Switch to a green energy supplier
Consider switching your electricity and gas to a supplier that supplies green energy. If you buy your energy from a green supplier your monthly payments are then supporting investments in new renewable generation, rather than increasing the profits of suppliers that use fossil fuels.
Electricity
Although you receive electricity from the grid just like everyone else, your green energy supplier will purchase a corresponding amount of electricity from renewable generation to meet the combined demands of all their customers. If there is insufficient renewable energy available, they will invest in new renewable generation to increase the supply. Typically the electricity will be produced by a combination of wind power, solar power and hydro power. In some cases, the green energy suppliers own and manage these facilities themselves.
Gas
Green gas is a little different as there is not yet enough available for the green suppliers to meet the total demand, although some percentage of their supply may be biomethane from renewable sources. Biomethane is mostly produced by anaerobic digestion of agricultural waste materials, or as methane collected from underground decomposition or organic waste in landfill sites. Generally, ‘green gas’ is carbon neutral gas where the emissions are offset elsewhere.
Suppliers
Companies to consider include Ecotricity, Good Energy, and locally-based Green Energy.