How to obtain MITECO CAEs: steps, requirements, and key benefits

Learn how to obtain MITECO CAEs, calculate your carbon footprint, and access energy subsidies. Optimize your efficiency and improve your company's environmental quality.

Energy Saving Certificates (CAEs) are key tools promoted by MITECO to promote energy efficiency and move towards a more sustainable business model. In regions such as the Community of Madrid, CAEs make it possible to certify the actual energy savings of a specific action, facilitating compliance with obligations to the National Energy Efficiency Fund.

Thanks to their integration into CAE regulations, companies can generate, acquire, and register these certificates within a traceable, regulated system that is aligned with the objectives of environmental quality, climate change, and carbon footprint.

What is a CAE and what is its function?

The CAES energy saving certificate certifies a quantifiable reduction in energy consumption, measured in kilowatt hours (kWh). Each CAE is equivalent to 1 kWh saved permanently over a year. This mechanism converts energy savings into a strategic asset that allows you to:

- Optimize operational resources

- Access MITECO grants and subsidies

- Comply with current legislation

- Promote business sustainability

In addition, CAEs are aligned with the MITECO carbon footprint guide, allowing companies to integrate their efficiency actions into a broader climate strategy.

Key players in the MITECO CAE system

The system is regulated by the Ministry for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge (MITECO), and several key players are involved:

Obligated companies

These are companies that must meet energy saving targets set by the National Energy Efficiency Obligations System (SNOEE).

Delegated entities

They manage projects or acquire CAEs on behalf of third parties, facilitating regulatory compliance.

Accredited verifiers

They certify that the energy savings are real, verifiable, and persistent, according to the technical criteria defined in the MITECO CAES files.

MITECO

It administers the system, validates the documentation, and issues the final certificate, ensuring the traceability and transparency of the process.

How is a CAE calculated?

The CAE calculation follows a methodology standardized by MITECO, which includes:

1. Identification and execution of the energy efficiency project (e.g., equipment renovation, process improvement).

2. Application of approved methodologies such as those of the FNEE.

3. Verification of savings through technical documentation.

4. Generation of CAES files according to the certified volume.

To facilitate this process, MITECO offers tools such as the MITECO carbon footprint calculator, which allows you to estimate the impact of each action. You can also calculate your MITECO carbon footprint and make the official registration in the corresponding registry.

Acquiring CAEs on the market: a viable alternative

If a company cannot generate its own energy savings, it has the option of purchasing CAEs certified for energy savings from third parties that have surpluses. These transactions are officially recorded in the MITECO system, which allows:

- Compliance with regulations without implementing internal measures

- Participation in a regulated certificate market

- Integration into the national environmental quality and assessment strategy MITECO

This approach is particularly useful for companies seeking quick results without compromising their operations.

Basic requirements for obtaining CAEs

To access the CAE system, the following requirements must be met:

- The savings must be additional, verifiable, and persistent

- Compliance with MITECO CAE technical guidelines

- Validation by accredited verifiers

- Documentation supported by a detailed technical report

These criteria ensure that CAEs effectively contribute to improving air quality, reducing emissions, and complying with MITECO 2024 emission factors.

Industrial and business CAEs: impact on sustainability

Industrial CAEs and business CAEs have become a key factor in complying with current energy legislation, accessing MITECO grants and subsidies, and strengthening competitiveness. In the Community of Madrid and at the national level, understanding how the system works allows organizations to integrate into a more efficient growth model that is aligned with European climate objectives.

Integrate CAEs into your energy strategy

MITECO CAEs are not just certificates: they are an opportunity to transform your company, reduce your carbon footprint, improve environmental quality, and access public incentives. With tools such as the Miteco calculator and CAE fact sheets