Comparing THG offers for businesses: revenue model, commitment and payment

Compare a THG greenhouse-gas quota offer for businesses by the payment you can realistically expect, its timing, the contractual commitment and the work involved for your fleet. A high advertised premium alone does not answer these questions. Offers become economically comparable only when vehicle classes, quota year and conditions align.

For Procurement and Finance, THG marketing is a manageable but distinct procurement decision. This article explains how to assess vehicle-based THG offers in Germany, as of 24 September 2026. It contains neither a ranking nor a forecast of future quota prices.

Define an identical scope for quotations

Give every provider you approach the same basis: quota year, number and classes of vehicles, registered-keeper structure, previous mandates and desired process. Separate passenger cars and commercial vehicle classes in the enquiry. An offer based on a different fleet composition is not a reliable comparison.

Also clarify which company will be the contracting party and which companies will be represented with authorisation. The most financially attractive premium is of little use if the proposed contract structure does not match the registered keepers of the vehicles. The legal basis for vehicle-based crediting follows from Section 7 of Germany's 38th Federal Immission Control Ordinance (38. BImSchV).

Request an offer with a clear date and validity period. Retain the version of the terms that you reviewed. In later queries, it should be possible to establish which model was actually commissioned and which description was merely provisional website information.

Understand the revenue model before comparing prices

A fixed amount can provide planning certainty if the conditions under which it is owed are clear. A variable model links payment to sales proceeds or another defined calculation basis. Here, you also need to understand when marketing takes place, what deductions apply and what information you receive about it.

A faster payment model may appeal to Finance if it provides cash earlier. In return, a different amount or allocation of risk may be agreed. Labels such as “Express”, “Guarantee” or “Best Price” therefore do not replace a review of the contract text.

The German Environment Agency explains that it certifies quantities and does not itself pay a THG premium. A payment promise comes from the respective contracting partner. Check that partner's obligation and conditions rather than interpreting a product name as a government payment guarantee.

Have the start of the payment period described precisely

A statement such as “payment within a few days” is comparable only once the triggering event is clear. Does the period begin with the enquiry, receipt of all documents, successful verification or only official certification? Does it mean calendar days or working days? What happens if questions arise?

Also ask about payment when only part of the fleet's documentation is complete. Is an already verified subset paid, or does the whole fleet wait for the last unclear registration document? This can make a noticeable difference with many companies or vehicle changes.

For the monthly close, it helps if the provider reports status by vehicle or clearly defined group. A total amount without traceable allocation makes checking harder. Include this transparency as a requirement in the enquiry, whether it is provided through a portal or other agreed documentation.

Compare deductions and commitments systematically

Since 17 April 2026, newly submitted applications to the German Environment Agency (UBA) have been subject to fees; the official implementation information specifies a fee range based on administrative effort. Clarify in the provider's offer who bears these costs. Do not enter the authority's fee as a fixed amount per vehicle in your comparison without a basis.

Also check whether a bonus applies only to new customers, a limited number of vehicles or several committed years. Allocate a multi-year amount across the years and conditions actually covered. Otherwise, an offer may appear higher even though it includes additional obligations.

Calculate liquidity effects with explicit assumptions

Hypothetical offer comparison, not market prices or StromNow terms: For 40 eligible vehicles of the same type, Model A offers €180 per vehicle with early payment. Model B offers €200 per vehicle four months later. All other conditions and deductions are assumed equal for this example. The figures are payment amounts only, without a separate VAT assessment.

Model A produces €7,200 and Model B €8,000. The additional amount for waiting is €800. At an expressly assumed simple annual financing rate of six percent, financing €7,200 for four months costs €144 mathematically. This assumption alone therefore does not explain giving up the additional €800.

Other factors can still change the decision: contractual conditions, default risk, processing effort or differences in certainty of the amount. The example therefore does not replace an offer review. It merely shows how Finance can quantify a timing advantage instead of automatically equating “faster” with “more economical”.

Plan a provider switch before commissioning

Check whether a mandate already exists or a notification has been made for the current year. Appointing a second provider does not resolve an existing conflict. Under Section 7 of the 38. BImSchV, the annual vehicle-based quantity can be credited only once.

Align the provider's deadline with the internal document schedule. Section 8 of the 38. BImSchV sets 15 November of the relevant year as the deadline for vehicle-based notification. A provider may set an earlier intake deadline for its checks. Have the provider confirm not only the premium but also the process that can still realistically be completed.

Make the decision jointly with Procurement and Finance

Start with exclusion criteria: appropriate entitlement, a clear contractual scope, traceable payment and manageable documentation. Only suitable offers should be compared economically. Document the reason for the decision so that a later switch or contract renewal can build on it.

Keep THG revenue separate from energy and administration costs in controlling. The article EV fleet charging costs: from receipts to a consolidated invoice helps structure the charging-cost side. An additional premium should not conceal inefficient charging patterns.

StromNow offers a THG service for company fleets and presents Express and Guarantee options. The specific premium, availability and payment terms are confirmed in the individual offer. Request a comparable THG offer and state your vehicle classes, number of vehicles, quota year and desired payment date.