Brits shun green energy tariffs in favour of familiarity and affordability

With the UK legally committed to reducing carbon emissions by 57% by 2030, new research by the UK’s leading price comparison website, MoneySuperMarket, today reveals the common factors that prevent Brits from switching to renewable energy providers

Analysis by MoneySuperMarket found that almost two-thirds of Brits (62% understand what renewable energy is, with the majority (92% stating that they are familiar with solar energy. Despite this initial level of understanding, a quarter (26%) feel that they still do not know enough about green energy providers to stray away from their current tariff.

When looking at what else prevents consumers from switching to a green energy provider, 40% cite affordability as their main reason. In fact, of those surveyed, 24% selected increased bills as their main concern with renewable energy. Although a perception around the increased cost of using renewable energy, just under half of those on green tariffs (44%) switched energy supplier in order to save money on their utility bills.

Other factors that prevent Brits from switching to a green energy supplier also include concerns over whether nuclear energy is safe to use, with a quarter of Brits (25%) citing this as a key reason for not switching. A further 19% are wary about installing new equipment in their home and an additional 15% are apprehensive about an unreliable energy supply.

Stephen Murray, energy expert at MoneySuperMarket, commented: “Price is the main concern for UK consumers, so it’s no surprise that our survey found the primary barrier to switching to a green tariff is that they haven’t been amongst the cheapest. But that’s beginning to change.

“Affordable green energy is now the domain of the smaller suppliers, who are beating the more established providers hands down. In fact, we’ve seen on a number of occasions that the cheapest switchable tariff on MoneySuperMarket has been 100% renewable energy. Green energy can now become a positive choice that isn’t restricted by price.

“Regardless of the provider you’re with, it’s important to take matters into your own hands and shop around to see if you could be getting a better deal with another supplier. Those who haven’t switched in a while could be languishing on a standard variable tariff and paying far too much for their energy as a result. The switching process only takes five minutes online and could save households £250 or more”.

For those looking to go green, MoneySuperMarket’s latest exclusive tariff with Bulb Energy offers customers not only a great value tariff, but also a £30 credit (dual fuel customers) added to your bill once you have been with them for three months. For more information, visit MoneySuperMarket’s energy channel.

To explore the emergence of Green Energy in more detail, MoneySuperMarket created a Guide to Renewable Energy, which looks into the future of renewable energy and how this can affect future household bills. As part of this campaign, MoneySuperMarket has collaborated with a panel of experts including Friends of the Earth, Sheffield University and Lightsource Labs to provide a unique insight into our current level of energy usage.