Green Energy

With the government's target of reducing C02 emissions from the UK by some 30% over the next 10 years and tougher targets after that why not switch to green energy suppliers by sourcing electricity from renewable sources ?.

Green Electricity and Gas ?

Of course gas is gas and not a renewable source but if you could convert your heating to solar power or simple electric that would then use power from renewables such as wind farms which are being developed in abundance then you would cut your own carbon footprint to almost zero.

All the major energy companies now offer an option to get completely green power although some of the tariffs (but not all) come with a premium. If you are a homeowner looking to switch to green energy then look at this site who cover all the rates and pricing for all the sources available today. It's also dead easy to switch your current energy provider as most of them do all this for you.

For businesses the process is almost the same and you can compare green electricity tariffs at this site and see what rates are available. All the energy companies provide online quoting systems so you'll instantly be able to see what the costs are and if you can save from your current contract. For business customers most tariffs are fixed priced for a minimum of one year but almost all business owners can save by switching from their current provider (or simply contacting your current supplier and negotiating a deal).

Types of Renewable Energy Available

The term renewable energy relates to power supplies that do not use up the earth's resources which can not be replaced so that would include everything from wind power to solar energy. These sources generally rely on natural power such as the sun, wind, water and sometimes nuclear power (you can have the option of opting out of using nuclear energy in some contracts).

The government is investing heavily in these types of technology and even though only about 5% of the UK's energy currently comes from renewable sources this will increase greatly over the coming years. The companies developing these technologies then sell the energy in the form of electricity to the national grid and the power companies then sell it to domestic consumers or corporate businesses.

Can You Really be 100% Green ?

There are generally two types of "green" products offered by the energy companies so be careful which one you choose. The one to go for is where 100% of the energy provided is directly from renewable sources. The contract and / or information on the company's website should state this up front so you can check it. The other type of tariff offered is a carbon offset strategy so your energy may be provided from non-renewable sources such as coal powered stations or gas and then the power provider offsets this in other methods to pay back the energy you have already used. This is standard practice so just watch out which type of tariff rates are being offered.

If you choose the one which is directly from renewable sources then of course you and your business can be 100% green when it comes to using electricity.

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