Can you go GREEN and SAVE ON ENERGY BILLS?

From grants to green tariffs, there are all sorts of incentives for becoming more energy efficient. Here’s some good advice…

Earlier this year, the Government announced its new Green Homes Grant, designed to help homeowners reduce energy bills by making homes more energy efficient. Under the scheme, homeowners and landlords can apply for vouchers to put towards the cost of improvements such as loft, wall and floor insulation.

Not eligible for the Green Homes Grant?

You could still make your home more eco-friendly by switching to a green energy tariff. These match the amount of electricity you use with renewable energy from sources including wind, solar and hydro generation. Green gas is less readily available, so energy suppliers offering this invest in projects such as tree planting to offset the carbon emissions, and may buy renewable ‘biogas’ to make the tariff greener.

Are some green tariffs greener than others?

Yes. To find the greenest tariffs on the market, look for a supplier that generates its own renewable energy or buys energy directly from renewable energy generators. While some tariffs claim to be 100% renewable, in actual fact, the supplier only buys the certificates that are issued when renewable energy is generated without buying the green energy itself! Ofgem has said it will address this loophole.

‘It’s difficult for consumers to differentiate between the shades of green in the energy market, and this is where Ofgem needs to do the work for the customer,’ says Friends Of The Earth’s Mike Childs.

Will green energy cost me more?

Not necessarily. ‘If you’re looking to switch from a standard, non-green, variable tariff, a fixed green energy deal is likely to be cheaper than what you’re currently paying,’ explains Cordélia Samson of uswitch.com.