Partners’ engagement.
- Implementation support on carbon projects and green initiatives
Dr. Nsikan-George Emana works for FutureCamp as a senior consultant in the areas of voluntary carbon markets and climate protection projects. Mrs Emana works with FutureCamp's Project Mechanisms team to develop strategies for new and existing clients to implement climate protection projects under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement (PA) or voluntary contributions to climate protection. In addition, she provides support with technical advice, the implementation of framework conditions, institutional, infrastructural and strategic political activities in the context of CO2 pricing.
Highlight-Projekte:
International Carbon Market: Strategic advising and technical support
FutureCamp supported the Niger State Government (Nigeria) during a two-day Green Economy Summit in October 2023 with technical expertise on ‘Emissions Trading and Voluntary Carbon Markets’. Dominik Glock, Head of Trading and Climate Protection Projects at FutureCamp, gave a profound overview of the ‘Voluntary Carbon Market from a buyer's perspective’ and demonstrated its potential for sustainable development. Dr Nsikan-George Emana, Senior Consultant at FutureCamp, gave a presentation on ‘Preparing for carbon markets and trading in Niger’. Nsikan-George Emana moderated the session on ‘Positioning Niger State's Green Economy for a Just Energy Transition Plan’ and also contributed to the review of the first draft of the Green Economy Blueprint.
The Carbon Footprints establish the link between an activity and its impact on the climate. They are the starting point for all climate protection - from individual measures to comprehensive climate strategies. Greenhouse gas balances are also the basis for transformation concepts to climate neutrality.
FutureCamp is the ideal partner for drawing up greenhouse gas inventories for companies, institutions, products and events: We transfer knowledge on the topic of greenhouse gas balancing (GHG balancing) to your company and implement the process of data definition and collection together with you. In doing so, we always keep your individual requirements in mind. When calculating your GHG balance, we work with internationally recognised standards (Greenhouse Gas Protocol - GHG Protocol, ISO 14064-1) and use Excel solutions or software tools tailored to your needs.
New political regulations will mean that suppliers in particular will increasingly be required to provide a product's carbon footprint. If the customer also wants to use the information in their sustainability reporting, recognised standards (GHG Protocol, ISO 14067) must be used.
Based on the GHG balance of your business activities, we support you in all further steps that are necessary to achieve your climate targets: We accompany your company on the path to greenhouse gas neutrality by working with you to identify avoidance measures and derive reduction paths, or in defining your net-zero strategy in line with the Science-based Targets initiative. In addition, we support our customers in making a contribution to currently unavoidable GHG emissions. We have our own project portfolio available for your climate protection contribution or we identify high-quality climate protection projects and procure the emission certificates.
On our own behalf: We have been regularly calculating the corporate carbon footprint for FutureCamp Holding GmbH and FutureCamp Climate GmbH since 2006. For details on our GHG balance sheet, the avoidance and reduction measures and our climate protection contributions, please refer to the further article on the subject (in German only).
"The carbon footprint is an important tool for companies to assess the climate impact of their business activities and is therefore a central component of a holistic climate protection strategy. The greenhouse gas footprint reveals the areas in which the main greenhouse gas emissions are released and where the greatest savings potential lies. As a result, the carbon footprint also has great economic significance. Companies can noticeably reduce their costs by making effective savings. We support you in balancing your GHG emissions and thus provide the foundation for your climate protection commitment."
As Head of Environmental Accounting Services at FutureCamp, Joe Beeg advises public clients and industrial companies in the areas of greenhouse gas and life cycle assessment, greenhouse gas neutrality and net zero strategies.
Examples from our project work:
Bavarian State Office for the Environment State Agency for Energy and Climate Protection (LENK):
Preparation of the GHG starting balance sheet 2021 for the Bavarian state ministries including development of reduction measures and pathways.
CABB Group
Accounting of company-related greenhouse gas emissions (corporate carbon footprint) according to the corporate accounting method of the GHG Protocol including all seven locations for Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions for the years 2019, 2020 and 2021 as well as determination and documentation of product-related greenhouse gas emissions (product carbon footprints) of the CABB Group's chlor-alkali electrolysis.
KlimaManufaktur: Climate protection thought through to the end!
Discover the services of our subsidiary KlimaManufaktur.
Climate neutrality through CO2 compensation: KlimaManufaktur GmbH offers products and services for the climate neutrality of private, business and municipal activities through CO2 compensation. On the one hand, you can quickly and easily purchase CO2 certificates from high-quality climate protection projects or ready-made standard products such as climate-neutral events, overnight stays or flights in our KlimaManufaktur webshop. On the other hand we would like to encourage you to calculate your carbon footprint and - where possible - reduce it. For this purpose we provide our Excel-based calculation tools free of charge:
1 Calculate
2 Reduce
3 Compensate
Climate protection thought through to the end!