These days more and more people are thinking about going green when they buy their energy. But with a number of different ‘green tariffs’ currently on the market it can be difficult choosing the one that’s right for you.
And what do energy suppliers mean by ‘green’ anyway? For some suppliers it might mean that they supply you with renewable electricity, others invest in building wind turbines, or in projects to offset household carbon emissions. Surprisingly it could also mean that part – or even all – of your electricity may actually come from non-renewable sources.
That’s why Consumer Focus has produced a guide to all the green tariffs currently available. The guide does not evaluate a tariff’s ‘greenness’ rather it categorises and gives background information about each tariff to help you make a choice.
On 9th February 2010 the Green Energy Supply Certification Scheme was launched. This is an independent scheme that verifies the claims made by energy suppliers against their green energy tariffs.
If you want to switch to a ‘green’ product there are a number of different tariffs currently offered by suppliers, which Consumer Focus has categorised as follows:
Current Green Tariffs Offered by Suppliers |
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Supplier and Tariff Name |
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| British Gas Future Energy Plus |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
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✓ |
| British Gas Future Energy |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
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| EBICo EQUICLIMATE |
✓ | ||||
| Ecotricity New Energy |
✓ |
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✓ |
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| Ecotricity New Energy Plus |
✓ |
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✓ |
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| EDF Energy Climate Balance |
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✓ |
| EDF Energy Green Tariff |
✓ |
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✓ |
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| E.ON Go Green |
✓ |
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✓ |
| Good Energy |
✓ |
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| Green Energy UK Pale Green |
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| Green Energy UK Deep Green |
✓ |
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| LoCO2 Energy Planet |
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| LoCO2 Energy Pocket Plus |
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| npower Juice |
✓ |
✓ |
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✓ |
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| npower National Trust Green Energy |
✓ |
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✓ |
✓ |
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| OVO Energy Green Energy |
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| Scottish and Southern Energy better plan plus |
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✓ |
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| Scottish and Southern Energy RSPB Energy |
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✓ |
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✓ |
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| Scottish and Southern Energy M&S Energy |
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✓ |
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| ScottishPower Green Energy Fund |
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✓ |
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| ScottishPower Simply Green Energy |
✓ |
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| The description of each supplier’s tariff(s) has more background details about how their products operate as well as information about any audit mechanisms used. | |||||
- For every unit of electricity you use, a supplier guarantees to buy a percentage of electricity (from 10 per cent to 100 per cent) from a renewable generator which uses wind, small hydro-electric, biomass, tidal and wave power, geothermal and/or solar
- These tariffs should be backed by Renewable Electricity Guarantee of Origin (REGOs) certificates
- This type of electricity generation qualifies for Renewables Obligation Certificates (ROCs) and Levy Exemption Certificates (LECs)
- Depending on the supplier, you may pay more than under a standard tariff
- For every unit of electricity you use, a supplier guarantees to buy electricity sourced from hydro-electric generation plants (larger than 20 megawatts and built before 1 April 2002).
- These tariffs should be backed by Renewable Electricity Guarantee of Origin (REGOs)
- While the electricity is from a renewable source, this type of generation does not qualify for Renewables Obligation Certificates (ROCs) or Levy Exemption Certificates (LECs)
- These tariffs are designed to support the construction of new renewable generation sources such as wind farms, solar power, etc.
- The energy you use may be from non-renewable sources.
- Depending on the supplier, you may pay more than under a standard tariff.
- Some suppliers offer these tariffs to their dual fuel customers.
Green fund (other environmental)
- These tariffs are designed to support environmental causes or new research and development projects
- The energy you use may be from non-renewable sources
- Depending on the supplier, you may pay more than under a standard tariff
- Some suppliers offer these tariffs to their dual fuel customers
- This tariff is intended to help reduce or ‘offset’ the impact of your home’s annual carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions
- The supplier makes a donation to a carbon reduction project in the UK or abroad
- The energy you use may be from non-renewable sources
- Depending on the supplier, you may pay more than under a standard tariff
- Some suppliers offer these tariffs to their dual fuel customers