Best cheap energy provider of renewables?

gbhxu

Qyburn said:

I don't see how any supplier can claim 100% renewable. Even if they only contract with renewable generators that doesn't increase the amount of renewable energy generated.

As I said before, once it's in the grid you can't tell how it was generated.

barker77

gbhxu said:

Qyburn said:

I don't see how any supplier can claim 100% renewable. Even if they only contract with renewable generators that doesn't increase the amount of renewable energy generated.

As I said before, once it's in the grid you can't tell how it was generated.

Buying energy from providers who do invest and source from proper renewables does make a difference to the grid mix. Clearly energy does get mixed in the grid of course. 

markin

barker77 said:

gbhxu said:

Qyburn said:

I don't see how any supplier can claim 100% renewable. Even if they only contract with renewable generators that doesn't increase the amount of renewable energy generated.

As I said before, once it's in the grid you can't tell how it was generated.

Buying energy from providers who do invest and source from proper renewables does make a difference to the grid mix. Clearly energy does get mixed in the grid of course. 

Do the green co's release the accounts, showing it is all invested back in building green energy as a not for profit or tiny profit?

barker77

markin said:

barker77 said:

gbhxu said:

Qyburn said:

I don't see how any supplier can claim 100% renewable. Even if they only contract with renewable generators that doesn't increase the amount of renewable energy generated.

As I said before, once it's in the grid you can't tell how it was generated.

Buying energy from providers who do invest and source from proper renewables does make a difference to the grid mix. Clearly energy does get mixed in the grid of course. 

Do the green co's release the accounts, showing it is all invested back in building green energy as a not for profit or tiny profit?

It’s ok for companies to make profit , the difference is ensuring you buy from ones who invest in building renewables vs just buying certificates and then still buying fossil fuel generated energy 

markin

barker77 said:

markin said:

barker77 said:

gbhxu said:

Qyburn said:

I don't see how any supplier can claim 100% renewable. Even if they only contract with renewable generators that doesn't increase the amount of renewable energy generated.

As I said before, once it's in the grid you can't tell how it was generated.

Buying energy from providers who do invest and source from proper renewables does make a difference to the grid mix. Clearly energy does get mixed in the grid of course. 

Do the green co's release the accounts, showing it is all invested back in building green energy as a not for profit or tiny profit?

its still funding green energy, so no real difference and they do it with a 2% profit, you wouldn't want to pay 60p a kwh in an energy crisis with the ceo making say 20m a year would you?

barker77

Not sure I understand your point? 

[Deleted User]

markin said:

barker77 said:

markin said:

barker77 said:

gbhxu said:

Qyburn said:

I don't see how any supplier can claim 100% renewable. Even if they only contract with renewable generators that doesn't increase the amount of renewable energy generated.

As I said before, once it's in the grid you can't tell how it was generated.

Buying energy from providers who do invest and source from proper renewables does make a difference to the grid mix. Clearly energy does get mixed in the grid of course. 

Do the green co's release the accounts, showing it is all invested back in building green energy as a not for profit or tiny profit?

its still funding green energy, so no real difference and they do it with a 2% profit, you wouldn't want to pay 60p a kwh in an energy crisis with the e the ceo making say 20m a year would you?

Why do so many people think that profit is such a bad thing? FWIW, Ecotricity made a loss of £9M in 2021 and a profit of £5.5M last year. In 2022, it paid £4.5M in taxes: taxes which pay for public services.

Qyburn

barker77 said:

I believe it does though. If more power bought power or sought to buy from tariffs that were directly PPA backed etc then this would have a real difference 

Possibly, but only if the renewable generator was paid more by Octopus than they would get on the open market. As i understand it renewable energy is always being paid for so its not really subject to supply and demand except when they're being paid to shut off.

However even in that scenario, Octopus paying above market price for renewable, the are still actually supplying the same mix or renewable and non-renewable. They could claim to be supporting the industry though.

barker77

Qyburn said:

barker77 said:

I believe it does though. If more power bought power or sought to buy from tariffs that were directly PPA backed etc then this would have a real difference 

Possibly, but only if the renewable generator was paid more by Octopus than they would get on the open market. As i understand it renewable energy is always being paid for so its not really subject to supply and demand except when they're being paid to shut off.

However even in that scenario, Octopus paying above market price for renewable, the are still actually supplying the same mix or renewable and non-renewable. They could claim to be supporting the industry though.

Right… that’s just nonsense I’m afraid 

70sbudgie

Ecotricity has some really good information on their website. They explain that although they buy all their electricity through PPAs, their prices have still gone up. They say they have to pay their generators a fair price, that reflects the market rate. (Otherwise why would a renewables generator agree to a PPA if they can always get a better price from the market?)

Btw, I am with Octopus, not Ecotricity. Although I approve of Ecotricity's model, the intermittent nature of renewables generation means that there is a limit to the number of customers the pure PPA model can supply. And I like Octopus' aim to be an industry disruptor even if their generation isn't as pure green. I like that they are trying to improve the industry and think they are doing a pretty good job of effecting change for the better.

If you want to make your energy consumption as green as possible, check out https://www.carbonintensity.org.uk/ and try matching your consumption to the low carbon intensity periods.