Energy (with a focus on GB)

In Britain a market of sorts has been created for which supplier you buy energy from, where in theory the customer has a choice who they purchase electricity & gas from. It is a scam really but still better to play market than ignore it. For a long time you were most likely pay less if you switched from your existing supplier as well as often getting better level of service. Also you have option to choose to choose a contract that ensures more of money you pay goes to environmentally friendly generation of electricity. But for many years it seemed the amount of renewable energy produced will be determined more by government policy than green consumer demand. Care needs to ensure additonality.

Before changing utility supplier check out what Martin Lewis has to say at Money Saving Expert. (but they do not get every thing right with energy such as Smart Meters)

There are various price comparison sites. Citizen's Advice and before that Customer Focus and Energy Watch directed the public to these and Citizens Advice may still provide a list of them. They also so do a customer survey and ranking.

SwitchD which gave a go for my electic only, which they then rejected becuase my electric meter is an odd way. Algo can't cope with my meter situation. Others report double billing issues when companies went bust.
Flipper closed in 2021. Flipper communitry website frozen in time.
Which?
Energyhelpline
U Switch
Simply Switch
Cooperative Energy is a coop that will give customer experiance like being a customer of Octopus Energy, as they now use Octopus for Customer Service as well as Billing; but the payments support community generators.

Octopus like Good Energy are pro-electrification so they will remove gas meters and cap gas services for free.
I have found myself admining a Facebook Group for both Octopus fans and detractors which if you use Facebook feel free to join Energy GB which started as the Octopus Energy forum on Meta Facebook. But if you don't use Facebook good, please keep it that way. I was trying to cut my own use of it, and advise anyone else to cut use of Facebook too. Ideally not start using it.

Another company using Octopus' systems that markets itself as an environmentally friendly is Good Energy (spotted when it was previously Unit-E) was used by a local project I was involved with, which actually delivered savings for them as they were on unsuitable tariff with old supplier. But I think for most home users they won't save much over even the expensive previous monopoly supplier. And even pay slighly more than price cap as allowed due to OfGEM assessing that they provide the green value over companies subject to the price cap.

I returned to another company not subject to price cap as investing in new renewable supply called Ecotricity. I had been put off them many years ago when they made a mistake mixng up night and day readings and did not send me a new bill quickly enough before I got fed up and switched away to Ebico, who no longer has no-standing charge offer. That was a long time ago that I was put off by misbilling, but now willing to give them a go again predominantly due to ther support for Green Gas in the form of biomethane made from digesting grass without oxygen (anaerobic), as well as other positive activities by the company and supported by founder and owner Dale Vince. So switched just my gas, which after a few hicups, seems to be now going ok. They initally missquoted me a lower rate than intended so I have put back switch to them till July 1st 2023 when the rates used in quote were intended to be valid from. They have just got their own biomethane plant injecting gas into the Gas Network just after I joined them. At first I was not able to get online nor app access with access in a credential reset loop, which turned out because they were blocking my ip address(es) I tended to use. The main thing for me is to get accurate billing, using opening read sent by email as well as Smart Meter readings. I had a visit from meter reader from Lowi Beck soon after joining them, who said they were doing all Ecotricity customers in the area despite mine being a Smart Meter but turned out their metering tema need to looking to took a few week till they started recieving daily readings. On managing to reset password and accessing account I found out only used readings read from the meter by a meter reader or myself and not those sent automatically by the smart meter, but an email to them chased up got it sorted after a few weeks. BG had taken years to fix what was probably the same issue when I was switched to them, with PfP not progressing much either.

If you want to try Ecotricity use code: Q9S4A7 to get £50 per fuel credit when you sign up with them, but they seem to often have better sign up offers on their website anyway, perhaps you can use both. If you use Facebook then there is an Ecotricity forum group.

Biofuel critic including biomethane
Another Green Gas supporting gas supplier to consider is 100Green previously know as Green Energy UK.

Many years back I have previously signed up with Powergen (now called EON which evolved into Eon Next) for their green option which has undergone several reincarnations now over the years, as they had a free light bulb and money back deal when I signed up. A friend had a long drawn out incorrect billing experience with them. Incorrect billing issues plague the industry. Eon Next uses the same Kraken IT software platform developed by Octopus which is also used by Good Energy, and the Coop, which is meant to solve some of these issues, but seems to have created differnt confusion debiting balance and sending a bill for some, each time reading is submit or at random dates within month. E.ON-Next do an EV tariff called Next Drive.

After PowerGen I switched to Scottish Hydro to save money, which merged into SSE whose domestic business then bought by OVO. OVO do a cheap all day EV tariff.

After switching to some other suppliers including some that were greener and some that were cheaper but Scottish Hydro were only ones had a good customer service experience matching the low level complaints they get; they seem to be only company that produced a correct bill by not mixing up readings or getting address wrong. And good customer service is vital if you are not to waste lots of time having to deal with energy company. Looking back over past bills from many companies on some very unclear as to dates reading were from. This has improved in recent years especially with OFGEM new rules on providing more information on bills. But lots of improvements could be had in this area, especially with giving annual day/night split.

I once tried the now bust PfPEnergy set up by a previous landlord of ours. When it went bust, its customers were transferred to BG Energy, who I remain for now mainly due to odd issue with meter. I have a bit of a misplaced soft spot for BG as I knew people working for them. They still have experianced staff working for them in Cardiff, Wales, and in Granton, Edinburgh, Scotland. And although staff there deal with new conections, retrentions and escalations, BG has outsourced much frontline customer service. But BG fired many experianced staff in the field who installed, serviced and fixed boilers, when they did not accept new terms.

Those with night storge heaters that are still often best off using Economy 7 with cheaper NIGHT RATE, often find not the support required from suppliers and those upgrading meters. Issues are report accorss supplies wwhere slow to remeady issues while customers struggel to pay more than they should.

Another source of info is GreenElectricity.org

An interesting look at effect of choosing green tariff was produced by ethical consumer.

It took a while for companies to start marketing their green options much. At start they offered them just for show and seems they don't really want people to take them up. The government can wash it's hands of problem and say look it is up to customer to choose. But as time went on an climate change has gone up agenda they are using them in marketing more, but now with harder government targets, and intersting technology choices it is time for a combination of lobbying and action. The market does not deliver, but my view is better to play it for best deal and/or price signal while it exists than not.

I have had long history of mis billing with many suppliers, that often took a long time to sort out. Do keep all communications from your energy provider and records to help if you need to complain. Complaints can be made with help of Citizens Advice, or Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) in Scotland.

If you don't have gas and wish to get a quote for a new connection then who you contact depends on area you live in. For Scotland it will be SGN or if in the North of England it maybe Northern Gas Networks, for elsewhere see list of Gas Transporters (and Utility Infrastructure Providers) via OFGEM's website

If you need to obtain the Meter Point Reference Number (MPRN) for your Gas supply then Xoserve provide a service to look it up call Find My Supplier or call them on 0870 608 1524.

Your electric (MPAN) can be obtained from your Electrical Distribution company, including look-ups by address and Meter Serial number (NG) or Northern PowerGrid. For more on the MPAN see Energy Linx.

If you are able do get on the PSR for extra help such as in a power cut.

Shifting demand from peak to off peak is rapidly developing opportunity. There are many sources of finding out the carbon intensity of the electrical grid at present and forecast. There is an app from National Grid ESO for GB and for whole of GB now grammes of CO₂ (equivalent) per kiloWatthour:

Also see Drax Electric Insights

Pretty wind patterns .

Winderful wind power in GB .

Sustainable Energy - without the hot air
by David MacKay

This book, even though now several years old, is full of interesting figures laid out in a great way. I found what it presented about heat pumps of much interest.

Turn Down Your Boiler flow Temp

Energy Links:
If looking for off grid power to replace dirty generators the you may need Power Up Services.

Modal shift in travel links:
Upgrading & decarbonising transport
- APCUK
Preventing Climate Change
- Carbon Brief
- Climate Town
History and places to visit related to energy and industry
- Historic Gas Times
- Catalyst Museam
Measurement
- System of Measurement Units
- Imperial verses Metric
There is a debate about future ownership of energy companies, resourses and other utilities. See the campaign We Own It.
Also there is the Energy For All campaign to not only to abolish the standing charge but also provide free essential units based on household need. This will help mitigate the issue of forced PAYG meters leading to self disconnection that has great social as well as individual cost.

Phone Service (UK)

More on energy focusing on enviromental aspects

More on energy focusing on North of England and Gas

Energy Mastodon

Just Transistion Facebook group for those that allready use Facebook group, as I don't recommend you start.

Energy GB Facebook group for those that allready use Facebook group, as I don't recommend you start.

Energy (with a focus on GB)

Turn Down Your Boiler flow Temp

Energy Links:

Modal shift in travel links:

Upgrading & decarbonising transport

Preventing Climate Change

History and places to visit related to energy and industry

Measurement