Regulations, 2026
Table of Provisions (17)
Statutory Text (17 Articles)
L.N. 94 of 2026
REGULATOR FOR ENERGY AND WATER SERVICES ACT
(CAP. 545)
Guarantees of Origin of Electricity from High-Efficiency
Cogeneration and of Energy from Renewable Energy Sources
Regulations, 2026
IN EXERCISE of the powers conferred by articles 37 and 37A of
the Regulator for Energy and Water Services Act, the Minister
responsible for energy and water services, after consultation with the
Regulator for Energy and Water Services, has made the following
regulations:-
(1) The title of these regulations is the Guarantees of Citation and
Origin of Electricity from High-Efficiency Cogeneration and of scope.
Energy from Renewable Energy Sources Regulations, 2026.
(2) The scope of these regulations is to establish a regulatory
framework for the issuing of guarantees of origin for electricity
produced from high-efficiency cogeneration and, or energy produced
from renewable energy sources ensuring that the origin of electricity
produced from high-efficiency cogeneration and the energy produced
from renewable energy sources may be guaranteed in accordance with
objective, transparent and non-discriminatory criteria. These
regulations transpose
(a) Article 19 of Directive (EU) 2018/2001 of the
European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2018 on
the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources
(recast) amended by Article 1(9) of Directive (EU) 2023/2413 of
the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 October 2023
amending Directive (EU) 2018/2001, Regulation (EU) 2018/
1999 and Directive 98/70/EC as regards the promotion of energy
from renewable sources, and repealing Council Directive (EU)
2015/652; and
(b) Article 26(13) and Annex XII of Directive (EU) 2023/
1791 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13
September 2023 on energy efficiency and amending Regulation
(EU) 2023/955 (recast).
(regulation 5(3))
Information to be submitted with an application for the issuing of
a guarantee of origin
1. The name and address, and if a company, the registration
number, of the person requesting the issuing of the guarantee of origin.
2. Where the person signing a statement of entitlement
required under sub-regulation (5) of regulation 5 is not the same
person making the request, the name and address of the person signing
the said statement.
3. Whether the person requesting the issuing of a guarantee of
origin is the producer, or otherwise, of the electricity or energy in
respect of which the guarantee of origin is being requested, the name
and address, and if a company, the registration number of the producer.
4. The commencement and termination of the period covered
by the guarantee of origin for which an application is submitted.
5. The place where the electricity or energy in respect of
which the guarantee of origin is being requested are produced, the
name, if any, of the type of plant generating and, or producing the
electricity or the energy, and the date on which the installation became
operational.
6. The quantity of electricity or energy in respect of which the
guarantee of origin is being requested, together with the total quantity
of electricity or energy being produced by the plant during the period
covered by the application.
7. Where electricity in respect of which an application for the
issuing of a guarantee of origin is being submitted was produced from
a high-efficiency cogeneration
(a) the information relating to the plant in relation to the
First and Second Schedules to the Energy Efficiency
Regulations;
(b) the primary source of fuel from which the electricity
was produced;
(c)
the heat to power ratio of the plant; and
(d) the amount of useful heat being utilised during the
period for which the application is being submitted.
8. Where energy in respect of which an application for the
issuing of a guarantee of origin is being submitted was produced from
renewable energy sources
(a) the energy source from which the energy was
produced; and
(b) the declared net capacities of the installation with
respect to each source of energy from which the energy was
produced.
9. Any further information as the Regulator may, in particular
circumstances, reasonably require
(a) for the purpose of ensuring the accuracy of the
information required under items 1 to 8; or
(b) to enable the Regulator to be satisfied that any
electricity being produced is from high-efficiency cogeneration
or that any energy being produced is from renewable energy
sources.
(1) Unless otherwise required under these regulations,
the terms defined in the Regulator for Energy and Water Services Act,
in the Energy Efficiency Regulations and in the Promotion of Energy
from Renewable Sources Regulations shall apply.
(2) For the purposes of these regulations, and unless the
context otherwise requires
"Act" means the Regulator for Energy and Water Services
Act;
"energy supplier" shall have the same meaning as assigned
to it in the Biofuels, Bioliquids and Biomass Fuels
(Sustainability Criteria) Regulations;
"final customer" means a natural or legal person who
purchases energy for its own use;
"guarantee of origin" means an electronic document issued
by the Regulator which has the sole function of providing
evidence to a final customer that a specific share or quantity of
electricity was produced from high-efficiency cogeneration or
that a specific share or quantity of energy was produced from
renewable energy sources;
"guarantee of origin for electricity" means a guarantee of
origin that relates to electricity produced from renewable
sources;
"guarantee of origin for gas" means a guarantee of origin
that relates to gas produced from renewable sources, including
hydrogen produced from renewable sources;
"guarantee of origin holder" means the person in favour of
whom the guarantee of origin is issued or the person to whom it
is transferred;
Minister" means the Minister responsible for energy;
"Regulator" means the Regulator for Energy and Water
Services as established by article 3 of the Act;
"residual energy mix" means the total annual energy mix
for Malta, excluding the share covered by cancelled guarantees
of origin;
"statement of entitlement" means a statement made to the
Regulator in respect of the electricity, or energy which is the
subject of the application for the issue of a guarantee of origin;
"third party" means any natural or legal person, in favour of
whom a guarantee of origin has been transferred by the guarantee
of origin holder, issued to the latter in relation to electricity
produced from high-efficiency cogeneration and, or to energy
from renewable energy sources according to these regulations,
and under which guarantee such third party is able to fulfil his
obligations in relation to production and, or supply of electricity
produced from high-efficiency cogeneration or that produced
from renewable energy sources.
(regulation 6(6))
PART A – Information to be included on all guarantees of origin
1. The name and address, and if a company, the registration
number of the person to whom the guarantee is issued, including an
indication of whether it relates to electricity from high-efficiency
cogeneration or to renewable energy where, if the latter it shall
furthermore specify whether it relates to electricity, gas (including
hydrogen) or heating and cooling.
2. The date of issue of the guarantee of origin.
3. The reference number assigned to the guarantee by the
Regulator, along with an indication that the guarantee is issued by the
Regulator.
4. The commencement and termination dates of the period to
which the guarantee relates (the relevant period).
5. The production location, the plant name, if any, and the
installation’s operational commencement date.
6. Any further information as required by the Regulator to
ensure accuracy or to confirm the production source.
PART B – Information specific to high-efficiency cogeneration
guarantees of origin
1. The primary fuel source from which the electricity was
produced, the quantity used to produce said electricity during the
relevant period and the capacity (thermal and electrical) of the
installation.
2. The quantity and the use of the heat generated together with
the electricity during the relevant period.
3. The lower calorific value of the fuel source from which the
electricity was produced.
4. The quantity of electricity from high‐efficiency
cogeneration which was generated over the relevant period and
exported to the grid.
5. The primary energy savings calculated on the basis of
harmonised efficiency reference values.
6. The nominal electric and thermal efficiency of the plant.
7. Whether and to what extent the installation has benefitted
from investment support.
8. Whether the electricity in question has benefitted in any
other way from a national support scheme, and the type of support
PART C – Information specific to renewable energy guarantees
1. The renewable energy source from which the energy was
produced and the capacity of the installation.
2. The start and end dates of production, which may be
specified
(a) in the case of renewable gas, including gaseous
renewable fuels of non-biological origin, and renewable heating
and cooling, at an hourly or sub-hourly interval;
(b) for renewable electricity, in accordance with the
imbalance settlement period as defined in Article 2(15) of
Regulation (EU) 2019/943 of the European Parliament and of the
Council of 5 June 2019 on the internal market for electricity
(recast).
3. The declared net capacities of the installation for each
renewable energy source.
4. The total quantity of renewable energy produced over the
relevant period.
5. A declaration that the installation has not benefitted from
investment support and that the unit of energy has not benefitted in any
other way from a national support scheme which specifically precludes
the issuance of guarantees of origin of units of origin which receive
operation support under such scheme.
(1) The Regulator shall issue guarantees of origin to Powers of the
producers of electricity from high-efficiency cogeneration and, or to Regulator.
producers of energy from renewable energy sources, including gaseous
renewable fuels of non-biological origin such as hydrogen, upon
compliance with the requirements of these regulations
Provided that where electricity is generated from high-
efficiency cogeneration using renewable sources, only one (1)
guarantee of origin specifying both characteristics may be issued.
(2) The Regulator shall supervise the issuance, transfer and
cancellation of guarantees of origin.
(3) The Regulator shall have non-overlapping geographical
responsibilities, and shall be independent of production, trade and
supply activities.
(regulation 10)
1. Account fees
An account fee shall apply for the opening of an account with the
Regulator for the issuance, transfer and cancellation of guarantees of
origin. Such fee shall be payable to the Regulator prior to the opening
of the account. Annual fees shall also apply for any such registered
The account fees shall be as follows
(a)
One-time account registration fee for producers
(i) production plants with installed capacity less
than fifty kilowatt-peak (50 kWp) or energy community
five euro (€5);
(ii) production plants with installed capacity equal
to or greater than fifty kilowatt-peak (50 kWp): fifty euro
cents per kilowatt-peak (€0.50/kWp) installed.
The same fees shall be applicable on an annual basis to the
Regulator as from first (1 st ) January of the year following the account
registration and for every year thereafter.
(b) One-time registration fee for registered account
holders other than producers
(i) accounts with annual certificate turnover less
than fifty megawatt hour (50 MWh): five euro (€5);
(ii) accounts with annual certificate turnover equal
to or greater than fifty megawatt hour (50 MWh) and less
than five hundred megawatt hour (500 MWh): twenty-five
euro (€25);
(iii) accounts with annual certificate turnover equal
to or greater than five hundred megawatt hour (500 MWh)
one hundred fifty euro (€150).
The same fees shall be applicable on an annual basis to the
Regulator as from first (1 st ) January of the year following the account
registration and for every year thereafter.
For the purposes of sub-item (b), "account holders other than
producers’" means any person who is not a producer who transfers or
cancels guarantees of origin.
For the purposes of this Schedule, "annual certificate turnover"
means the aggregate number of megawatt hour (MWh) represented by
all guarantees of origin in respect of which an account holder is
allowed to submit an application during the relevant year, including
guarantees of origin issued, transferred and cancelled.
When an account holder who is also a producer receives
guarantees of origin from another account holder or producer, the fees
established in sub-item (b) shall also apply in addition to those in sub-
item (a).
2. Fee per guarantee of origin
A fee of zero point zero two five euro per megawatt hour
(€0.025/MWh) shall be payable to the Regulator in respect of the
issuance, transfer and cancellation of each guarantee of origin. Such
fee shall be due and payable upon submission of the relevant
application and shall be remitted to the Regulator together with that
application.
€1.26
Any person who intends to apply for the issuance, transfer Registration of
account holders.
or cancellation of a guarantee of origin shall apply with the Regulator
for the registration of an account in his name for this purpose in the
manner and form required by the Regulator. The registration fees and
the annual fees established in item 1 of the Third Schedule shall apply
Provided that the registration process for installations of
less than fifty kilowatts (50 kW) and renewable energy communities
shall be simplified when compared to those of a larger capacity.
(1) Any person who intends to apply for the issuance, Validity of
transfer or cancellation of a guarantee of origin shall apply with the applications.
Regulator in the manner and form required by the Regulator. The fees
for the issuance, transfer or cancellation for each guarantee of origin
established in item 2 of the Third Schedule shall apply.
(2) An application for the issuing of a guarantee of origin shall
cover a period of at least four (4) months.
(3) An application may not be made with the Regulator for the
issuing of a guarantee of origin in respect of electricity or energy
generated outside of Malta
Provided that the Regulator may issue guarantees of origin
in respect of renewable energy generated in any Exclusive Economic
Zone declared by Malta in accordance with the Exclusive Economic
Zone Act.
(4) An application for the issuance of a guarantee of origin
shall not be considered valid unless the Regulator is provided with
(a)
all the information listed in the First Schedule;
(b)
a statement of entitlement; and
(c) payment of the applicable fees established in terms of
regulation 10.
(5)
A statement of entitlement shall include the following
(a) a declaration that the producer of electricity or energy
is entitled to the issuing of a guarantee of origin; and
(b) a declaration that such person has never submitted
and does not intend to submit a request for the issuing of a
guarantee of origin to any other person or authority outside
Malta with respect to the electricity or energy which is the
subject of the application.
(1) A valid application shall be acknowledged in writing
by the Regulator within fifteen (15) days from the date of the receipt of
such application, by means of a receipt issued to the applicant.
(2) The Regulator shall issue a guarantee of origin in respect of
electricity produced from high-efficiency cogeneration and, or energy
produced from renewable energy sources while having regard to the
following
(a) an application is received in accordance with
regulation 5; and
(b) where it is satisfied that the electricity in respect of
which the application is being made is duly produced from high-
efficiency cogeneration; or
(c) where it is satisfied that the energy in respect of
which the application is being made is duly produced from
renewable energy sources.
(3) A guarantee of origin shall be issued to the person
submitting the application or to such other person as may be indicated
in the application.
(4) The guarantee of origin shall only be issued in respect of
the electricity or energy referred to in the application.
(5) A guarantee of origin issued in respect of electricity
produced from high-efficiency cogeneration and, or energy produced
from renewable energy sources shall be issued with respect to each
megawatt hour (1 MWh) of electricity or energy produced, and such
megawatt hours shall be rounded to the nearest megawatt hour and
shall not include energy being consumed for the plant’s own use
Provided that where appropriate, in the case of guarantees
of origin issued in respect of the production of energy from renewable
sources, the standard size may be divided to a fraction size which shall
be a multiple of one watt hour (1Wh).
(6)
A guarantee of origin
(a) shall contain all the information listed in the Second
Schedule; and
(b) may contain any other related information as the
Regulator may deem fit and appropriate to include
Provided that simplified information may be
specified in the guarantees of origin from installations of less
than fifty kilowatts (50 kW).
(7) Where a guarantee of origin has been issued in terms of
these regulations and has not at any time been revoked, the Regulator
shall not issue another guarantee of origin with respect to the same
electricity or energy for which the guarantee of origin has already been
issued.
(8) The Regulator may set a minimum capacity limit when
considering the energy unit of guarantees of origin.
(9) Guarantees of origin issued by the Regulator shall be
issued, transferred and cancelled electronically, and shall be
accurate, reliable and fraud-resistant in compliance with the standard
CEN-EN 16325.
(10) The Regulator shall recognise guarantees of origin issued
by competent authorities of other Member States exclusively as proof
of the elements referred to in sub-regulation (1) and sub-regulation (6)
of regulation 11 with particular reference to the Second Schedule,
provided that such guarantees of origin are issued in accordance with
the laws of those Member States which are in conformity with the
relevant European Union legislation. Any refusal by the Regulator to
recognise a guarantee of origin shall be based on well-founded doubts
about its accuracy, reliability or veracity or for reasons relating to the
prevention of fraud and shall be based on objective, transparent and
non-discriminatory criteria which shall be notified to the Commission
together with reasoned grounds for such decision.
(11) The Regulator shall not recognise guarantees of origin
issued by a third country except where the European Union has
concluded an agreement with such third country on mutual recognition
of guarantees of origin issued in the Union and compatible guarantees
of origin systems established in such third country, and only where
there is direct import or export of energy.
(1) A holder of a guarantee of origin may request the
Regulator to transfer the guarantee of origin by means of an
application in the form and manner required by the Regulator.
(2) An application for the transfer of a guarantee of origin shall
be accompanied by the applicable fee and shall be valid if it contains
the following
(a) the details of the guarantee of origin in terms of
which an application for transfer is being made; and
(b) the details of the existing holder of the guarantee of
origin and of the person in favour of whom the application for
transfer of the guarantee of origin is being made.
(3) When a valid transfer application of a guarantee of origin is
received, the Regulator shall amend the register referred to in
regulation 9 accordingly.
(1)
The Regulator shall revoke a guarantee of origin
where
(a)
the guarantee of origin is determined to be inaccurate;
(b) the information provided in accordance with
regulation 5 is found to be incorrect in a material particular; and,
or
(c)
the guarantee of origin should not have been issued,
or was issued to the wrong person.
(2) The Regulator shall notify the holder of the existing
guarantee of origin in writing of such revocation as soon as it is
reasonably practicable.
(3) A revoked guarantee of origin shall be deemed to have
never been issued and shall cease to have effect from the date of the
notice referred to in sub-regulation (2).
(1) The Regulator shall maintain a register, which may be Keeping of
registers.
in electronic format, which shall contain the following
(a) details of applications received for the issuing of the
guarantees of origin and also details of the guarantees of origin
issued by the Regulator, including the dates when such
guarantees of origin were issued;
(b) details of the holder of each guarantee of origin
including details of its transfers, if any;
(c) the energy sources from which the electricity or
energy is being produced and to which the guarantee of origin
relates;
(d) the place whereby the electricity or energy to which
the guarantee of origin relates were produced; and
(e) a list of those guarantees of origin which have been
revoked in accordance with regulation 8, including the date when
such guarantees of origin have been revoked.
(2) The Regulator shall allocate a unique reference number to
each guarantee of origin issued.
(3) The register shall be conclusive as to whether a guarantee
of origin exists and who the registered holder thereof is.
(1) Non-refundable fees listed in the Third Schedule, Application
shall be payable to the Regulator for the issuing, transfer or fees.
cancellation of a guarantee of origin.
(2) The Regulator shall not be required to process an
application for the issuing, transfer or cancellation of a guarantee of
origin unless the applicable fees which apply in this regard are paid.
(1)
Guarantees of origin shall serve to
Use and
cancellation of
guarantees of
(a)
demonstrate to final customers the share or quantity
origin.
of energy from renewable sources in an energy supplier’s energy
mix and in the energy supplied to consumers under contracts
marketed with reference to the consumption of energy from
renewable sources; and
(b) enable producers of electricity from high‐efficiency
cogeneration to demonstrate, upon request, that the electricity
sold is produced from high‐efficiency cogeneration
Provided that for the purpose of paragraph (a), a guarantee
of origin shall remain valid for transactions for twelve (12) months
after the production of the relevant energy unit.
(2) All guarantees of origin issued in accordance with these
regulations, for energy from renewable energy sources which have not
been cancelled, shall expire at the latest eighteen (18) months after the
production of the energy unit.
(3) The Regulator shall include expired guarantees of origin
for energy from renewable energy sources in the calculation of Malta’s
residual energy mix.
(4) Where an electricity supplier is required to demonstrate the
share or quantity of energy from renewable sources in its energy mix
for the purposes of item 5 of the First Schedule to the Electricity
Regulations, or where a gas supplier supplying gas from a hydrogen or
natural gas network, including gaseous renewable fuels of
non‐biological origin and biomethane, is required to demonstrate to
final consumers the share or quantity of energy from renewable
sources in its energy mix for the purposes of Annex I to Directive (EU)
2024/1788 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 June
2024 on common rules for the internal markets for renewable gas,
natural gas and hydrogen, amending Directive (EU) 2023/1791 and
repealing Directive 2009/73/EC, it shall do so by using guarantees of
origin, except
(a) as regards the share of its energy mix corresponding
to non-tracked commercial offers, if any, for which the supplier
may use the residual mix; or
(b) where no guarantee of origin is issued by the
Regulator as provided in regulation 12.
(5) In making their disclosures regarding their energy mix,
suppliers may also make use of guarantees of origin to demonstrate the
quantity of electricity produced from high-efficiency cogeneration.
(6)
Suppliers shall use the information contained in guarantees
of origin to demonstrate compliance with the requirements of any
Union-wide green label adopted with a view to promoting the use of
renewable energy coming from new installations.
(7) For the purposes of disclosure referred to in sub-regulations
(4) to (6), energy undertakings shall cancel guarantees of origin at the
latest six (6) months after the end of the validity of the guarantee of
origin.
(8) The Regulator shall ensure that the guarantees of origin that
are cancelled correspond to the relevant network characteristics when
a customer consumes gas from a hydrogen or natural gas network,
including gaseous renewable fuels of non-biological origin and
biomethane, as demonstrated in the commercial offer by the supplier.
(9) The Regulator shall ensure that the data on the residual
energy mix is published on an annual basis.
The Regulator shall not issue any guarantee of origin in Guarantees of
respect of renewable energy the production of which has received origin
energy from
financial support from a support scheme, where such support scheme renewable
energy sources
precludes the issuance of such guarantee of origin.
that receive
financial
support.
The Guarantees of Origin of Electricity from High- Repeal and
Efficiency Cogeneration and of Energy from Renewable Energy saving.
Sources Regulations are hereby repealed without prejudice to anything
done or omitted to be done thereunder.