Charging credits for electric trucks: what does depot charging earn in Europe?

By Maarten Alta · 18 October 2026

Fuel suppliers in Europe must cut the carbon intensity of the fuel they sell. Several countries let them meet part of that obligation by buying credits from companies that charge electric vehicles. For a carrier, that can turn charging into a source of income. But the rules differ a lot: in the Netherlands depot charging earns per kWh, in Germany per vehicle, and in France and the UK, depot charging earns nothing yet.

At a glance

Country	Scheme	Depot charging of trucks	How it is calculated	Indicative value
Netherlands	ERE (emission reduction units)	yes	per kWh, measured by the charger	about € 0.12 per kWh net for grid power; about twice that for own solar
Germany	THG-Quote (GHG quota)	yes	flat amount per vehicle, based on a fixed annual estimate	up to about € 5,300 per heavy truck per year (broker offers 2026)
France	TIRUERT, from 2027 IRICC	not yet; public charging points only	per kWh	about € 0.08 per kWh, expected to fall
United Kingdom	RTFO	no	electricity not included	–

The Netherlands: ERE per kWh

Since 2026, companies in the Netherlands earn emission reduction units (ERE) for every kWh charged into electric vehicles at their own premises, measured by a certified meter in the charger. Grid electricity counts for its renewable share, about half. Own solar power with a production meter and guarantees of origin counts in full.

At an ERE price of about € 0.46, grid electricity earns roughly € 0.15 per kWh before costs, and about € 0.12 after commission and audit. Read the details in Dutch ERE credits in 2026.

Germany: a flat amount per truck

Germany's GHG quota (THG-Quote) also rewards electric vehicles. For vehicles charged at a non-public depot, the amount is not based on measured kWh but on a fixed annual estimate per vehicle class: 33.4 MWh for a heavy truck (N3) and 20.6 MWh for a medium truck (N2). Brokers buy these quotas; for 2026 they offer up to about € 5,300 per heavy truck. Only publicly accessible charging points registered with the federal network agency can claim measured kWh.

A heavy electric truck often uses far more than 33.4 MWh a year, so the flat amount works out lower per kWh than in the Netherlands for intensive use. On the other hand, it requires no metering or audit.

In April 2026, the Bundestag raised the quota trajectory to 65% by 2040. A stricter quota usually supports the price of credits.

France: public charging only, for now

France's TIRUERT scheme includes electricity, but only from public charging points. The operator of the charging network receives the certificates and sells them to fuel distributors. Certificates are currently worth about € 0.08 per kWh. Certificate brokers say private depots will follow, but that is not yet the case.

From 2027, TIRUERT is replaced by a new scheme, IRICC. Industry groups warn that the value of electricity certificates could fall to € 0.02–0.04 per kWh, because the multiplier that helps electricity compete with biofuels is set to disappear.

United Kingdom: not included

The UK's Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) does not include electricity for road vehicles. In its 2025 review, the government said any change would be "highly complex" and that it keeps all options under review. There is no timeline.

What this means for your business case

In the Netherlands, ERE noticeably lowers the charging price per kWh, especially with own solar power.
In Germany, count on a fixed amount per truck per year, whatever you charge.
In France and the UK, do not count on charging credits for depot charging in your business case yet.

The Energy Scan includes the Dutch ERE revenue in detail, per depot: how much power goes into the vehicles from the grid, directly from solar or via a battery, and what your charging price per kWh becomes after ERE.

Indicative. Rules, prices and fees change; check the conditions with a broker or registering agent in your country.