Can We Trust The Energy Suppliers?

With the value of 'green tariffs' from energy suppliers under question, British Gas has launched a new energy tariff that it insists is the greenest on the market and will make a difference to the environment.
Energy suppliers have been offering 'green tariffs' for a number of years that promise to match your electricity use by putting the same amount of energy from renewable sources – mostly wind farms – back into the national grid.
The problem is that suppliers are already obliged by Government to generate a proportion of the energy they supply from renewables. This amount is far more than the renewable energy required to satisfy the demand from green tariffs, so there is no more renewable energy being generated overall.

The problem was highlighted in a National Consumer Council study this year and the new British Gas tariff has been designed to answer these criticisms. The Zero Carbon tariff promises to generate 12% of users' energy from renewable sources, above what was already being produced under Government obligations.
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In addition, the tariff will offset 100% of the users' energy use through carbon-offsetting schemes. The Zero Carbon tariff will cost £84 a year more than the British Gas standard dual fuel tariff.

Alongside the Zero Carbon tariff, British Gas is also launching a Future Energy tariff which, for an extra £20 a year, will make a donation into a non-profit British Gas green fund.

£5 will go to UK schools to help reduce their CO2 emissions. The rest will be invested in development of new renewable technologies and resources.

Gearoid Lane, managing director of British Gas new energy, said: 'Green tariffs are moving from niche to mainstream products and we're leading the industry by offering a tariff that will do more for the environment than any other product currently available.'

Scott Byrom, utilities expert at price comparison website moneysupermarket.com, said: 'Undoubtedly, these products tick all the right boxes from a 'green' point of view, but they come at a cost. Unfortunately, that cost will be to the millions of customers looking to play their part in the fight against climate change and go green.'

'The British Gas Zero Carbon offering is over £150 more than the cheapest dual fuel product around, British Gas Click Energy 3. It is this gap that providers need to bridge in order to gain consumer interest.'

'All customers would be advised to look at online products, such as 'Click Energy 3', and, for those of us who are eco-friendly, donate some of the savings to a green project of our choice.'