46% of UK homes interested in ‘green’ electricity

Almost half of UK households said they would switch to a ‘green’ electricity supplier if it didn’t cost them more than they currently pay. A poll of 1,017 people by […]

Almost half of UK households said they would switch to a ‘green’ electricity supplier if it didn’t cost them more than they currently pay.

A poll of 1,017 people by research firm Ipsos Mori found 46% of householders are interested in renewable energy, however, less than 2% or 400,000 British households currently have an electricity tariff that is sourced from renewable energy.

The survey found the majority of people said they would switch to a new electricity company if they could get energy that was “more environmentally friendly at a comparable price”. Only 11% said they would not make the switch and the rest were undecided.

Dale Vince, Founder of green energy company Ecotricity, which commissioned the research said “many consumers incorrectly expected greener energy to be more costly while others simply had not contemplated changing”.

He added: “These days you can get green electricity that price matches the standard tariffs of the Big Six energy companies — and because the overwhelming majority of households are on those standard tariffs — they could switch to green electricity for the same price that they currently pay.”

Last year consumer body Which? found 60% of UK households have never switched energy supplier.

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