West Lindsey District Council will be switching its electricity tariff with its current provider as soon as contracts allow in October, to one that is 100 per cent traceable and zero carbon.
This will ensure any payments to its energy supplier is funding renewable energy sources only. The move supports our target of becoming net zero carbon before 2050.
Councillor Tracey Coulson, Member Champion for Environment and Sustainability, explained that as well as switching to low energy heating and appliances and making sure council buildings are well insulated, we’ve installed solar panels and air source heating where possible. Councillor Coulson, said:
“When we passed our ambitious Environment and Sustainability Action Plan and new Carbon Management Plan last summer, we knew the Council would need to lead by example by ensuring, as an organisation, we were taking steps to become carbon neutral.
“Our primary focus remains on reducing our gas and electricity consumption and being more efficient – as this has the double benefit of making financial savings and helping the environment.
“Despite this, we are a long way off from being self-sufficient and switching to this gold standard of renewable electricity tariff provides increased traceability and transparency about where our electricity is being sourced from.
“In these testing economic times I’d urge everyone to look into ways that that can save electricity around their own homes and to investigate the possibility of switching your home energy provider to one that provides renewable energy, if you’ve not already done so. You may be surprised at the savings you could make whilst helping the environment at the same time.”
The green energy market can be complex, with many companies now offering competitive green electricity tariffs for both residential properties and businesses.
We are pleased to have secured a deal that will mean that nearly 500,000 kwh used annually in our own buildings and assets now comes from 100% renewable sources such as solar or wind – saving the equivalent of more than 100 tonnes of C02 emissions annually. The same amount as taking 63 cars driving the Uk average of 7600 miles each year off the roads.
Unfortunately, not all green electricity tariffs are equal as energy companies can purchase Renewable Energy Guarantee of Origin (REGO) certificates, without directly buying or generating renewable electricity, such as solar energy.
Although West Lindsey District Council switched to a greener electricity tariff in October 2020, there is a potential that some of the power provided via this tariff was being generated from natural gas or other non-renewable sources.
The new electricity product ensures that 100 per cent of the REGO certificates are purchased from primary sources of renewable electricity generated solely via wind, solar and hydro.
More information about the REGO scheme can be found on Ofgem's website.