Energy suppliers offering environment-friendly tariffs are not always as green as they sound, experts say.
Many “100% renewable” electricity tariffs use energy generated by fossil fuels, which is then “offset” for a small price.
Sustainable energy think tank Regen complains of “loose language and loose marketing” around green energy tariffs.
But industry body Energy UK says all renewable tariffs help to transform the grid for a low-carbon future.
The vast majority of energy suppliers now offer green tariffs and many promise 100% renewable electricity as standard.
However, some energy companies accuse others of “greenwashing” – using marketing spin to make “dirty” electricity seem clean.
“The sale of green tariffs increased remarkably in the period since 2015. In fact, it doubled between 2017 and 2018,” says Rob Gross, the director of the UK Energy Research Centre.
