Bristol Energy Launches Three Renewable Tariffs Powered by Local Generators

Bristol Energy is launching three new green energy tariffs, as its hometown aims to become the UK’s first carbon neutral city.

The tariffs, which will be the only ones available to new customers, will offer 100% renewable electricity and lower carbon gas. BE Super Green and Big Issue Super Green will also include 100% gas carbon offsets, not included with the entry level BE Simply Green tariff.

The two Super Green tariffs will also source electricity directly from local generators, including wind power from Grannell Coop in Ceredigion, Wales and solar power from Gower Power in Swansea. In total Bristol Energy has contracts with 54 independent renewable generators.

For every new customer who signs up to a two-year fixed, dual-fuel green tariff, Bristol Energy will put £20 towards environmental and social projects, such as the One Tree per Child tree planting scheme in Bristol. The Big Issue Super Green tariff also includes a £30 customer donation to the homelessness charity.

Bristol Energy said its new green tariff portfolio will support Bristol City Council’s ambitious plans to make the city carbon neutral by 2030, twenty years ahead of the UK’s national deadline. Bristol is raising up to £1 billion of investment to support the City Leap project.

Marek Majewicz, Managing Director at Bristol Energy, said: “We are pleased to now only offer green products to new customers, encouraging green energy and supporting local renewable generators across wind, solar, hydro and bio. 

“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. 

“Our new products encourage customers to go green and do their bit for the planet. My message to everyone in Bristol is switch to Bristol Energy and support our city to become a cleaner, greener, healthier place to live.”

Bristol Energy was set up by the city council in 2016. It currently supplies just over 100,000 domestic customers and 4,500 business. Although it’s supposed to primarily serve the local area, recent figures revealed that just 11.4% of its customers live in Bristol.

Responding to those figures, Green Party councillor Stephen Clarke said that “something has gone horribly wrong in the marketing strategy” for the supplier.

Deputy mayor Craig Cheney, speaking at a council meeting about the supplier’s five year plan, said there would be a “renewed focus” on targeting Bristolians in 2020.

That will include a small advertising campaign using outdoor media and direct mail and efforts to promote the supplier to the council’s own staff.

Bristol Energy, the second council-owned energy supplier set up, after Nottingham City Council’s Robin Hood Energy, remains one of the more successful publicly owned suppliers. However, it made a loss of £10.1 million in 2018-19, according to figures released to Companies House in November, and required a £37 million investment from the council in 2019. The company is forecast to break even in 2023-24, according to business plans.