Not for profit utility supplies

Digital_Lulu

Is there anything to stop a large group forming a co operative to supply electricty and gas to themselves on a not for profit basis?

SYNERGY

Digital_Lulu wrote: »

Is there anything to stop a large group forming a co operative to supply electricty and gas to themselves on a not for profit basis?

Possibly not, however like many food co-ops, all would work well until a member either stops paying, pulling their weight or moves to another supplier.

In the honeymoon stage of co-ops, everyone is full of enthusiasm all appear to pull their weight.

As this wears off you tend to find all the admin etc. eventually falls to one or two, then they fail.

Well worth a try though.

Premier_2

Digital_Lulu wrote: »

Is there anything to stop a large group forming a co operative to supply electricty and gas to themselves on a not for profit basis?

If you wish to know more, I'm sure Matt Stockdale (atcostenergy) could explain the difficulties in attempting to do so

"It seems a company that promised to make great waves in the sea of energy providers may struggle to fart in a bath" - MSE Martin
In the end, even that proved too difficult.

If you want energy on a non profit making basis, then Ebico will supply you (probably)
https://www.ebico.org.uk/
Warning: Just because it is non profit making doesn't necessarily mean it is the cheapest option.

Alternatively, if you wish to buy from a co-operative, you could do that already too.
http://www.cooperativeenergy.coop/

Personally, I just prefer to buy from the cheapest source. For that use a comparison site to identify the cheapest source for you.

Digital_Lulu

Premier wrote: »

If you wish to know more, I'm sure Matt Stockdale (atcostenergy) could explain the difficulties in attempting to do so

"It seems a company that promised to make great waves in the sea of energy providers may struggle to fart in a bath" - MSE Martin
In the end, even that proved too difficult.

If you want energy on a non profit making basis, then Ebico will supply you (probably)
https://www.ebico.org.uk/
Warning: Just because it is non profit making doesn't necessarily mean it is the cheapest option.

Alternatively, if you wish to buy from a co-operative, you could do that already too.
http://www.cooperativeenergy.coop/

Personally, I just prefer to buy from the cheapest source. For that use a comparison site to identify the cheapest source for you.

It's the £8 bn profits by energy companies this year that I object to. Energy should be not for profit. Ditto water.

Thanks for the information Premier, I will go have a little read.

I'd like to say I'm an ethical shopper, but I just cannot afford this. Typically, like Tesco vs the corner shop, the wholesale rates for the smaller companies in any market will be higher.

Digital_Lulu

I've had a read now.

The original At Cost business model idea was admirable, but would never work. I spent a spell working for a media company whose business model was to shun advertising to remain fully independent, it folded after a few years, in cash hungry businesses, there is no such thing as a bottomless pit of money whatever the optimism levels. I mentioned my concerns to them BTW.

The Co op might be ethical, but not for those of us who need cheap fuel.

Ebico seems very interesting, but by going through any existing supplier rather than purchasing wholesale, surely they will always be at the mercy of the precise companies that need to be avoided.

I wonder whether a wider roll out would enable Ebico to buy wholesale energy directly or whether it is an infrastructure issue. If the number of users could match the big boys, wholesale prices would be competitive and after all, we know wholesale rates are not the issue.

bengasman

Digital_Lulu wrote: »

Is there anything to stop a large group forming a co operative to supply electricty and gas to themselves on a not for profit basis?

Lack of money and lack of expertise, but nothing legal.

zuliano

I am not sure whether to ask this here or start a thread about it?

I have read that out of the top dogs, only the Cooperative Utilities are cutting customer prices. So what do you think? Should we now change to the Co-operative?

Mr_Ted

We used to have non profit making utility companies They were called nationalised industry???

bengasman

Mr_Ted wrote: »

We used to have non profit making utility companies They were called nationalised industry???

And like every government run "service", they were very high in price and very low in customer service.