Green electric - thoughts please

CopperPlate_2

I'm with Good Energy and yes, they are slightly more expensive per unit than my previous supplier - Scottish Hydro - but actually cheaper by about 3 p per day on the standing charge front. So, my logic is, if it's more expensive to buy the stuff that I can control how much I use, then the fact it's cheaper for the part I can't control (I can't change how many days there are in a year unfortunately!) then it's actually an incentive to use less of the stuff as well.

So it might be slightly more expensive to buy, but that in itself will encourage me to use less but at the same time knowing that what I'm using is "100% green'.

penrhyn

Not wishing to quibble but the electricity you are using is only 3% renewable,
and is same as everyone else is using.

CopperPlate_2

penrhyn wrote: »

Not wishing to quibble but the electricity you are using is only 3% renewable,
and is same as everyone else is using.

Yes, I'm aware that it's the same stuff that comes out of the plug that everyone else uses. It's the stuff that Good Energy supplies from the individual generators that is then put back into the system. Perhaps the choice of word 'using' isn't the best when talking about renewable electricity.

Where are your figures of 3% renewable from?

magyar

CopperPlate wrote: »

Yes, I'm aware that it's the same stuff that comes out of the plug that everyone else uses. It's the stuff that Good Energy supplies from the individual generators that is then put back into the system. Perhaps the choice of word 'using' isn't the best when talking about renewable electricity.

Where are your figures of 3% renewable from?

Firstly, 3% is the wrong number. The most recent figure I have is from 2006 when it was 4.5%. (from Restats). I think it's closer to 5-5.5% now.

I think you're right about the word 'using' - it's pretty obvious I hope that the electrons which enter your house are the same whatever supplier you choose.

To be frank, the concept of 'green supply' is meaningless. As you rightly say, it's what goes into the grid that matters, not how you distribute what comes out.

That's why I would rate any supplier based upon what they do in their capacity as a generator (which most, but not all, are) to expand the renewables capacity in the UK. Sadly, this point is pretty much always lost on these egregious comparison web sites which simply look at ROC submissions.

Big_Ma

I am on a tight budget and looking for a 3 day break to Disneyland for my boys anyone know of a good deal

Ken68

Big_Ma wrote: »

I am on a tight budget and looking for a 3 day break to Disneyland for my boys anyone know of a good deal

You want the travel section Ma...http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/forumdisplay.html?f=28

west_is_best

I must admit, this thread made me chuckle.

When you think that wind developments produce just over 1% of UK's energy needs (not counting hydro etc etc), every watt of electricity (be it green or brown) goes into the same national grid, so how can these suppliers sell you green electricity when brown electricity os pumped into the same grid???

They dont have a special grid for green electricity to supply people who pay the green tariffs.

magyar

The answer, Lynwen, is that each for each unit of green electricity that a 'green' generator like a wind turbine or hydro plant produces, the generator is given a certificate called a LEC or levy exemption certificate. (So called because businesses pay a tax called the Climate Change Levy, and green electricity is exempt from it).

So, for every unit of green electricity that the suppliers sell to people, they have to retire one of these certificates back to Ofgem.

So it really is effectively green electricity, even though of course the actual electrons might have come from a nuclear power station.

west_is_best

lol........ ok love..

I wish you knew what I knew....... people are paying more for green energy for getting exactly the same energy I get, but mine is cheaper..

magyar

Lynwen wrote: »

lol........ ok love..

I wish you knew what I knew....... people are paying more for green energy for getting exactly the same energy I get, but mine is cheaper..

What? Sorry, love, but I've explained it to you because I happen to know a lot about this subject.

Now if you've not got anything constructive to add, can I please suggest you shove off and disrupt some other thread.