New label launched for certified green electricity

16/02/2010

A new certification scheme has been launched by Ofgem to identify green electricity tariffs which have been certified as having genuine environmental benefits.

The “green energy certified” label will help customers recognise tariffs that have been certified under the scheme. It will reassure them that if they choose a certified green energy deal, they will be supporting suppliers who are going the extra mile to reduce carbon emissions.

The certification scheme will implement energy regulator Ofgem’s Green Supply Guidelines, published last year. The guidelines set out what green tariffs should comprise, how they should be marketed and the evidence required to back-up claims.

To be eligible for certification, suppliers will have to demonstrate to an independent panel of experts that their tariffs result in a reduction of a minimum threshold of carbon dioxide emissions.

Crucially suppliers must show that the activity associated with the green tariff is in addition to what they already have to do to meet existing Government targets for sourcing more renewable electricity and reducing household carbon emissions.

The independent panel, chaired by Solitaire Townsend, a leading sustainable development expert, has now assessed tariffs from all participants in the scheme. Details of the newly certified tariffs are available at www.greenenergyscheme.org