Is green electricity really green?

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Is green electricity really green?
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Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Tue Sep 11, 07 2:59 pm Post subject:

Jonnyboy wrote:

Treacodactyl wrote:

I agree although we should be changing our lifestyles far more to fit in with renewables. To offset the energy used to construct a wind farm it would seem wise to site it the best possible place.

True, unfortunately there are lots of arguments that may lead to wind farms being sited in less than optimal places. but that's a reality.

In the same way coal and gas is a reality?

Going back to the original question I'd find the cheapest deal and use the money you save to cut down on your energy usage. At least that way you can see where the money is going.

Jb

Joined: 08 Jun 2005
Posts: 7761
Location: 91� N

Posted: Tue Sep 11, 07 3:50 pm Post subject:

Rob R wrote:

Why is it a problem? Provided the kW put in is the same as taken out by the 'green' producers/consumers you are consuming green power. You can't expect to get the same electrons off the grid as put in by renewable sources unless you either have two seperate grids, or a wind turbine right next to your house

It's a problem because if there is more renewable supply than people on green tariffs can use then when you sign up to a green tariff you are not reducing the overall impact. If 10% of supply is renewables but only 5% of consumers are on a green tariff then increasing the number of people on green tariffs changes that second figure to 5.5%. It has no reducing effect on the 90% of production that is generating pollution.

Alternatively if there is more demand than supply then the people signing up to green tariffs are being sold a lie. The electricity being paid for as renewable is in fact coming from fossil sources.

I appreciate the point about demonstrating demand and that creating future investment but at the time of consumption using a green tariff does not reduce the overall carbon footprint. So when calculating a personal carbon footprint is it fair to disregard your power consumption just because you use one tariff rather than another?

Rob R

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York

Posted: Tue Sep 11, 07 4:33 pm Post subject:

JB wrote:

Rob R wrote:

My question is that IS this an actual problem, or are we just discussing something that may happen? Jonnyboy's Northern Ireland Electricity statement is what I would have thought would be the case for any electricity company offering a green option, and I would hope any self-respecting energy user would look into their own providers polices before taking up a green tariff. I would also hope that green tariffs are being calculated on kW as opposed to percentages too.

Jb

Joined: 08 Jun 2005
Posts: 7761
Location: 91� N

Posted: Tue Sep 11, 07 4:38 pm Post subject:

Rob R wrote:

Jonnyboy's Northern Ireland Electricity statement is what I would have thought would be the case for any electricity company offering a green option ...

But that statement doesn't indicate that if you didn't buy the green tariff they would have a policy of buying energy from fossil sources. If there is a renewable source available do the electricity companies buy from that source even if they do not have customers on a green tariff?

Rob R

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York

Posted: Tue Sep 11, 07 4:53 pm Post subject:

JB wrote:

I think that's a tacit implication of the statement- if you buy green, they buy green [if you don't, they don't].

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