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“The biggest source of carbon dioxide emissions is power stations, accounting for around one third of the total.”  The Good Shopping Guide to Renewable Energy

The vast majority of our electricity (over 70%) is generated by burning coal, gas and oil in power stations. This releases millions of tonnes of carbon dioxide - the main gas responsible for climate change.

A further fifth of our electricity comes from nuclear power which produces thousands of tonnes of hazardous radioactive waste which remains dangerous for up to a million years.

The alternative: green energy

Although we can all cut down on the amount of energy we use the only real alternative is to buy ‘green electricity’.

This usually refers to electricity produced from sources which do not have seriously adverse effects on the environment - such as wind, wave, tidal and solar power.

Generating from these sources does not involve any burning and so does not release carbon dioxide. These are also called renewable energy sources because unlike gas and oil they will never run out.

Only 5% of UK energy is renewable

At present only around 5 per cent of our electricity comes from renewable sources. Since 2002, all UK electricity suppliers have been required by the government to ensure that a growing percentage of the electricity they sell is from renewable sources (the so-called ‘renewables obligation’).

Different types of green energy

In practice there are three different types of ‘green energy’ tariff:

• a green electricity supply tariff where the supplier guarantees that the electricity it sells is equivalent to the electricity it buys from renewable sources
• a green energy fund tariff where the supplier invests an extra premium that customers pay above the standard tariff into renewable energy or other environmental projects
• a ‘carbon offset’ tariff where suppliers offer to offset the CO2 emitted by gas and electricity supplied to consumers (eg by planting trees).

The switch to green energy

A recent poll found that 64 per cent of respondents would consider switching to green energy, however less than 1 per cent of households in Great Britain have actually done so.

Yet switching to green energy is one of the simplest way of reducing our environmental impact.

Choosing a green energy supplier

There are many electricity suppliers that supply renewable energy ranging from specialist suppliers who only invest in and source from renewable energy projects to mainstream suppliers who offer green energy in addition to their standard electricity from non-renewable sources.

With a green electricity tariff you usually pay extra for your electricity and this is paid into a green fund which supports renewable energy or community projects or donations to green/conservation organisations.

However, the amount of electricity from renewable sources that the mainstream electricity suppliers source may be a very small proportion of the total electricity they supply.

By switching to a specialist green energy supplier you are supporting the future of renewable energy by increasing demand.

Although green energy is usually slightly more expensive you can offset this extra cost by combining it with energy saving measures such as turning off appliances when you aren’t using them.

Recommended green energy suppliers

The following supply 100 per cent renewable energy and are recommended by both The Good Shopping Guide to Renewable Energy and Ethical Consumer Magazine.

Good Energy

A small company offering 100 per cent renewable electricity from sources such as wind, hydro and solar power. The company owns its own windfarm and invests in renewables.

According to the National Consumer Council: “For those consumers who want a green electricity supply pure and simple, this is probably the closest they will get to it.”

Find out more on the Good Energy website.

Ecotricity (‘old energy tariff’)

A small company that supplies electricity as well as owning windfarms.

It has two types of green tariff – the ‘old energy tariff’ which supplies 100 per cent renewable energy and the ‘new energy tariff’ which supplies about 25 per cent renewable energy (the remaining 75 per cent comes from non-renewable sources such as coal, gas and nuclear) .

Profits are invested back into its windfarm business.

Find out more on the Ecotricity website.

Green Energy (‘UK 100 tariff’)

A small company specialising in providing green electricity that offers two green tariffs.

The ’UK 10 tariff’ offers 10 per cent renewable electricity (the other 90 per cent comes from conventional sources such as coal, gas and nuclear).

The ‘UK 100 tariff’ offers 100 per cent renewable electricity generated from sources such as wind, solar, small-scale hydro-electric and organic waste material.

Find out more on the Green Energy website.

More information about green energy