In this conversation with Luca Pedretti from Pexapark, our CEO and Co-founder JP Cerda talks through what’s changing in energy procurement, and what still needs fixing. They cover the shift from annual certificates to real-time tracking, why local matching matters, and how AI is already shaping smarter, more flexible procurement strategies. There’s also a refreshingly honest take on where the real blockers are — from market complexity to regulation and the limits of today’s certificates.

If you want a clearer view of where 24/7 clean energy is heading, read the transcript below — or listen to the episode on Pexapark's website or on Spotify.

JP's background & entrepreneurial journey

Luca Pedretti: JP, you're a serial entrepreneur. Tell us more about where your passion for renewables began.

JP Cerda: Absolutely. I love energy. Renewable energy is my passion. The more problems I can solve, and the more companies I can convince to move to renewables, the happier I am.

Luca: You first started with Zeigo. For our listeners, what was Zeigo back then?

JP: Zeigo was a climate tech platform that simplified the procurement of PPAs — Power Purchase Agreements — making it more transparent and digital. When I started looking at PPAs over 13 years ago, they weren’t exactly mainstream. The idea behind Zeigo was to simplify complexity, making it easier for more companies to adopt PPAs and drive renewables forward.

"When I started looking at PPAs over 13 years ago, they weren’t exactly mainstream."‍

Luca: And Zeigo was acquired, right?

JP: Yes, Zeigo was acquired a bit over three years ago by Schneider Electric, which really validated the need for smarter, tech-driven energy solutions in the market.

Luca: What led you to start Renewabl? What gap in the market are you now addressing?

JP: After Zeigo, I saw an even bigger challenge. Large companies wanted to buy renewable energy, but they needed more than just access. They needed certainty, traceability, and real-time alignment with energy use. Most corporates still buy renewables on a yearly basis, which allows them to claim 100% renewable energy use. But in reality, they might still be using fossil fuels when the sun isn’t shining or the wind isn’t blowing. Renewabl gives buyers and sellers a way to trade renewable energy on an hourly basis, aligning with 24/7 carbon-free energy goals.

Inside the Renewabl platform

Luca: So with Zeigo you focused on classical PPA procurement, and now with Renewabl it's about hourly matched procurement?

JP: Exactly. We still support things like annual Guarantees of Origin, but now we’re pushing companies to understand how they use energy hour by hour. What’s their baseline CFE score? How much of their consumption is actually being met by carbon-free electricity in real time? And how can they buy more local energy that matches their hourly profile?

"We're allowing corporates to buy more local energy that matches their hourly profile."

Luca: You mentioned CFE score. Can you explain what that is?

JP: Sure. The CFE score stands for Carbon-Free Energy score. It measures the percentage of a company’s electricity consumption that is matched with carbon-free energy on an hourly basis. So it goes beyond traditional annual matching and shows how often you’re truly running on clean energy. A 100% score means you’re never relying on fossil fuels — even during nights or cloudy days. A lower score indicates reliance on fossil-based electricity during certain hours.

"A 100% CFE score means you’re never relying on fossil fuels — even during nights or cloudy days."

Luca: So what exactly does Renewabl do, in detail?

JP: Think of Renewabl as a climate tech platform that connects companies needing clean energy with suppliers that can provide it on an hourly basis. We offer tools like CFE score analysis to track clean energy use, and we run tenders for hourly-matched PPAs and energy attribute certificates from real, local generation assets. We also manage contracts in a streamlined way, without the typical complexity of energy markets.

Luca: Let’s say I’m a corporate and I sign up with Renewabl. What happens first?

JP: We have two products. First is Renewabl Track, which helps companies understand their baseline CFE score. We analyse all existing contracts, PPAs, certificates, and the local grid mix to create a detailed hourly score. Once they understand their profile, they can move to Renewabl Trade. That’s where they can actually run tenders and buy hourly-matched PPAs and certificates. We work with a network of about 120 sellers and generators.

Luca: So as a company, all I need is my meter data and existing contracts?

JP: Exactly. Once we have that, and you know your CFE score — say it’s 25% — you can start trading. We support both spatial and temporal matching. That means we look at generation assets around you — solar, wind, hydro — and tender projects that best fit your consumption pattern. For example, an office with peak activity during daylight hours might go for solar, while a 24/7 operation might benefit from a wind or hydro mix. Our algorithm handles that matching.

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Luca: Is the matching visible to the client?

JP: Yes, it's fully transparent. Once we know a company’s monthly energy consumption and delivery from PPAs or certificates, we match that on a month-minus-one or month-minus-two basis. We allocate certificates hour by hour and report back which hours were covered by which generation sources. Even though current certificates are issued per megawatt-hour and not hourly, we work to align them as closely as possible.

The seller perspective and asset challenges

Luca: On the seller side, are these typically new builds or existing assets?

JP: Right now it’s a mix. Some small-scale solar in markets like the UK is ideal for hourly matching, but doesn’t always have the tech to allocate hourly output. So we often combine generation profiles. Reaching 100% hourly match is tough, and only a few companies are striving for that. Most are just starting to understand their current CFE score and want to improve from there.

"We allocate certificates hour by hour and report back which hours were covered by which generation sources."

Luca: What about green tariffs? Is there an issue there?

JP: Yes. A lot of companies buy green tariffs, which is great, but often the certificates don’t actually get transferred to the buyer’s certificate account. And going forward, you’ll need that certificate in your account to make a claim.

Luca: Let’s talk pricing. Can you procure for off-peak or nighttime hours? Do those offers exist?

JP: Yes, and it’s a growing area. We had a workshop with sellers around pricing. The idea is that daytime certificates, when solar is abundant, should be cheaper than nighttime ones. Sellers agree in theory. Hourly dynamic pricing is complex, though. So we’re starting with peak and off-peak pricing — something companies already understand. From our early analysis, green premiums could fluctuate between 4% and 20%, depending on supply and demand, particularly solar.

Luca: What are the main technical challenges you’re facing?

JP: Issuing bodies are still a challenge. Most systems are built to issue certificates per megawatt-hour, not per hour. We’re asking regulators like OFGEM to timestamp certificates hourly. It’s a lot of data. We think AI and blockchain will be key — helping forecast, automate, and validate the issuance of hourly certificates.

"We think AI and blockchain will be key — helping forecast, automate, and validate the issuance of hourly certificates."

Emerging standards and regulations

‍Luca: Is there an industry alternative emerging beyond regulators?

JP: Yes, organisations like EnergyTag are doing great work. Right now there’s no official 24/7 certification body. So having a standardised approach from the industry is essential. EnergyTag is helping define how certificates should be issued and counted.

Luca: And on the regulation side?

JP: No EU-wide regulation yet, but strong momentum. RED III encourages hourly matching. The Green Claims Directive will require companies to prove their energy claims. CSRD affects about 50,000 companies in Europe, and updates to the GHG Protocol could mandate more granular Scope 2 reporting. So while hourly matching is still voluntary, that’s going to change fast.

Luca: So what’s next for hourly matching?

JP: AI will play a huge role — especially for forecasting and automating procurement. The vision is that companies won’t need to run tenders manually. A dynamic system will be able to match their load and purchase energy in real time. For us at Renewabl, automating clean energy procurement is a top priority.

Luca: That was incredibly insightful. JP, best of luck with everything at Renewabl. It’s a great initiative to bring the PPA market a big step forward.

JP Cerda: Thank you so much for having me!

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