Green energy makes it possible to power your home or business without using fossil fuels such as coal or oil.
With the use of fossil fuels being one of the leading contributors towards climate change, now has never been a better time to explore green energy alternatives.
In the following post, we’ve added all the green energy suppliers that we know of in the UK.
The EcoSend team will continue to update this list as existing energy suppliers offer greener alternatives or if new green energy companies pop up.
At the end of this post, you’ll also find answers to common questions about switching to greener energy.
100Green
Switch to 100Green for your gas or electricity supply and your home will be powered by the likes of anaerobic digestion, biomass, hydro, solar or wind turbines.
Something that really stands out with 100Green is their commitment to customer service. Namely, they won’t palm you off to a chatbot if you need help. Instead, you’ll find an actual phone number on their website to be put through to a human. Amazing!
Also, we found their marketing to be quite humorous at times. To be more specific, the explanation of the aforementioned ‘anaerobic digestion’ which is demonstrated by a plastic cow and some strategic pixelation. You can see this for yourself by watching their company video.
As a customer, you can even download handy guides about how to get set up with your new energy supply, making it really easy to find the information you need. There is also guidance about what to do if you need help paying your bill, ensuring customers can easily access any support.
Combined with their commitment to providing cleaner and greener energy, 100Green offers the energy market something different for all the right reasons.
💡 Good to know: 100Green was previously known as Green Energy UK but has since undergone a name change.
Ebico
Next up is the UK’s first not-for-profit energy provider, Ebico.
Ebico works in partnership with Octopus Energy, with three tariffs to choose from.
The company’s contribution towards helping the climate crisis is in the form of the Ebico Affordable Warmth Incubator Programme.
The idea is to facilitate the supply of low carbon power to the UK’s most vulnerable households, helping to ensure that the cost of energy bills is not a barrier to reducing carbon emissions over the longer term.
For homeowners or businesses wanting to support positive change within the energy industry, Ebico is certainly one to watch.
Ecotricity
With a headline of ‘Let’s end fossil fuels!’ it’s clear that Ecotricity means business. Clean energy business to be precise.
Ecotricity states its electricity is 100% green and is gained from solar and wind energy. At present, Ecotricity generates 20% of its own energy, with the rest purchased from certified green energy providers on the wholesale market.
The company is also building various solar and wind parks across the country, with the aim of expanding the UK renewable’s market, rather than continuing to purchase wholesale energy.
Based on the wind farms that Ecotricity has already built, 34,000 tonnes of CO2 are being reduced per year.
Good Energy
With Good Energy, the clue is in the name!
As well as supplying Green Energy, Good Energy is unique in that it installs the likes of air pumps, heat pumps and solar panels as well. These sources of renewable energy can then be sold back to the grid, helping homeowners and businesses to generate an income from their green energy sources.
Good Energy is keen to point out they are not a fan of greenwashing. With some suppliers purchasing energy from a mix of sources, Good Energy electricity is strictly 100% renewable and comes from solar and wind energy.
So, if you’re set on having green energy in every sense of the word, Good Energy are definitely one of the best energy companies supplying the UK market.
Octopus Energy
As one of the best known energy suppliers in the UK, Octopus Energy is also praised for its environmental credentials.
With 100% of its energy powered by renewable sources, Octopus also recently acquired Bulb’s customers, along with M&S Energy customers. So it may be the case that you’ve automatically been switched over, if you were previously a customer of either of these suppliers.
At present, Octopus Energy is capable of powering 2 million homes with green energy. The company also pays some of its customers for the use of their solar panels. This is a great incentive for households considering installing solar energy.
Between 2018 and 2021, Octopus Energy offset the amount of energy that’s equivalent to 864,268 flights. The company also supplies ⅓ of the UK’s electric charging points - all with green energy!
Ovo Energy
Ovo Energy provides a ‘green energy upgrade’ allowing your electricity to be sourced from renewable sources.
While the energy that Ovo Energy purchases comes from a range of sources, they state that they buy ‘the same amount of renewable electricity to balance this all out’, on their website.
All of the renewable energy they do purchase comes from UK-based independent generators. The green electricity is generated from the likes of hydro, solar, wind and anaerobic digestion.
Also supplied within the contract is 100% carbon-neutral gas, which includes 10% green gas.
In addition, Ovo Energy is also investing in carbon reduction projects such as rainforest protection and the planting of new trees.
Your Co-op Energy
Running on 100% renewable energy derived from community projects, Your Co-op Energy is backed by Octopus energy.
Your Co-op Energy’s energy sources include solar, wind, and hydro farms, with the company also providing climate positive broadband and mobile services.
Two energy tariffs are provided, with the ‘greenest’ tariff boasting a £10 donation to the Community Power Fund and membership points awarded depending on how much you pay per month.
Your Co-op Energy is also Which? recommended.
Generating Your Own Renewable Energy To Power Your Home Or Business
If you’re a homeowner, you may be able to make modifications to your home which allow it to generate its own energy.
While the exact measures will depend on your budget, plus any possible planning restraints, some ways of generating your own energy include:
🪵 - Biomass - Biomass boilers and the use of organic waste to generate heat or electricity through combustion (i.e. Heru).
🏜️ - Geothermal - Heat pumps can be used to harness the heat from underneath the ground to provide heating and cooling throughout a property.
🌊 - Hydropower - Running water from nearby rivers or streams can generate electricity through the use of micro-hydropower systems.
🌞 - Solar power - Solar roof panels, solar roof tiles, solar water systems, solar garden lighting & portable solar chargers for devices.
With some of these options allowing you to significantly cut your energy bills, it is often the case that the cost of generating your own energy will pay for itself within just a few years.
You may also be interested in: 11 green construction & home renovation trends for 2023
Green Energy Companies UK FAQs
Want to know more about green energy? We’ve answered some of the most common queries below.
What Is Green Energy?
Green energy refers to energy sources that are naturally replenished such as solar or wind power. Other terms associated with green energy can include clean energy or renewable energy.
Sustainable energy is another similar term, although ‘sustainable’ means the energy source can be replenished faster than it can be used.
As green energy sources do not deplete finite resources, greenhouse gases are reduced and air quality is improved, especially compared with using coal or oil. This makes green energy highly attractive, especially for homeowners and businesses wishing to lower their carbon footprint.
How Is Green Energy Generated?
Biofuels
Geothermal
Hydroelectric power
Solar power
Wind power
Green Energy Advantages
Green energy does not deplete natural resources instantly lowering your carbon emissions as a home or business.
Sources of green energy are often infinitely replenishable, such as solar or wind power.
Improves air quality as fossil fuels are not being burned.
Boasts energy diversification, helping to secure our energy sources going forward.
Can have positive economic benefits for areas where green energy is produced.
Green Energy Considerations
Green energy suppliers can sometimes be more expensive, due to less competition available within the green energy sector. Though this is not always the case.
Some sources of green energy may be weather dependent, making it difficult to fully rely on all year round.
Each type of green energy and supplier has varying green credentials, which should be researched before switching.
How Does Green Energy Work?
Green energy is powered by the likes of solar and wind energy. For you the customer, switching to a green energy supplier means your energy bills are being spent on renewable energy sources, rather than traditional coal or oil powered energy.
How To Invest In Green Energy
Many green energy providers have options for community investment. Or, the ability to purchase solar or wind technology and sell the energy back to energy suppliers.
It’s also possible to use investment apps to invest in green energy companies directly. Though, you will need to do your research and seek advice.
Alternatively, you can also invest in green energy through a third party, such as EcoSend, since our email marketing platform is powered by renewable energy sources.
How To Switch To A Green Energy Provider
Unless you plan on installing green energy technology within your home (i.e. solar panels, biomass boilers etc) - switching to a green energy provider works much the same as switching to a regular provider.
Often, your new energy provider will complete the admin work on your behalf once you enter into an agreement with them.
How Green Is Green Energy?
Good question! The answer depends on the specific energy company, and where they derive their energy from. The greenest energy of all is electricity or gas which is 100% generated by the company itself, through traceable and certified green sources.
EcoSend - The Email Marketing Platform That's Powered By Renewable Energy ✉️ 🌎
Switching to green energy is a fantastic way to reduce your carbon emissions as a homeowner or business.
But while you’re here, if you do any kind of email marketing, did you know that your digital activity also has a carbon footprint?
Most people don’t realise that emails have a carbon footprint. In reality, with 300 billion emails sent per day - a lot of carbon is generated in sending and receiving those emails.
EcoSend is the world’s first sustainable email platform. Our systems are powered by renewable energy to cut the emissions of your campaigns. We also plant trees on behalf of our customers and take part in CSR activities to help our local environment.
So whether you’re a green energy supplier in the UK or operate in another industry, switching to EcoSend can help lower your carbon emissions. All without having to miss out on all the tools and features you need to send incredible email campaigns!
➡️ Sign up for your free trial of EcoSend to get started.
Want to hear from our customers first? Check out the businesses that have already made the switch to greener email marketing with EcoSend.
Have any questions about EcoSend? Please get in touch and we’ll be right with you!
