Green, or environmentally-friendly, energy tariffs are designed to give homeowners the chance to offset some of the environmental damage caused by their gas and electricity by getting their energy supply from renewable sources.
How do they work?
When you take out a green tariff, your energy provider will match your energy consumption with energy from renewable sources that don’t burn fossil fuels or create carbon emissions, such as wind, solar and wave energy.
This green energy will be put back into the national grid, which in turn will then supply your home with gas and electricity.
In addition to supplying green energy, most providers also donate some of the money they receive to so-called ‘green funds’ to help finance other renewable energy projects across the country.
Are they more expensive than standard tariffs?
Most eco-friendly tariffs do not come at an additional cost, and you could even save yourself some money as many energy suppliers offer discounts to customers who sign up to these price plans.
You may also be able to take advantage of special offers and discounts on energy efficient products for your home, such as solar panels, wind turbines and even small-scale hydro generators.
For even larger savings, choose an online-only, green energy tariff.
Is it suitable for me?
If helping the environment is something that you are interested in and would like to support various green schemes and projects, then you should definitely consider signing up to a green energy tariff.
But before agreeing to any deal, do some research on your chosen supplier. For example, make sure that at least 8% of their energy comes from green, renewable sources – as required by UK law.
