Renewable fuel units (HBEs) for logistics.
What are renewable fuel units (HBEs) and how do they work in your favor? To answer this question, we first explain the meaning of an HBE and what renewable energy is.
What is an HBE?
HBE is the abbreviation for Renewable Fuel Units. One renewable fuel unit is equivalent to a certificate or proof, showing how much renewable energy you have supplied to or used for your transportation.
What is renewable energy?
Renewable energy is energy that comes from a sustainable renewable source and is therefore unlimited. For example, solar or wind energy. HBEs were created to encourage the production and use of renewable fuel units. The ultimate goal is to reduce the use of fossil fuels in order to reduce CO2 emissions in logistics.
How do HBE certificates work?
HBE certificates are official documents equivalent to a certain amount of renewable energy produced or used.
Because some of the electricity from the grid already comes from renewable sources, you also receive HBEs if you don't use your own renewable energy source for charging. Of course, you will receive more HBEs if the energy, which you use for charging your electric trucks, comes 100% from renewable sources.
You receive one HBE when you charge 277 kWh of electricity from the grid. Do you charge completely sustainable, for example from solar panels on your roof? Then you receive one HBE per 70 kWh of charged energy. You can trade these certificates. This way you can earn extra money with the electric charging of your vehicles.
How do you make money by trading HBEs?
Companies are required by the European Union to use a percentage of renewable fuels. This percentage increases each year to eventually reach 28% by 2030.
| 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 | 2029 | 2030 | |
| Total HBE | 18,9% | 19,9% | 21,0% | 22,3% | 23,6% | 25,0% | 26,5% | 28,0% |
Companies that use fossil fuels buy these certificates to comply with regulations and reduce their environmental impact. So if you, as a transportation company owner, charge your transportation with 100% renewable energy, you can sell some of your HBEs to companies that do not yet do so.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of HBEs?
Advantages
Trading HBE certificates makes it possible to earn extra money. A nice extra source of income for your transportation company. In addition, HBEs contribute to the use of renewable fuels. And they reduce the use of fossil fuels. The result: less CO₂ emissions.
Cons
Setting up proper administration for receiving and trading HBEs can be quite difficult, especially for smaller companies. In addition, receiving renewable fuel units is only interesting from certain amounts of charged power.
How can you and your transportation company take advantage of HBEs?
As the owner of a transportation company, it is smart to learn more about HBEs. Of course, the first reason for this is to comply with the regulations from the European Union. But it is also smart to take steps in the energy transition. Electric driving is becoming increasingly important. Investing now is driving in front tomorrow.
To help you make the switch, there are subsidies available for companies investing in renewable energy. For example, the charging infrastructure subsidy for building charging infrastructure for electric trucks.
Drive first
Renewable Fuel Units (HBEs) play an important role in the transition to a more sustainable future. They encourage the production and use of renewable energy, provide economic benefits to you as a transportation company owner, and help reduce carbon emissions.
Do you want to know whether HBEs are interesting for your transport company? Calculate here how much you can earn by trading HBEs.