Bristol Energy has launched three new green tariffs as part of the city’s push to be net zero by 2030.
The tariffs, BE Simply Green, BE Super Green and Big Issue Super Green, will now be the only ones available to Bristol Energy customers. They will be powered by 100% green electricity and lower carbon gas, with the BE Super Green and Big Issue Super Green both including 100% gas carbon offsets.
These two tariffs also include renewable electricity sourced directly from UK generators, in particular those in the South-West of England. Bristol Energy has contracts with 54 independent renewable generators, gaining wind power from Wales’ (Ceredigion) Grannell Coop and solar power from Swansea’s Gower Power for example.
This shift to a wholly green portfolio is particularly significant as Bristol’s target for carbon neutrality is just a decade away.
Marek Majewicz, the managing director at Bristol Energy, said: “As we enter a new decade, 2020 is a significant year for Bristol Energy. We’ll soon reach our fifth year of trading, and, in line with the progressing ambitious City Leap project, we’ve now hit the 10 year countdown to Bristol’s carbon neutral target (of 2030).
“By sourcing electricity directly from renewable generators, we’re committing to supporting local businesses and communities who generate renewable power, by giving them a route to market and a good price for the power they sell.”
The tariffs also include charitable components. When you switch to BE Super Green or Big Issue Super Green Tariff, Bristol Energy will put aside £20 towards environmental and social projects the company said.
This could be projects such as the One Tree per Child tree planting scheme in Bristol. The Big Issue Super Green tariff also includes a customer donation of £30 to the Big Issue.
Bristol has some of the most ambitious carbon targets in the country, and has already taken action to meet them. In 2019, Bristol launched an ambitious plan to raise up to £1 billion of investment to turn it into the UK’s first carbon neutral city.
Bristol Energy, which recently reached its 100,000 residential customer milestone as well as supplying around 4,500 business meter points, has also been investing in the energy system to make it smarter. This includes partnering with software company Eliq for the development of an AI-enabled energy monitoring app, for which a chunk of a £6.5 million pot of government funding was secured.