BRISTOL ENERGY
Bristol Energy is a national gas and electricity supplier founded in 2015 by the Bristol City Council. The company promises to deliver 100% green energy at a simple, fair, and transparent pricing to its consumers all over the United Kingdom. Being municipally-owned, the profit goes straight right back to its local communities in Bristol. In this regard, the customers become an active proponent in funding the development of the city itself.
Products
Bristol Energy does not actually produce electricity and gas on their own. Instead, they fully source them out from different renewable energy generators through the Power Purchase Agreement or PPA. The company commits to supporting the UK’s local green energy producers of different technologies and sizes by means of offering them PPA’s at competitive rates and flexible term options.
The My Green Plus plan provides the customers with a greener option to consume 100% renewable electricity. The power for this tariff is provided by independent generators throughout the country. To ensure its “greenness”, every unit of renewable energy will correspond with REGO certificates as issued by the industry regulator OFGEM.
On the other hand, the gas supplied by Bristol Energy is currently 15% green. It is processed by GENeco, an award-winning recycling and energy company in Bristol. The green gas is produced by converting the sewage waste of over one million residents in the city into a sustainable gas called biomethane. This biogas is carbon neutral and a great alternative source of energy to fossil fuels.
As for the fuel mix between the period of April 2017 up to March 2018, Bristol Energy is about 51% green. Even though the company is fairly new, it still managed to surpass the national average of 29%. Next on top of the mix is from the natural gas which contributes to about 31%. Meanwhile, 10% comes from Nuclear energy and 6% from Coal. The 2% remaining is then supplied by other fuel sources.
Coverage
Even though Bristol Energy is owned by the Bristol City Council, its services and products are not limited to the city alone. It is also open to provide renewable electricity and gas to residential and business consumers far beyond the neighboring areas in the South West, and across the United Kingdom. With about 14 supply regions, Bristol Energy has been furnishing power to around 165,000 households and 4,500 business establishments as of the end of 2018.
Cost
Bristol Energy offers different ranges of tariffs. However, the estimated amount of the actual billing basically depends on circumstances such as the location or region, the size of the property, and the number of residents or users. Click for QUOTATION inquiries.
| Bristol Energy 1 Year Fix Issue 33 | Bristol Energy 2 Year Fix Issue 12 |
| Paper & Paperless billingPrices fixed for 12 monthsElectricity and/or gasPay on receipt of bill or Direct debitOnline discount per fuel with paperless billingNo tie-ins Tariff Sheet |
Paper & Paperless billingPrices fixed for 24 monthsElectricity and/or gasPay on receipt of bill or Direct debitOnline discount per fuel with paperless billingNo tie-ins Tariff Sheet |
| Bristol Energy “My Bristol Tariff” 1 Year Fix Issue 25 | Bristol Energy “My Local Tariff” 1 Year Fix Issue 25 |
| Paper & Paperless billingPrices fixed for 12 monthsElectricity and/or gasPay on receipt of bill or Direct debitOnline discount per fuel with paperless billingNo tie-insThe Tariff is open only to properties with a BS postcode Tariff Sheet |
Paper & Paperless billingPrices fixed for 12 monthsElectricity and/or gasPay on receipt of bill or Direct debitOnline discount per fuel with paperless billingNo tie-insThe Tariff is open only to properties in the South West Tariff Sheet |
| Bristol Energy “My Green Plus Tariff” 1 Year Fix Issue 14 | Bristol Energy 2 Year Fix Green Issue 6 |
| Paper & Paperless billingPrices fixed for 12 monthsElectricity or Dual fuel only100% renewable electricity bought from local and national generatorsPay on receipt of bill or Direct debitOnline discount per fuel with paperless billingNo tie-ins Tariff Sheet |
Paper & Paperless billingPrices fixed for 24 monthsElectricity and/or gasPay on receipt of bill or Direct debitOnline discount per fuel with paperless billingNo tie-ins |
| Big Issue Green Tariff Issue 2 | Bristol Energy Standard Variable Tariff (Pre-payment) |
| Paper & Paperless billingPrices fixed for 24 monthsElectricity and/or gasPay on receipt of bill or Direct debitOnline discount per fuel with paperless billingNo tie-ins Tariff Sheet |
Variable pricesElectricity and/or gasPre-paymentNo tie-ins |
*All prices include VAT.
Pros
- City-owned company – Bristol Energy is founded and owned by the Bristol City Council. That means that there are no shareholders on top of the management hence the profits gained can be freely reinvested back into the community. It is used to support locally generated renewable projects and to ensure the maintenance of fair pricing at all times.
- Warm Home Discount – One of the objectives of Bristol Energy is to help individuals to fight against fuel poverty. In 2016, the company started to grant the Warm Home Discount. This basically offers a one-off annual payment of £140 to those consumers who are having difficulty paying for their electricity bills.
- Charity works – Bristol Energy also supports charities such as “Caring in Bristol”, a local charity that provides assistance to homeless people. The company donates up to £30 when you quote the word “Caring” upon your switch to Bristol Energy.
- Bristol Energy Hub – With customer service and satisfaction on top of the company’s priority, they conveniently designated a customer service point in Bristol city center. The hub is open Mondays through Fridays from 9 AM to 5 PM to effectively cater to various customer concerns.
Cons
- Inaccurate Smart Meter readings – Majority of the customers complained about inaccurately high readings over their smart meters. In most cases, it took the company a while to correct and resolve the issue through billing adjustments and credit refund options.
- Usage Graph Disabled – Recently, the usage graphs on the website’s customer self-service portal was disabled. Thus, consumers are unable to view and compare their energy consumption history online as of the moment.
A relatively new company as it may seem, Bristol Energy has proven its commitment and competence in providing fairly-priced green energy not just in the city of Bristol but all throughout the United Kingdom. Its dedication in supporting the local renewable generators and the conscious reinvestment of its profits back into the community has immensely helped the locals to continue to develop sustainable projects and support various charity activities. Bristol Energy is more than just an electricity and gas provider, but rather a true advocate for environmental and social change as well.
