U.S. Big Tech Companies Join CEBA
Joint Establishment of CFE Initiative Certification Standards
"Companies May Choose Between CFE and RE100"
On the 6th (local time), at the 'CEBA Connect 2025' event held in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, CF Union and CEBA officials took a commemorative photo after signing a bilateral cooperation memorandum of understanding (MOU) on the CFE initiative. From the left, the third person is Rich Powell, CEO of CEBA, and the fourth is Lee Hoeseong, Chairman of CF Union. Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy
The Clean Energy Buyers Association (CEBA), the largest coalition of clean energy demand companies in the United States, has officially announced its participation in the 'CFE (Carbon-Free Energy) Initiative' led by South Korea. CEBA is the largest coalition of clean energy demand companies in the United States, with over 400 member companies, including global big tech firms such as Apple, Microsoft (MS), Amazon, and Google.
Given that major U.S. big tech companies like Apple have previously pressured their domestic parts suppliers to comply with RE100, CEBA's support for the CFE Initiative is seen as highly significant. The CFE Initiative, which encompasses not only renewable energy but also carbon-free energy sources such as nuclear and hydrogen, is a broader concept than 'RE100' (Renewable Energy 100).
According to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, CF Union (Chairman Lee Hoeseong) and CEBA held a signing ceremony for a 'bilateral cooperation memorandum of understanding (MOU) on the CFE Initiative' at 1 p.m. on May 6 (local time) in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. This agreement was made on the occasion of Lee Hoeseong, Chairman of CF Union and former Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), being invited to attend the 'CEBA Connect 2025' event.
CEBA was originally established as the Renewable Energy Buyers Association (REBA), with the goal of expanding corporate purchases of renewable energy. However, in November 2021, it changed its name to the Clean Energy Buyers Association (CEBA), broadening its scope to include various forms of 'clean energy' such as nuclear and hydrogen in addition to renewables. It also presented a vision of 'decarbonizing 90% of the U.S. power grid by 2040.'
Through this agreement, CEBA will represent the U.S. private sector as a participant in the 'CFE Global Task Force' and will work together to establish global CFE certification standards, including the definition and scope of carbon-free energy, as well as performance verification and certification measures.
As a result, the global task force has expanded to a total of seven participants, now including CEBA (U.S.) in addition to South Korea, Japan, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Czech Republic, the International Energy Agency (IEA), and the Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM). Through this agreement, the two organizations have agreed to closely cooperate in various fields to promote the spread of carbon-free energy, including holding annual joint international conferences and exchanging technical and policy information.
Lee Hoeseong stated, "With CEBA, which includes U.S. big tech companies such as Apple, MS, and Google that have previously demanded RE100 compliance from our companies, now supporting and participating in the CFE Initiative, a major turning point has been achieved for strengthening and expanding the international standing of the CFE Initiative."
In the future, if companies are certified based on the global standards established by the CFE Initiative, it is expected that they will not need to obtain separate RE100 certification. Lee Hoeseong predicted, "If companies' efforts to implement the CFE Initiative are recognized by global big tech clients, our companies will be able to selectively utilize either the CFE Initiative or RE100."
Meanwhile, the CFE Initiative has so far received support from 13 major countries, organizations, and institutions, including Japan, the United Kingdom, France, and the IEA. In October last year, a CFE Global Task Force was launched and has been operating, with public and private experts from five major countries and international organizations participating.
The 'CFE Initiative' is considered more inclusive, cost-effective, and technologically neutral than other initiatives such as RE100, and is therefore receiving support from both domestic and international companies. It is also regarded as business-friendly, as it recognizes reduction achievements in production processes (Scope 1) and is designed to be scalable to developing countries.
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