Fossil-free

Fossil-free is a broader category than "renewable": it includes both renewables (wind, hydro, solar, biomass) and nuclear power. Both have near-zero CO2 emissions in use but differ in raw materials and waste concerns.

In electricity contracts, "fossil-free" is a claim verified with a certificate of origin — the company has bought a matching volume of certificates from producers whose plants use non-fossil sources. Fossil-free contracts in the comparison include Nordic Green Energy Pörssisähkö (verified nuclear), Hehku Hiilivapaa Pörssi (nuclear + renewable), Vihreä Älyenergia products and Aalto Huoleton.

The EmpCo Directive (from 27 Sept 2026) prohibits generic environmental claims without evidence. "Fossil-free" is however allowed when verified with a certificate of origin — it is a factual statement about the production form.

Fossil-free vs renewable — what's the difference?

Renewable energy is a subcategory of fossil-free. Fossil-free = electricity does not come from coal, oil, natural gas or peat. This covers two groups: 1) renewables (wind, hydro, solar, biomass) and 2) nuclear power.

Nuclear's position is special: it is fossil-free (no coal, oil or gas burning) and essentially zero-emission in use, but not "renewable" because uranium is a mined raw material. EU taxonomy classified nuclear as "sustainable" in 2022 — in the certificate-of-origin system it is treated as fossil-free.

Fossil-free electricity contracts in Finland

Fossil-free contracts in the Verrokit comparison include e.g.:

Nordic Green Energy Pörssisähkö — origin-verified fossil-free nuclear

Nordic Green Energy Uusiutuva pörssisähkö — origin-verified renewable (wind + hydro)

Hehku Hiilivapaa Pörssi + 12 mo + 24 mo — nuclear + renewables

Aalto Huoleton — 100 % renewable (wind + solar + hydro)

Vihreä Älyenergia contracts — 100 % fossil-free by default

Vattenfall Ilmasto Mix 24 kk — fossil-free (hydro + wind + nuclear)

The price premium versus standard products is typically 0–0.5 c/kWh — sometimes fossil-free is even cheaper than a "regular" contract.

Fossil-free and the EmpCo Directive

EU Directive 2024/825 (EmpCo), effective 27 Sept 2026, regulates environmental claims in marketing. "Fossil-free" is a permitted term when verified with a certificate of origin — it is a factual statement about production.

Generic claims such as "environmentally friendly", "green energy" and "climate friendly" without verification became prohibited. "Carbon neutral" is prohibited if it concerns the overall product without verification. Read all EmpCo corrections on the retailer pages.