Energy companies join forces to make clean energy ownership widely available

Published by

Nicky Godding

Gloucestershire-based energy provider Ecotricity is one of four major energy companies joining forces with Ripple Energy to help make clean electricity ownership accessible and affordable to millions more people across the country.

British Gas, Ecotricity, EDF, and E.ON Next will be able to offer their customers the opportunity to own part of a wind farm or solar park in a co-operative managed by Ripple.

By owning their own source of clean power, members of the public can become directly involved in sustainable energy solutions, accelerating the transition to net zero.

Ripple then works with the suppliers to apply savings generated by their customer’s renewable energy sites directly to electricity bills, giving people the opportunity to power their homes and businesses with 100 per cent green energy and shrink their carbon footprint.

The four new providers are expected to join current Ripple supply partners, Your Co-op Energy (powered by Octopus Energy) and Unify Energy. Ripple partners would then cover 70 per cent of UK households, allowing savings to be applied directly to most customer’s bills who join Ripple without them having to switch energy supplier.

Founder and CEO of Ripple Energy, Sarah Merrick, said: “Our mission has always been to make clean energy ownership available to everyone, everywhere. It shouldn’t matter whether you live close to a renewable energy site or not, live in a flat or a bungalow, own your home or rent it.

“Collaborating with even more of the UK’s energy giants will not only support that mission but demonstrate their dedication to sustainability and delivering value to their customers.

“Action to accelerate the UK’s transition to clean energy is more important than ever. Partnerships like these can play a crucial role in making renewable energy accessible to all.”

The four new energy suppliers also voiced their support, highlighting their commitment to renewables and empowering customers to make eco-conscious choices.

Founder of Ecotricity, Dale Vince OBE said: “At Ecotricity we use the proceeds from our customers’ energy bills to build new sources of green energy like windmills and sunmills – we call it bills into mills.

“This initiative from Ripple gives people the opportunity to own a stake in green energy mills in an accessible way.

“This will give Ecotricity customers the opportunity to play an even bigger part in Britain’s journey to energy independence. We’re looking forward to being part of this cooperative.”

Nicky Godding

Nicky Godding is editor of The Business Magazine. Before her journalism career, she worked mainly in public relations moving into writing when she was invited to launch Retail Watch, a publication covering retail and real estate across Europe. After some years of constant travelling, she tucked away her passport and concentrated on business writing, co-founding a successful regional business magazine. She has interviewed some of the UK’s most successful entrepreneurs who have built multi-million-pound businesses and reported on many science and technology firsts. She reports on the region’s thriving business economy from start-ups, family businesses and multi-million-pound corporations, to the professionals that support their growth and the institutions that educate the next generation of business leaders.