Which green supplier should you switch your energy to?

Buying your gas and electric supply from a non-renewable provider can be like buying a plastic bag every time we go to the shop. Sure, we need it, and it provides a purpose, but its creation and convenience are having a long-lasting and negative impact on our environment – plus there are better options available. Imagine turning on your lights in the winter, knowing that you’re not harming the planet in any way. You’ll be Cheshire-cat-smiling all the way into, and beyond the festive period! Are you ready to switch your energy provider?

As Greenredeem members, we know you’re not fazed by the minor task of changing providers. After all, it’s one small action that leads to years and years of positive change. Potentially a lifetime, as more and more providers will start to notice the trend you helped to create. Renewable energy is the future, it’s what the world needs, and what a growing number of consumers want too. But the biggest question is, how do we navigate the renewable energy market? Who do we choose? Well, in this blog, you can discover a variety of green options to switch your energy provider to.

Switch your energy provider to: Bulb

Have you heard of Bulb before? They’re one of the fastest-growing energy providers and the #1 green energy provider in the UK, which isn’t surprising after you dive into their policies and business structure. Bulb provides 100% renewable electricity from wind, solar and hydropower sources in the UK. The energy comes from small businesses such as Tyn Y Cornel hydro supplier to giant off-shore wind farms.

Their gas supply is 100% carbon neutral. This is achievable from the carbon offsetting work that Bulb does to reduce its impact, but the company also makes use of sourcing gas from food and farm waste which helps to make it more green. We’ve also taken a look at their reviews online, and it seems customers are highly impressed with their service, they received an average 4.7/5 score on Trustpilot.

When you switch your energy provider to Bulb, you could have the sound knowledge that your carbon footprint is reduced by 3.4 tonnes of CO2 a year. What’s more, you could also save money as their average annual bill is just £941 – much better than that 4-digit figure we mentioned in last week’s blog!

Switch your energy provider to: Octopus

Another great supplier to take a closer look at is Octopus, especially if you love excellent customer service. They’ve won many awards for their outstanding service, and it’s not surprising when you find out that, on average, they answered every call within 2 minutes! No sitting on hold for hours; that sounds like something we can get on board with.

Their electric energy is 100% renewable, and they’ve invested a lot of time and money into solar energy. In 2019, they won an award for being the company that invested the most in UK renewables. Sadly, the company does not produce any green gas; however, they do offset their carbon footprint. One bonus we do like with Octopus is that they state there are no exit fees and that they will manage all the hassle of switching – making the process extremely easy.

GEUK (Green Energy UK)

If you want your supply to be 100% green, then GEUK could be right for you. They are the only supplier in the UK to provide 100% green gas and renewable electricity. They have no need to offset their carbon footprint with planting trees because they don’t make any. When it comes to caring for the environment, this supplier has it burning through to its very core.

They use various sources of solar, hydro and wind for the electricity. Their green gas comes from anaerobic digestion of animals on farms, quite literally removing waste and producing gas – the excess is then used as fertiliser. They also use food waste and landfill waste to help support the harvesting of green gas. We know what you’re thinking, ‘but where does the CO2 go?’ – well, they bottle it up and give it to local breweries to help carbonate their drinks!

Ecotricity

Ecotricity is the only vegan green energy supplier in the UK. Approved by the Vegan Society, it is undoubtedly one of a kind, but its not for everyone. This ethical choice does come at a cost which is why it is considered expensive and one of the costliest green options out there.

That being said, their ethical business structure is incredible, so if the cost doesn’t faze you, it’s a great option. Their electricity is 100% green and a fifth of it comes from the turbines and sunmills they created with their customers help. Their gas, although not 100% green, is carbon offset to compensate for their use of fossil fuels. In the future, Ecotricity hopes that their green gas will be supplied through their ‘gasmills’ which are currently under construction.