​Faced with the urgency of climate change and the EU's decarbonisation targets, public authorities and businesses are increasingly being called upon to rethink their purchasing strategies in order to support the energy transition. Purchasing is becoming a strategic lever for guiding investment, securing supply and contributing to the objectives of carbon neutrality.

Why a specific purchasing strategy for renewable energies?

Energy markets are undergoing profound change, with price instability, new sources of supply, regulatory pressure and a growing number of players. In this context, renewable energies (green electricity, biogas, hydrogen, etc.) are no longer just an environmental choice, but a long-term strategic decision.

Buyers now need to include :

• Energy traceability (via guarantees of origin),
• Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) or collective self-consumption models,
• Lifecycle analysis and environmental performance criteria,
• The resilience of installations (e.g. by combining local production and storage),
• And the risks associated with energy dependency.

What are the practical approaches for public and semi-public purchasers?

Even before launching a public contract or procurement procedure, it is essential to structure long-term requirements. This means anticipating the volumes of energy required, the intended uses, the duration of the contracts envisaged, as well as any technical constraints linked to existing infrastructures or the capacity to integrate new energy sources. This preparatory phase helps to avoid making hasty choices that are ill-suited to changing needs.

It is also essential to include robust and relevant environmental criteria in the analysis of tenders. The proportion of renewable energy, the CO₂ balance or even the sustainability of the installations proposed must be subject to concrete and measurable control. These criteria, properly formulated, enable offers to be differentiated on the basis of their real environmental value, rather than purely declarative commitments.

Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and other contracts linked to local production require rigorous legal and financial security. This type of arrangement, which is particularly strategic, requires a thorough understanding of the rules governing direct purchases, self-generation and purchasing groups. In the context of public procurement, this implies increased vigilance to ensure compliance with competition rules and the principles of transparency.

Finally, promoting local or circular projects is a major opportunity for public and semi-public purchasers. The inclusion of local suppliers or participation in local energy loops not only helps to strengthen local energy resilience, but also supports the local economy. This ambition requires careful thought from the outset, when drawing up the specifications, to enable candidates offering sustainable solutions to respond effectively.

Conclusion: Purchasing strategies in line with climate ambitions

The integration of renewable energies into purchasing strategies should not be seen as an additional constraint, but as an opportunity for innovation, value creation and strategic coherence. It also sends a strong signal to internal and external stakeholders. Purchasers now have a central role to play in achieving climate objectives - and they have concrete levers at their disposal that can be mobilised today.

Sources

• European Commission - Clean Energy for All Europeans package
• International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) - Public Procurement and Renewable Energy
• World Economic Forum - Power Purchase Agreements: A Guide for Corporate Buyers
• OECD - Green Public Procurement: An Overview
• European Court of Auditors - EU support for energy from renewable sources (Special Report No. 5/2021)