Green Energy CompaniesAnother consideration to take into account as well as becoming more energy efficient at home is choosing an eco-friendly energy company. As awareness of green issue increases several single issues green energy companies have entered the fiercely competitive energy market.

What are Green Energy Companies?

Green energy companies offer electricity from renewable sources, as well as providing funding and research into renewable energy sources. It’s thought that renewable sources of energy such as wind power could go on to provide a much larger slice of overall energy generation in the future as fossil fuel sources dwindle, and green energy companies are playing an important role in this.

You’ll also find that many of the main energy companies – from British Gas to Powergen – offer green energy tariffs alongside their standard energy packages, but the difference with dedicated green energy companies is their principal commitment to energy generation and provision from solely an environmental point of view.

It’s definitely worth considering a green energy company’s offerings if you’re prepared to pay a little more than average for your electricity. It’s not possible to source ‘green gas’ due to the fact that gas is a finite raw material, so while most green energy companies also offer a source of gas, you could choose for your gas to be provided by one of the larger energy companies.

What’s also important to remember is that the more people who sign up to a green energy tariff, the cheaper the tariffs would become, as more money would be able to be invested in renewable energy sources. Here are the main green energy companies on the market and what they offer in the way of sustainable energy to keep your home working effectively:

Ecotricity

Ecotricity’s electricity is derived from renewable sources. Crucially the company actually builds (the only energy company to do this), runs and invests money into the technology producing the renewable energy. In 2006, for example, they invested £7 million in wind energy, and run wind farms across the UK, from London to Lincolnshire and Gloucestershire – in 2007 they’ve committed to investing £25 million into wind energy. Their wind turbine in Mablethorpe, Lincolnshire generates enough electricity for half of the town.

Green Energy UK

Green Energy UK customers support the development of a wide range of renewable energy sources including wind, solar, combined heat and power (CHP), small-scale hydro-electric, energy from biomass (grass and woodchip) and organic waste material (pig waste) when they sign up. Nearly all of these renewable sources come from within the UK.

Currently 50% of that energy comes from newly commissioned facilities that were not in operation before 2001. Green Energy UK re-invests half of its profits into renewable energy projects on an annual basis.

If you currently generate your own electricity at home, through a wind turbine or solar panel, you can sell it to Green Energy UK, who will then resell it to their customers.

Good Energy

Good Energy supply 100% renewable electricity sourced from wind, wave, solar or hydro power. For every unit of electricity used, an equivalent unit is derived from a renewable source and supplied to the grid.

An average customer saves two tonnes of CO2 emissions a year through using Good Energy electricity and reduces their carbon footprint by a third. Good Energy submits a Renewable Obligation to OFGEM to provide additional financial benefits for the renewable energy market in the UK. Good Energy also provides a Home Generation system where renewable energy generators can sell their electricity back to them.