‘Green’ tariffs are increasingly popular with consumers. The Diocese encourages every parish to transfer to a green tariff for 100% renewable electricity, and in some cases gas.
This is one of the first steps to save energy and carbon emissions advocated for churches and people in the Diocese – the others being to review your heating system and its settings, and to change the lightbulbs to low energy models, usually LEDs. Most of our churches have taken these steps already.
One of the simplest steps we can take in contributing to the effort against climate change is to switch to a green energy supplier.
Every supplier has to meet a minimum government standard; the cost of doing this is built into the tariff.
But this only goes part of the way. Some suppliers go further, with specific ‘green tariff’ options.
In the past these green options have come at a higher cost. That’s not necessarily so now. It is beginning to be possible to combine the cost benefit with an environmentally sensitive option.
However it’s best to switch to a company exclusively offering a supply of 100% renewable energy that it has itself generated or directly paid for.
There is a limited choice of genuinely 100% renewable electricity. Links to companies are at the foot of this page.
The alternative is to use the national Parish Buying scheme’s Green Energy Basket.
The national Energy Footprinting Tool, part of Parish Annual Returns, deems these options (but only these options) as 100% renewable and therefore net zero carbon for electricity.
Very few companies offer genuinely green gas. This means biomethane, refined from biofuel.
Other companies offset their gas through a variety of schemes. Purely from the point of view of your carbon footprint, it is better to buy genuinely green gas. This offers greater assurance for the customer.
However there are also other factors to consider, eg cost, and ethical sourcing. For example, much of the biomethane supply originates in factory farms and abattoirs. The time has yet to come when it is possible to discriminate on where your green gas comes from.
To switch, go straight to the website of one of the companies below.
Before taking a final decision on switching, you can call the Head of Environment and Sustainability to discuss the above advice and options for your church.
Bulb
Ecotricity
Good Energy
GEUK
Octopus
Opus Energy
People’s Energy.
Crown Gas & Power (100% option)
GEUK.
Parish Annual Returns (for national Energy Footprinting Tool).
Reviewing your heating system
Changing the lightbulbs
Smart metering
Measuring your energy use.
Head of Environment and Sustainability.
Environment and Sustainability, front page.
