25 Mar 2009
Good Energy offers the highest paying reward for homes generating their own power
Good Energy, the UK’s only dedicated 100% renewable electricity supplier, is increasing the payment it makes to Good Energy HomeGen customers on April 1st 2009 to 15p for every unit they generate.
This increase from 10 to 15p ensures Good Energy HomeGen remains the highest paying scheme of its kind in the UK.
HomeGen customers get paid for their Total Generation not just the units of electricity they export to the grid. This means HomeGen customers buy less electricity and they even get paid for the electricity they generate and use themselves.
Good Energy is also reducing its prices for the electricity it supplies in April 2009, making the HomeGen payment greater than the price Good Energy charges its customers for electricity.
Juliet Davenport, Good Energy’s Chief Executive and Founder said: “Paying Home Gen customers 15p for every unit of electricity they generate is groundbreaking. It sets the benchmark for a UK Feed‐in Tariff and signals the importance of rewarding total generation not just exported electricity. This is a clear demonstration of Good Energy’s commitment to supporting small scale renewable generators in the UK. We hope other suppliers and government will follow our lead.”
Good Energy buys only 100% renewable electricity from over 500 independent generators across the UK. It has consistently led the way in supporting independent and micro generation through its own ground‐breaking buy‐back schemes, and earlier this week published an analysis of all feed‐in‐tariff models under consideration by the Government in order to assist policy makers find the best FIT. The report is downloadable from the Good Energy website.
Learning about the increase to the HomeGen payment, customer AJ Snell said: “I’m really pleased to be receiving an extra 50% for the electricity I generate. I installed my solar PV panels knowing they were a long‐term investment and the real incentives were to cut my carbon footprint and become more self sufficient. Now I’m getting 15p for every unit of electricity I generate it will reduce my electricity bills and payback period even more. With some further encouragement and incentives from the Government the reasons for not home generating will be fewer and fewer. This could be the tipping point that encourages many more UK home owners to become Home Generators.”
To see Good Energy HomeGen customers in action and learn more about their projects, watch the films.
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Notes to Editor on HomeGen scheme:
• From 1st April 2009 Good Energy will pay customers signed up to the HomeGen scheme 15 pence for every unit the generator produces. This includes the units the generator uses as well as the ones that are fed into the grid.
• The customer does not need to install an export meter. They do need to install a total generation meter that is accredited by Ofgem.
• The annual payment made to a 2kW solar generator (estimated annual generation of 1750kWh) will be £245 approximately.
• By using 50% of their generation on site, HomeGen customers are expected to save an additional £123 by buying less electricity, making a total annual saving of £368 approximately.
• The HomeGen scheme is modelled on the Renewable Obligation (RO) – a financial mechanism that assists growth in the renewables industry.
Notes to Editor on Good Energy:
• Good Energy is unique in the supplier industry by buying and selling only 100% renewable electricity ‐ a major point of differentiation versus other players in the market. To compare the fuel mix of other suppliers please visit:
www.electricityinfo.org/suppliers.php
• More than 25,000 homes and businesses across the UK have switched to Good Energy. Good Energy buys electricity from more than 500 independent renewable generators that use wind, small scale hydro, solar power and sustainable biomass to generate electricity.
• In an official report entitled “Reality or Rhetoric? Green Tariffs for Domestic Customers” from the National Consumer Council, Good Energy was rated the greenest energy supplier in the UK. The report states: “For those consumers who want a green electricity supply, pure and simple, this is probably the closest they will get to it.”
• Good Energy is owned by the Good Energy Group, an independent PLC which specialises in investing in renewable energy. Good Energy Group has around 1700 shareholders, of which more than 90% are customers of Good Energy.
• Good Energy campaigns for more renewable generation in the UK, and is one of the original signatories to new Ofgem guidelines which aim to clear up confusion over ‘green’ energy tariffs.
• The Good Energy Shop helps customers reduce their energy use and costs as well as providing the means for individuals, businesses and communities to generate their own green energy. www.goodenergyshop.co.uk
• Join Good Energy today and start getting 100% renewable electricity. Call 0845 456 1640 or sign up online at www.goodenergy.co.uk
Media Enquiries
Samantha Hill
Carbon International
samantha.hill@carboninternational.com
+44 (0)20 7483 7205
David Hopkins
Carbon International
david.hopkins@carboninternational.com
+44 (0)20 7483 3343
