Carbon Offset Payments

MacMickster

My son is obtaining quotes to have a solar system installed.  He has received a link about getting payments of 10p per kwh for all of the energy that he generates but would have to pay to have a monitor installed.  He has not gone as far as finding out the cost of the monitor but is  bit wary in case this is a scam.

Have any of you knowledgeable people come across this before, and if so what are your thoughts?

https://esegroup.co.uk/carbon-offset-payments/

Netexporter

You can get paid more than that by some electricity suppliers. The smart meter will be free.

Screwdriva

Netexporter said:

You can get paid more than that by some electricity suppliers. The smart meter will be free.

I believe this is over and above the SEG payments. An incremental revenue than the tariffs we typically discuss on here. 

Netexporter

Have now looked at the link, now. Huge glaring error (repeated) in the pitch.

I also wonder if the enhanced export rates from Octopus, for example, are partly "funded" by carbon offsets that the supplier can use/sell on? I don't think you can get paid twice for the same offsets.

Screwdriva

Netexporter said:

Have now looked at the link, now. Huge glaring error (repeated) in the pitch.

I also wonder if the enhanced export rates from Octopus, for example, are partly "funded" by carbon offsets that the supplier can use/sell on? I don't think you can get paid twice for the same offsets.

Apparently you do get paid over and above any SEG tariff. And despite the marketing, you can apply and be accepted even if you're not an ESE customer (for now). It's intriguing to say the least. I'm waiting for real world feedback before applying. 

Meatballs

These probably start to fall into the non green and non ethical savings as they are just used by companies to greenwash their emissions...

jimjames

The name rang a bell so did a quick Google. This company have some history! Definitely one to avoid at all costs!

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5789208/ese-solar-panel-free-health-check/p5

https://uk-solarpanels.blogspot.com/2019/04/ese-solar-free-health-check-scam.html

Meatballs said:

These probably start to fall into the non green and non ethical savings as they are just used by companies to greenwash their emissions...

From their history it looks to be more on the scam side than greenwashing. Anyone paying for the monitor may not receive anything back or pay well over the odds for it.

MacMickster

jimjames said:

The name rang a bell so did a quick Google. This company have some history! Definitely one to avoid at all costs!

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5789208/ese-solar-panel-free-health-check/p5

https://uk-solarpanels.blogspot.com/2019/04/ese-solar-free-health-check-scam.html

Meatballs said:

These probably start to fall into the non green and non ethical savings as they are just used by companies to greenwash their emissions...

From their history it looks to be more on the scam side than greenwashing. Anyone paying for the monitor may not receive anything back or pay well over the odds for it.

Thanks jimjames.  It sounded too good to be true which is why I had my suspicions.  I'll let my son know to give this company a wide berth.

QrizB

Not only do ESE have a bit of history, the offset scheme that's meant to be backing it has all the hallmarks of a cryptocurrency get-rich-quick scheme:

https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2021/05/a-weird-solar-blockchain-thing-rowan-energy/