24/7 Carbon-Free Energy: The Next Step to Net Zero
At the Singapore Electricity Roundtable 2025, Edouard Lavillonniere, Managing Director of EDF Lab Asia Pacific, said it is time to rethink how we go green. Speaking on the future of 24/7 carbon-free energy, he explained why current methods are not enough and how new approaches could bring us closer to real decarbonisation.
Why today’s methods fall short
Many companies today use renewable energy certificates (RECs) or sign long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) to show they are reducing emissions. But Mr Lavillonniere warned these tools can be misleading.
RECs, for example, do not track when or where renewable power is produced. A company could buy certificates from another country at a different time of day, and still say it is “green” — even if it is using fossil fuel electricity at that moment.
PPAs also have limits. When solar or wind generation dips, companies still draw power from the grid, which often comes from fossil fuels. “There is a risk of greenwashing when these methods don’t reflect actual consumption patterns,” he said.
The REC conundrum
As an example, Mr Lavillonniere shared how buying RECs on his local utilities app platform to offset his electricity use ended up raising more questions than answers. Does it matter if he bought his RECs from neighbouring Vietnam, which is considerably cheaper than the one from Singapore? How does he account for his night-time use of electricity if the renewable energy he uses is solar-generated?
That uncertainty, he said, highlights the gap between what RECs claim and what they deliver. Companies can appear “green” on paper, while still consuming fossil-fuel electricity in practice.
It is a problem the media has begun to expose. Mr Lavillonniere pointed to a recent article in the media, which suggested data centre emissions may be more than six times higher than the numbers reported by big tech firms. “Hence, many tech companies such as Google and Microsoft are looking for better ways to meet net zero goals,” he explained.
24/7 carbon-free energy
A better solution, Mr Lavillonniere argued, is 24/7 carbon-free energy (CFE). This means making sure every hour of electricity used is matched with clean energy generation. “We need to make sure the power we use at night is just as clean as the solar we use during the day,” he said.
Tech giants like Google and Microsoft have already embraced this approach, seeing it as the only credible way to decarbonise operations that run around the clock. They are part of a global corporate renewable energy initiative called RE100 which brings together hundreds of large businesses committed to 100% renewable electricity.
The 24/7 clean PPAs that they advocate is a significant step-up from current PPAs, which are often coupled with reserve fossil fuel generation to fill the gap when the wind doesn’t blow or the sun doesn’t shine.
Opportunities and challenges ahead
Mr Lavillonniere sees particular potential in ASEAN, where 24/7 CFE could accelerate investment in batteries and grid infrastructure while attracting global companies eager to power operations with truly carbon-free electricity.
Yet challenges remain. Regulatory frameworks are still evolving, demand from off-takers is uncertain, and the cost of achieving full hourly matching can be high.
“If ASEAN can connect its grids and align its policies, it could leapfrog ahead,” he said. “For tech companies and manufacturers, being able to say your electricity is carbon-free every hour of the year is a game changer.”
Many companies today use renewable energy certificates (RECs) or sign long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) to show they are reducing emissions. But Mr Lavillonniere warned these tools can be misleading.
RECs, for example, do not track when or where renewable power is produced. A company could buy certificates from another country at a different time of day, and still say it is “green” — even if it is using fossil fuel electricity at that moment.
PPAs also have limits. When solar or wind generation dips, companies still draw power from the grid, which often comes from fossil fuels. “There is a risk of greenwashing when these methods don’t reflect actual consumption patterns,” he said.
The REC conundrum
As an example, Mr Lavillonniere shared how buying RECs on his local utilities app platform to offset his electricity use ended up raising more questions than answers. Does it matter if he bought his RECs from neighbouring Vietnam, which is considerably cheaper than the one from Singapore? How does he account for his night-time use of electricity if the renewable energy he uses is solar-generated?
That uncertainty, he said, highlights the gap between what RECs claim and what they deliver. Companies can appear “green” on paper, while still consuming fossil-fuel electricity in practice.
It is a problem the media has begun to expose. Mr Lavillonniere pointed to a recent article in the media, which suggested data centre emissions may be more than six times higher than the numbers reported by big tech firms. “Hence, many tech companies such as Google and Microsoft are looking for better ways to meet net zero goals,” he explained.
24/7 carbon-free energy
A better solution, Mr Lavillonniere argued, is 24/7 carbon-free energy (CFE). This means making sure every hour of electricity used is matched with clean energy generation. “We need to make sure the power we use at night is just as clean as the solar we use during the day,” he said.
Tech giants like Google and Microsoft have already embraced this approach, seeing it as the only credible way to decarbonise operations that run around the clock. They are part of a global corporate renewable energy initiative called RE100 which brings together hundreds of large businesses committed to 100% renewable electricity.
The 24/7 clean PPAs that they advocate is a significant step-up from current PPAs, which are often coupled with reserve fossil fuel generation to fill the gap when the wind doesn’t blow or the sun doesn’t shine.
Opportunities and challenges ahead
Mr Lavillonniere sees particular potential in ASEAN, where 24/7 CFE could accelerate investment in batteries and grid infrastructure while attracting global companies eager to power operations with truly carbon-free electricity.
Yet challenges remain. Regulatory frameworks are still evolving, demand from off-takers is uncertain, and the cost of achieving full hourly matching can be high.
“If ASEAN can connect its grids and align its policies, it could leapfrog ahead,” he said. “For tech companies and manufacturers, being able to say your electricity is carbon-free every hour of the year is a game changer.”
