The comparison and switching service’s independent panel have judged Good Energy’s electricity and gas tariffs to be ‘market leading in their environmental credentials’

Good Energy’s fixed and standard variable tariffs have been accredited with the the highest standard in a groundbreaking new scheme from comparison and switching site Uswitch. The ‘first of its kind’ scheme categorises green energy tariffs into Bronze, Silver and Gold, with Good Energy the only supplier to have all of its tariffs accredited the Gold Standard, as judged by an independent panel of experts.

The requirement for Uswitch Gold Standard Green Tariffs is that 100% of renewable electricity is sourced via power purchase agreements, or PPAs. This means that the power is sourced via direct contracts with renewable generators, rather than greenwashed power which includes a mix of fossil fuel, nuclear and renewable purchased on the wholesale market and then ‘labelled’ green with certificates called REGOs. For gas tariffs, the requirement is 10% from green gas with the remainder carbon offset.

Uswitch says of the Gold Standard classication that “These tariffs will also provide a meaningful contribution towards increasing and/or promoting renewable energy, for example investing into future renewable generation, such as wind or solar and market innovations that help promote renewable uptake.”

Anyone with half an eye on this blog will know we have long been vocal about how green many green tariffs really are. For years now customers who are trying to do the right thing in choosing green have been in the dark about what their energy tariffs really do. So we are celebrating this move as a watershed moment for transparency.

And clearly, transparency is needed. Research from Uswitch found that whilst a third of households are now on a ‘green’ tariff, more than half (52%) of UK consumers are confused about what actually makes up the many ‘green’ deals on the market.

For more information on the new Uswitch Green Accreditation, see the Uswitch news release and information page.