What you should know about buying Green Energy

If you don’t wish to generate your own green energy or do not have the space or can’t afford the initial set up costs then the best and easiest way of contributing to preserving the environment is to switch to a green electricity supplier.

Green Tariffs

By using a Green Energy provider some, or all of the electricity you buy is matched with a purchase of green energy from renewable sources. This additional green electricity is added to the grid so you are, in effect, investing in extra green energy generation. This is known as a Green Tariff.  If you switch to a Green Tariff today then you will still be using the same mix of traditional and renewable sourced electricity, but your provider will be adding into the grid units of electricity generated from renewable sources for the units you use.

The Renewals Obligation

The Renewals Obligation (RO) set out by the UK Government requires electricity suppliers to offer an increasingly higher proportion of electricity sourced from renewable power – so most energy suppliers do offer ‘Green Electricity tariffs’

In some cases the provider will also contribute to a fund that will be used to support new renewable energy developments.

How do you decide which Green Energy Supplier
to switch to?

The first thing to do is to compare the cost of switching your electricity supply to a green energy provider, by checking out independent price-comparison websites such as this one. UKGreenPower gives you details about what each Green Energy supplier is doing along with the price of supply for your particular requirements.

Secondly, look for a green energy provider that is part of the Green Energy Supply Certification Scheme.

The Green Energy Supply Certificate

The Green Energy Supply Certificate is awarded to energy companies who voluntarily meet the Green Energy Supply Guidelines set out by OFGEM, the electricity and gas market regulator.

The guidelines are quite stringent and a Green Energy Supply Certificate is a good indicator that the provider is committed to making real carbon savings

UKGreenPower’s price comparison shows you, which providers hold a Green Energy Supply Certificate, so look out for the logo.

Click here to visit the Energy Saving Trust’s Green Energy Information

Click here to view the National Archive Renewable Sources Information

Click here to view the Green Energy Supply Certificate Scheme