The issue with the electricity market is that it is impossible to follow physical flows of electricity from their source all the way to the end-consumer. A power plant, whether it is a gas, coal, nuclear, wind or hydro plant, generates power and sends it into the grid for distribution to end-users. It is simply impossible to track the flow of electrons.

GOs are detached from the physical electricity at the point of production and traded separately from electricity before being 'reattached' at point of consumption. This is an efficient accounting system for energy origin and prevents double counting.

If you are a Renewable producer, portfolio company, operate a green desk at a utility, manage Environmental Social Governance policy at a large corporate company, or a trader, broker or originator you will increasingly relied upon to demonstrate green credentials. Platts is the first truly independent source of daily GO pricing underpinned by a robust methodology with compliance to IOSCO principles.

Platts Guarantees of Origin assessments provide to the market a robust, independent price assessment that supports mark-to-market and when there is a need to use as a settlement mechanism in contracts. These assessments can also help customers leverage arbitrage opportunities, manage and hedge risks and make better and informed trading and planning decisions.

• Daily price assessments for the most liquid key bulk GO products, Nordic Hydro and EU Wind
• Daily market commentaries and market 'heards' or price indications
• Price data available via Platts real-time European Power Alert newswire and in European Power Daily newsletter

• Trade at price levels that are in sync with other market participants by having the latest GO price assessments always to hand
• Develop an inherently strong pricing and business strategy by referencing daily and historical spot and contract price assessments
• Write contracts and negotiate transactions with confidence by understanding price drivers and fluctuations

Platts assesses Guarantees of Origin Assessments in Europe following a thorough methodology.

The assessments are compiled using market data collected from active market participants (including traders, brokers, utilities etc.) contacted on a daily basis. This information is then published as 'market heards' via the Platts real-time service, European Power Alerts (EPA). These market heards contain as many details as possible about the bids, offers and trades but also any other type of market information that might interest the market. These market heards are published in order to ensure market participants can react to, and scrutinize, market information being considered in the assessment process.

For more details about Platts standards please refer to European Electricity Assessments and Indices.

EU Wind and Nordic Hydro Guarantees of Origin assessments are available on EPA as well as the European Power Daily publication.