Cutting the Carbon:
Switch to Green energy

There is an increasing number of energy supply companies offering Green tariffs. Not all are the same and we recommend that you take time to review the options. (More information about Green tariffs, from Friends of the Earth...)

It is important to note that where the energy is wholly Green, the cost of supply is likely to be close to or slightly more than most standard energy tariffs. This is largely because of the investment required in setting up current and future renewable projects and because Green supplies do not yet benefit from the economies of scale of longer-standing, less environmentally-friendly forms of power generation.

However, not only can this additional cost be easily offset by improving energy efficiency, e.g. by changing lightbulbs, but after switching a substantial proportion (all in the case of some tariffs) of your electricity supply should be from renewable sources and therefore be carbon neutral. This will substantially reduce your carbon footprint and therefore makes a sensible investment of some of the money saved by changing to low energy lightbulbs. It is certainly at present a more cost-effective means of obtaining renewable energy than most micro-generation schemes (e.g. solar cells on church roofs).

Those wishing to switch may like to consider Good Energy.

Good Energy supplies 100% renewable electricity wholly generated from wind, small-scale hydro, wave, solar power and sustainable biomass. The company is generally regarded as being the most environmentally sound electricity supply available in the UK - the National Consumer Council earlier in 2007 stated that "for those consumers who want a green electricity supply, pure and simple, this is probably the closest they will get to it".

Affiliation scheme operated by Good Energy:

Good Energy has agreed to set up an affiliation scheme for any Church of England diocese that requests it. Similar schemes have already been established for other businesses and charitable organisations including Tearfund and Innocent Drinks.

Churches and individuals are of course free to sign up to Good Energy direct, or indeed to chose other suppliers. However, where there is a diocesan affiliation scheme, Good Energy will make a donation to that diocese when any church or church buildings sign up, to help support local environmental initiatives.

Details of how the scheme works will be sent shortly to your Diocesan Secretary.

For further information on Good Energy, please visit www.good-energy.co.uk or call 0845 456 1640.