How does a '100% renewable' electricity supply work? I'm sceptical.

buglawton

Recently signed up with So Energy mainly on price and feedback ratings. In passing noticed their renewable electricity pledge. Seems too good to be true. Doesn't one renewable supplier just displace non renewable supplies to another part of the market, leaving nett renewable consumption in the UK the same?

Nick_C

Yes. Whatever tariff you are on, the electricity you are getting is the same as your next door neighbour is getting. It's a marketing gimmick.

Martyn1981

buglawton wrote: »

Recently signed up with So Energy mainly on price and feedback ratings. In passing noticed their renewable electricity pledge. Seems too good to be true. Doesn't one renewable supplier just displace non renewable supplies to another part of the market, leaving nett renewable consumption in the UK the same?

It will leave the nett the same in the very short term, but will drive demand for RE leccy up, increasing overall demand (and probably price), whilst reducing demand for FF leccy.

Some suppliers try to produce an amount equal to their sales, and invest in new RE generation too.

If in doubt, test the model by going to the extreme and seeing what would happen over time to the grid mix if everyone demanded low carbon leccy?

Martyn1981

Martyn1981 wrote: »

If in doubt, test the model by going to the extreme and seeing what would happen over time to the grid mix if everyone demanded low carbon leccy?

OK, wasn't expecting that:

E.ON UK to supply 3.3m customers with 100% renewable electricity

One of Britain’s biggest green energy switches to date will come at no extra cost

E.ON is one of the UK’s largest renewable energy generators and plans to draw from its own windfarms, biomass plants and solar projects to power the switch.

Reed_Richards

Nick_C wrote: »

Yes. Whatever tariff you are on, the electricity you are getting is the same as your next door neighbour is getting. It's a marketing gimmick.

Whilst I agree that this is a marketing gimmick, most of my electricity is home-made so only the same as my neighbours insofar as they get my spare home-made electricity.