Good Energy

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Good Energy is a renewable energy company in the United Kingdom. It supplies 100% renewable electricity to homes and businesses throughout the UK.

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[edit] History

Originally called Unit(e), Good Energy is the only UK company to source all of its electricity from renewable sources; generated entirely from wind, small-scale hydro, wave and solar power. [1] They own Delabole wind farm and also buy renewable power from over 270 small to medium sized independent generators in the UK which all run entirely from wind, small-scale hydro, wave, solar power and sustainable biomass. They then supply the power they generate and buy to over 20,000 homes and businesses. [2]

An independent review from the National Consumer Council states: “For those consumers who want a green electricity supply, pure and simple, (Good Energy's) is probably the closest they will get to it.” [2] The NCC also found that, of twelve green supply tariffs, Good Energy's is one of only two (the other is Scottish & Southern Energy's RSPB tariff) that are going farther than they are required to by law. [3] A recent Guardian article echoed the NCC's belief that Good Energy's was the best green tariff [4] Good Energy also works to broaden the understanding and acceptance of renewables amongst the public, the media and decision makers. CEO, Juliet Davenport has recently been invited to join OFGEM’s Environmental Committee. [5]

Good Energy commissioned Oxford University's Environmental Change Unit to review the green electricity market. Their report [6] put a strong case for an accreditation scheme to advise customers.

Good Energy's Home Generation Scheme encourages and supports individuals and communities to generate their own renewable energy. This scheme provides a way for homes and businesses to connect their small scale renewable generator to the grid and be paid for all its output - even the electricity they use themselves. It won an Ashden Award for sustainability in 2006 [7] and was shortlisted for a Regen SW Green Energy Award in 2005. [8]

Good Energy were criticised by The Ecologist magazine in 2005, in an article surveying green energy entitled 'Green Electricity: Are you being conned.' [9] The article highlighted the fact that Good Energy spent £0 per customer on creating new renewable energy for the UK market. This, the article continues means that buying electricity from Good Energy may reduce personal guilt, but does nothing to contribute to increased renewable energy production. Green Energy's contribution of £0 per customer invested in additional energy supply was contrasted with competitor Ecotricity who in 2004 contributed over £900 per customer in additional renewable energy for the UK grid. This analysis has been disagreed with by at least one industry analysist, as it does not address the macro-economics of sustainable energy.[citation needed]

Good Energy are partners with Econnect Ventures in a research project, Demand for Wind, at Durham University to investigate dynamic approaches to demand-side management for small non-industrial consumers.

[edit] See also

Energy Portal

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Fuel Mix of UK Domestic Electricity Suppliers", OFGEM, Feb, 2007. 
  2. ^ a b "Reality or rhetoric? Green tariffs for domestic consumers", The National Consumer Council, Dec, 2006. 
  3. ^ GRÁINNE GILMORE. "Grey areas with green energy", The Times, January 6, 2007. 
  4. ^ Leo Hickman. "Your ethical dilemmas sorted", The Guardian, Thursday March 15, 2007. 
  5. ^ "Ofgem Environmental Advisory Group", Ofgem, May, 2007. 
  6. ^ "Oxford University's Environmental Change Unit report", June 2006. 
  7. ^ Dr Anne Wheldon, Jeremy Rawlings. "Technical summary: 2006 Finalist: Good Energy: Home Generation", June 2006. 
  8. ^ "Shortlist announced for Region’s brightest stars in Green Energy", 24 October 2005. 
  9. ^ The Ecologist - Archive Detail