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What percentage of people are on a 100% green electricity tarriff?

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I'm guessing less than 10% of households, but I can't find the exact number any where.
Seems like arguably one of the easiest ways to 'go green' for only a couple of quid extra per month.

Comments

  • Cardew
    Cardew Posts: 29,060 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Rampant Recycler
    What does a 100% green electricity tariff entail for the generator and distribution company?
    Does Nuclear generated electricity count as green?



  • Ectophile
    Ectophile Posts: 7,979 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    I have a sneaking suspicion it's a lot more than 10%.  With the right accounting tricks, you can make any tarriff "green".
    If it sticks, force it.
    If it breaks, well it wasn't working right anyway.
  • joefizz
    joefizz Posts: 676 Forumite
    Ninth Anniversary 500 Posts Combo Breaker
    I'm guessing less than 10% of households, but I can't find the exact number any where.
    Seems like arguably one of the easiest ways to 'go green' for only a couple of quid extra per month.
    Far less than 10%. Its easy enough to calculate as the genuine suppliers limit the number of subscribers to 100% green tariffs, so just look up these numbers compared to the total number of subscribers.
    Theres no 100% green tariff here in NI any more. There used to be and I was on it, one of only 30k subscribers out of a population of 1.8 million. In the end they couldnt sustain those 30k with a direct correlation to 100% green at all times.
    Most of the tariffs you see as 100% include carbon offsetting which isnt really 100% green production and many dont produce at all. Ofgem have all the data (REGOs) but IIRC theres only one or two true 100% suppliers in the UK?

  • EricMears
    EricMears Posts: 3,308 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Just because you're paying (probably extra even if RE is cheaper than FF !) for a 'green tariff' doesn't mean that you're getting 'green electrons' delivered.  
    NE Derbyshire.4kWp S Facing 17.5deg slope (dormer roof).24kWh of Pylontech batteries with Lux controller BEV : Hyundai Ioniq5
  • Petriix
    Petriix Posts: 2,296 Forumite
    Ninth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    I'd take the '100% green' claim with a suitable degree of skepticism. I suspect that these tariffs can be labelled this way with no particular obligation for the suppliers to do anything in addition to their normal operations.

    The last four suppliers I have used (Tonik RIP, Bulb, Green.energy and Outfox the Market) have all claimed to be 100 renewable but I have really only switched for financial reasons; they certainly haven't been more expensive (although Bulb's prices are higher, the account credit more than paid for the energy I used).

    I wouldn't like to hazard a guess as to percentages. I suspect that a ridiculous number of households never switch their suppliers and have not made any conscious choice about their tariff, let alone whether or not it is 100% green.

    As it happens, my solar PV generates roughly my annual usage of electricity so I'm fairly happy with my green credentials. What I don't self-consume is used by my neighbours so I'm not really fussed whether my supplier claims to be green or not.
  • Screwdriva
    Screwdriva Posts: 1,523 Forumite
    Fifth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    And yet, somehow, we're at ~45% renewable generation in the first half of 2020?
    -  10 x 400w LG + 6 x 550W SHARP BiFacial Panels + SE 3680 HD Wave Inverter + SE Optimizers. SE London.
    -  Triple aspect. (22% ENE/ 33% SSE/ 45% WSW)
    -  Viessmann 200-W on Advanced Weather Comp. (the most efficient gas boiler sold)

    Feel free to DM me if I can help with any energy saving!
  • I'm on the cheapest...that's all I'm bothered about 
  • EricMears
    EricMears Posts: 3,308 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    I'm on the cheapest...that's all I'm bothered about 
    Absolutely !   Since what you're paying a supplier has zero influence on the actual composition of grid supplies,  you might just as well pay as little as possible and hope that the lowering RE costs and increasing FF ones accelerate the trend towards RE
    NE Derbyshire.4kWp S Facing 17.5deg slope (dormer roof).24kWh of Pylontech batteries with Lux controller BEV : Hyundai Ioniq5
  • GGSid
    GGSid Posts: 22 Forumite
    Sixth Anniversary 10 Posts Combo Breaker
    I am interested in this question too. The REGO system would need a large number maybe >50% of customers to have an impact. If a larger number of customers chose a green tariff, then that would put pressure on the suppliers to increase renewable generation. at the moment the REGO certificates are cheap because we have a lot of renewable electricity. that makes greenwashing quite easy. 
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