What’s your electricity? Green, Brown or Muddy?
In the murky world of green electricity tariffs many claims are not what they appear to be. Most of the green tariffs are actually brown energy, from traditional sources like coal fired power stations, with a little renewable energy included. “It’s like ordering diet Coke with your Big Mac and fries, and calling it a diet meal,” says Nick Grogan, founder of Fife based brokers, Energy Solutions. “As part of their Renewables Obligation, electricity suppliers have to buy a set amount of their energy from renewable sources or else pay a fine. The renewable energy sold under most Green tariffs is part of the minimum they’re obliged to supply, so signing up with them doesn’t encourage new Green projects.”
But what about the new Green energy suppliers, how green are they? There are 3 key players, one of which does actually offer 100% green electricity, another which calls itself “Green” but supplies more than three quarters of its electricity from non renewable sources, and one which promises to invest less than half its profits in projects which may generate green power in the future, whilst still supplying mainly brown electricity.
”Switching to a green tariff is one of the simplest, quickest and easiest things that businesses and consumers can do to have an impact on climate change, however it’s important to check just how green a supplier really is before signing up.”
Energy Solutions, whose website can be found at www.energybrokers.co.uk, provides a range of advice and information for businesses looking for the best deals on their electricity and gas supplies, including brown and green tariffs. Established in 1997, by Nick Grogan, author of “Electricity and Your Business”, Energy Solutions have helped 100’s of businesses both large and small with their free energy brokerage service. As truly independent consultants they work with all suppliers, and provide a range of additional services including new supply installation and tariff analysis.
Fuel Mix of UK Domestic Electricity Suppliers
|
|
Supplier |
% renewables |
AA (ScottishPower) |
6.8 |
Amerada (Powergen) |
3.6 |
Atlantic Electric and Gas (Scottish & Southern) |
10.2 |
Basic Power (EDF Energy) |
5.0 |
Beacon (ScottishPower) |
6.8 |
British Gas |
4.0 |
Caloertex (npower) |
3.0 |
Centrica (British Gas) |
4.0 |
Daily Telegraph Energy (npower) |
3.0 |
East Midlands Electricity (Powergen) |
3.6 |
Eastern Electricity (Powergen) |
3.6 |
Ecotricity |
24.1 |
EDF Energy |
5.0 |
Equipower (EBICo) |
10.2 |
Good Energy |
100.0 |
Green Energy |
32.0 |
Ideal (ScottishPower) |
6.8 |
Independent Energy (npower) |
3.0 |
Lloyds Ideal (ScottishPower) |
6.8 |
London Energy (EDF Energy) |
5.0 |
Midland Shires Farmers (Countrywide) |
not yet available |
Midlands Electricity (npower) |
3.0 |
Midlands Gas (Powergen) |
3.6 |
National Power |
3.0 |
Northern (npower) |
3.0 |
Norweb Energy (Powergen) |
3.6 |
Npower Cogen |
0.4 |
Npower Direct |
3.0 |
npower/RWE |
3.0 |
Powergen (E.ON) |
3.6 |
Sainsbury Energy (EDF Energy) |
3.6 |
Scottish & Southern Energy |
10.2 |
Scottish Gas (British Gas) |
4.0 |
Scottish Hydro-Electric (Scottish & Southern) |
10.2 |
ScottishPower |
6.8 |
Seeboard Energy (EDF Energy) |
5.0 |
Southern Electric (Scottish & Southern) |
10.2 |
Sterling Gas (Powergen) |
3.6 |
SWALEC (Scottish & Southern) |
10.2 |
SWEB Energy (EDF Energy) |
5.0 |
Telecom Plus (npower) |
3.0 |
TXU Energi (Powergen) |
3.6 |
Utilita |
4.0 |
Utility Warehouse (npower) |
3.0 |
York Gas (npower) |
3.0 |
Yorkshire (npower) |
3.0 |
|
Energy Solutions recommends Uswitch.
|
