Blog Post

Good Energy vs Bulb Energy: Good Energy CEO calls out Bulb’s Renewable Energy Claims

Richard Simmonds • Jun 23, 2021

The issue of greenwashing is now a major battleground for energy suppliers with several calling for much more transparency from their rivals when it comes to informing consumers as to where their ‘clean’ energy comes from. In this case, Good Energy has openly called out Bulb Energy.

The REGO debate

Greenwashing has hit the headlines a lot in recent months as the Renewable Energy Guarantee of Origin (REGO) certificates scheme came under increased scrutiny after several energy suppliers claimed it allowed for some suppliers to effectively dupe their customers into thinking they were ‘green’.

The growing demand for cleaner energy and that feel-good factor from consumers that they are playing their part in saving the planet from climate catastrophe has seen suppliers launch numerous campaigns to push their green credentials.

To some, they take those claims very seriously whilst others are seemingly using it as nothing more than a marketing gimmick to snap up new customers looking for the cheapest energy tariffs.

An energy tariff can be labelled as ‘green’ or ‘renewable’ if an energy supplier purchases Rego certificates for a small fee, however, this doesn’t necessarily mean the energy they are supplying is clean as under current rules they are not required to purchase power directly from renewable generators.

According to Good Energy and Scottish Power, an energy supplier can only truly claim they are 100% green if the energy they supply is bought directly from a renewable energy generator.

Some energy suppliers have attempted to become more transparent over the issue but others, according to Good Energy have ‘doubled down’ on their greenwash claims.

Also read: Energy suppliers join forces to demand a legal requirement to put an end to ‘misleading’ green tariffs

Bulb in Good Energy’s crosshairs

Good Energy is one of those energy suppliers that has led the calls for greater transparency over green tariffs and has called on the energy regulator Ofgem to do more to ensure that suppliers are being honest with consumers as to where they source their energy.

Bulb Energy meanwhile has been making the headlines for a variety of negative reasons, one of which has been a sharp increase in customer complaints and landing in hot water for overcharging on energy bills.

Bulb also say that they are a clean energy provider but in a move that is pretty rare in the sector, Good Energy has openly challenged this claim. On its website, Good Energy has posted a blog detailing all the reasons it believes Bulb Energy is not being honest with consumers.

“Bulb is proud to promote the renewable generators it works with directly. On its website homepage it is quite clear that “wherever possible, we have direct relationships with these generators to purchase their electricity.” The problem is that the phrase ‘wherever possible’ is doing a lot of heavy lifting here. Click through to Bulb’s ‘Our generators’ page and you will find a map listing 29 different generators,” said the CEO of Good Energy in a blog post. Good Energy meanwhile lists over 1600.

Also read: Bulb Energy makes deal to delay repaying £55 million of Loans as rising wholesale prices bite

Good Energy’s CEO takes a pop

Good Energy’s new chief executive has also heavily criticised Bulb over its approach to providing renewable energy.

Nigel Pocklington, who took over from founder Juliet Davenport in May, said "the reality doesn't bear out" some of Bulb's green claims.

“Bulb entered the market in 2015 promising to make energy ‘simpler, cheaper and greener’. Given their record of making convoluted marketing claims, blocking switches, overcharging customers, and greenwashing 96% of their electricity supply, it seems they may need reminding of all three parts of that promise,” Mr Pocklington said in the Good Energy blog.

Ofgem has previously stated that they will be looking into the REGO scheme in a bid to try and tackle the issue of greenwashing, but one thing is certain until the rules are changed the issue looks set to continue to be a major battleground amongst the nation’s energy suppliers.

Also read: Ofgem to increase monitoring of Green tariffs and put an end to ‘Greenwashing’

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