Many businesses in the UK have already, or are looking to, switch to green electricity to help save their company money, and to also set an example to their customers. This may boost their kudos, and gain support from a larger number of people if they are proving that they care about the environment. They can also use this to market their products or services, as some individuals are more likely to use a company that has less of a carbon footprint on the Earth.
Depending on the scale of the organisation, they can have a large impact on global warming. For example, a factory may use a lot of machinery that require a large amount of power to operate efficiently. Often there are in use 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Also think of the number of offices in a tower block. Each room will use lighting, computers and peripherals such as scanners and printers, throughout the whole working day, from Monday to Friday. Therefore, due to the sheer quantity of energy they consume, it is very important that they switch to greener electricity providers.
The majority of the main suppliers and new entrants into the market place now offer an option to choose green electricity for your business. The main providers in this field are Good Energy, Ecotricity, Green Energy UK, London Electricity, Scottish Power and SWALEC. Sometimes this can cost slightly more than average contracts, but Ecotricity will match the main 6 suppliers in order to give you the best deal.
Ecotricity is a green energy company that invests in wind turbine technology and promises to match the other 6 main companies based on traditional "brown" electric contracts. Already, they power several large blue chip customers, use green renewal sources like wind turbines, and have flexible contracts where you can give just 28 days notice before terminating.
However, it is a good idea to consider all other energy companies as well. These include E.on, Green Energy, Scottish Power, Utility Warehouse, EDF Energy and Southern Electric. Many ask you to complete an online form but at the moment there isn’t a method to compare all business suppliers in one go using a single website. Of course, this is sure to change very soon so keep an eye out.
Most existing energy suppliers propose 'green' electricity tariffs to businesses. These look to sustain renewable energy sources, and the two types are as follows:
Green supply tariffs are where part of all of the electricity you buy is matched by purchases of renewable energy that your supplier produces on your behalf. For example, this could come from a wind form or a hydroelectric power station, which they run or support. They should inform you what sources are being included in your deal, and what percentage of your supply is renewable.
Green funds often involve paying a premium in order to contribute to a fund that will be used to develop new renewable energy outlets. However, this can be slightly higher than creating coal or gas stations.