• Good Energy launches campaign to abandon grid average carbon emissions reporting
• Good Energy stands up for businesses penalised for green choices

26 May 2011: Good Energy, the UK's 100% renewable electricity supplier, is launching a campaign to ‘Get Rid of Grid Average’ calling on the Government to change its policy on business carbon emission reporting.   

Launching the campaign at Utility Week's Conference in Birmingham on Tuesday, CEO and founder of Good Energy, Juliet Davenport criticised the government’s current guidelines. These require businesses to report all their carbon emissions due to energy usage based on the UK average fuel mix, which is just 6.6% renewables, or 410g/kWh - regardless of whether they have chosen a renewable electricity tariff, or even if they generate their own renewables on-site.  Hence there is little incentive for businesses to switch to lower carbon electricity and reduce their carbon emissions.

Speaking at the conference, Juliet Davenport said: “We know that many well-known businesses want to use clean, green, renewable energy; not only to reduce their emissions but also to help control energy costs, reduce wastage and hedge against price fluctuations. But under the current guidelines they have no incentive to do so. Using actual emission factors including treating on-site renewable electricity as zero-carbon for reporting purposes is the approach widely used throughout Europe, the USA and Australia – it should be the same here. The government would have a tool for increasing renewable electricity generation, boosting the UK's ability to achieve our emissions targets and sending a clear investment signal to companies that environmentally friendly choices will be rewarded."

Simon Bullock, Friends of the Earth Economy Team Coordinator, said: “Current rules put companies in the crazy position of appearing to use electricity from fossil fuels even if they generate or buy 100% renewable power. The Government should act on Good Energy’s campaign for a better carbon reporting system – this would encourage more businesses to switch to renewable energy and fairly credit those that go green.”

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For more information please contact

Stephanie Blott on 0207 618 9137 or goodenergy@luther.co.uk

Sophy Fearnley-Whittingstall on 01249 767482 or sophy@goodenergy.co.uk

NOTES TO EDITORS

• Good Energy is unique in the electricity supply industry by selling only 100% renewable electricity. Its standard electricity tariff is certified under the independent Green Energy Supply Scheme. To compare the fuel mix of other suppliers please visit: www.electricityinfo.org/suppliers.php
• In 2011 Good Energy Group completed the £11.8 million repowering of its wind farm at Delabole in North Cornwall comprising £9.6 million in debt finance from the Co-operative Bank and £2.2 million equity from Good Energy Group PLC's own resources.
• Delabole was the first in a pipeline of new wind farm development opportunities which are expected to add 50 MW of new onshore wind capacity over the next five years – enough to power the homes in a town about the size of Cambridge.
• More than 26,000 homes and businesses across the UK have switched to Good Energy
• As of end March 2011 Good Energy supports a pioneering community of more than 2,000 independent renewable heat and electricity generators that use wind, small-scale hydro, solar power and sustainable biomass to generate homegrown energy
• Good Energy has won numerous awards including: West of England Business of the Year 2009; Sunday Times Green Company 2009; Observer Ethical Award for best online retail initiative 2009; and CEO Juliet Davenport won PLUS markets CEO of the Year in 2009 and 2010.