TL;DR
- Good Energy is a UK-listed retail supplier that procures electricity through long-term Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) with named renewable generators, primarily wind and solar in the UK.
- This is materially different from REGO-only matching. Good Energy's procurement provides ongoing revenue to specific renewable assets and supports new build-out.
- Price premium against the Ofgem cap runs £150 to £250 per year on a medium-consumption household. The premium pays for the PPA procurement model.
- Gas supply is matched with carbon offsets from a curated portfolio. The supplier publishes detailed annual disclosures on offset project mix.
- Citizens Advice Q4 2025 score: 3.85 out of 5. Steady mid-pack on service quality. Smaller customer base than Octopus or OVO; fewer scale-driven complaints.
Last reviewed: May 2026
Good Energy is the UK retail supplier most often cited by environmental commentators as a genuinely green option, distinct from REGO-only competitors. The supplier procures electricity through long-term contracts with named UK wind and solar generators. The customer pays a premium over the Ofgem cap; the premium funds the procurement. For customers willing to pay for measurable environmental support rather than certificate-based matching, Good Energy is the obvious choice in the UK retail market.
The premium is the trade-off. Good Energy is consistently more expensive than the mainstream alternatives.
The PPA procurement model
A Power Purchase Agreement is a long-term contract between an electricity buyer and a renewable generator. The buyer commits to purchasing the generator's output over typically 10 to 15 years at a pre-agreed price. The generator gets a guaranteed revenue stream that supports financing of the renewable asset.
Good Energy holds PPAs with around 1,800 small and medium renewable generators across the UK, primarily wind and solar farms. The supplier's portfolio includes named assets such as the Hill of Towie wind farm in Moray and various solar arrays across southern England. The PPA structure means Good Energy's procurement directly supports those specific assets continuing to operate.
This is materially different from REGO-only matching. A supplier buying REGOs on the spot market provides minimal revenue support to renewable generators, who would have generated anyway. A supplier buying through PPAs is a counterparty whose continued business is part of the renewable asset's revenue model.
The catch is procurement cost. PPAs typically cost more per MWh than REGO-only matching, especially in falling wholesale markets when the PPA price is locked above the spot. That cost flows through to the customer-facing tariff.
April 2026 rates and the premium
Sample Good Energy rates from the supplier's tariff page on 1 April 2026, inclusive of VAT, Eastern region.
| Tariff | Elec unit (p/kWh) | Gas unit (p/kWh) | Standing charges (elec/gas, p/day) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good Energy Standard Variable | 29.00 | 7.45 | 53.80 / 32.67 |
| Good Energy 12-month fix | 28.20 | 7.20 | 53.80 / 32.67 |
| Good Energy 24-month fix | 28.65 | 7.30 | 53.80 / 32.67 |
For a medium-consumption household the Good Energy Standard Variable lands at around £2,365 per year, against the Ofgem cap-equivalent £2,166. The premium is around £200 per year. The 12-month fix narrows the premium slightly to around £140 against the cap.
The premium pays for two things. First, the higher procurement cost from PPA contracting versus REGO-only buying. Second, the supplier's smaller scale produces higher unit operating costs than at Octopus or British Gas.
Carbon offsetting on gas
Good Energy's gas supply is matched with carbon offsets from a curated portfolio. The supplier publishes detailed annual disclosures on the project mix; the 2024-25 disclosure (published December 2025) showed a portfolio weighted toward methane capture at landfills and agricultural projects, with a smaller weighting on forestry.
The supplier rotates project portfolios annually based on additionality criteria and project verification standards. Verra Verified Carbon Standard and Gold Standard projects are the majority of the portfolio.
Carbon offsetting on gas remains contested in environmental policy circles. The VCMI criticism of February 2025 applies. Good Energy has been more transparent about offset limitations than most competitors and has rebalanced its portfolio in response to scientific feedback.
For customers who treat the offset as a fig leaf on gas consumption, the better strategy is reducing gas use directly via insulation, heat pump retrofit, or behavioural change. The offset is honest accounting; it is not the same as gas being low-carbon.
Customer service and the supplier history
Good Energy is a UK PLC, listed on AIM since 2012. The supplier is a Wiltshire-based independent, not part of a larger utility group. Customer base is around 280,000 domestic accounts as of Q4 2025.
Citizens Advice Q4 2025 rating: 3.85 out of 5. Steady mid-pack performance. Complaint volumes per 10,000 customers run below the sector average; the smaller scale reduces some categories of dispute.
Customer service operates through email, phone, and chat. Response times are within sector norms. The supplier's small-team feel is closer to early-period Octopus than to the legacy Big Six.
Good Energy went through a strategic review in 2023-24 and announced an expansion into heat pump installation and solar PV installation services in March 2025. These are separate from the retail energy supply and operate as sister businesses.
Tariff range and smart tariff gap
The Good Energy tariff range is narrower than the larger competitors. Standard variable, 12-month fix, 24-month fix, prepayment standard variable. EV-specific time-of-use products are not in the range. Heat pump time-of-use products are not in the range.
Customers with EVs, heat pumps, or batteries who want smart tariff pricing are better served by Octopus or E.ON Next. Good Energy targets the engaged-green customer rather than the smart-load customer.
The supplier announced in October 2025 that an EV-specific tariff was in development for launch in late 2026. Specific details have not been published. Customers with EVs should treat this as future capability rather than current availability.
Eligibility and sign-up
Sign-up is through the Good Energy online quote tool. The supplier accepts new customers across England, Scotland, and Wales. Northern Ireland is not supplied.
The switch process follows Ofgem rules. Five working days to completion. Direct debit is the standard payment method. Cash and cheque are available with small per-payment fees.
Smart meter installs are offered free under the DESNZ programme. Lead times sit at 12 to 16 weeks, slightly longer than the largest suppliers because of the smaller engineer network. Customers can decline an install without losing access to any tariff.
When Good Energy is the right choice
Good Energy works for customers who want demonstrable support for UK renewable generators rather than certificate-based matching, who are willing to pay a premium for that support, who value a smaller-feel supplier, and who do not need smart-load tariffs.
It works less well for customers chasing the lowest unit rate. The premium is consistently above the cap. Customers shopping price first will find cheaper alternatives.
It works less well for households with EVs, heat pumps, or batteries who want time-of-use pricing. The current tariff range does not serve those loads efficiently.
It also works less well for customers who think the REGO mechanism is greenwashing in any form. Good Energy's PPA procurement is a stronger claim, but it still passes through the GB grid and the customer's electrons are not directly traceable to a specific generator.
For the customer who wants the strongest credible green claim in the UK retail market and is willing to pay £150 to £250 a year for it, Good Energy is the answer. The premium is real; so is the procurement linkage that pays for it.
PPA pricing and the wholesale risk pass-through
Good Energy's PPA-backed procurement is a strategic strength but also a commercial constraint. The supplier commits to buying generator output over 10 to 15 years at pre-agreed prices. When wholesale market prices fall sharply, those PPA commitments become more expensive in relative terms than fresh wholesale buying would be.
This shows up in the customer-facing tariff as a premium against the cap. The cap reflects wholesale movement on a one-quarter lag; Good Energy's procurement reflects multi-year PPA commitments. In a falling market, the premium widens. In a rising market, the premium can narrow or even invert.
The 2022-23 wholesale crisis briefly compressed the Good Energy premium because the supplier's locked PPA prices were below the spike. The premium has widened again as wholesale calmed in 2024-26.
For customers, the practical implication is that the Good Energy premium is not a fixed amount; it moves with the difference between the supplier's PPA portfolio cost and the prevailing wholesale market. The premium tends to be wider in calm markets and narrower in volatile ones.
Customers who chose Good Energy for the procurement support should view the premium as the cost of that support rather than as a fluctuating overcharge. The variation is structural, not a sign of poor pricing strategy.
One footnote on the procurement footprint
Good Energy's PPA portfolio of around 1,800 generators is unusual in the UK retail market. Most suppliers procure through a small number of large counterparties; Good Energy has built relationships with a long tail of small generators. The supplier's published list of named assets is public and includes specific wind farms (Hill of Towie in Moray, Slieve Kirk Wind Park in Northern Ireland) and solar arrays across southern England.
For customers who want to verify the procurement claim, the named-asset list is the audit trail. Customers can cross-check assets against the Ofgem renewable generation register to confirm the PPA counterparties are real, currently generating, and exporting to the GB grid.
Editorial disclaimer. Kaeltripton is an independent UK finance publisher. This article is general information for UK adults making their own decisions, not regulated financial advice. Tariff prices, fuel mix disclosures, and offset programmes change. Figures reflect Good Energy, Ofgem, Citizens Advice, and Verra publications dated before the last-reviewed date at the top of this page. For complaints, refunds, or vulnerable-customer protection the formal route runs through the supplier first and then the Energy Ombudsman.
FAQ
Is Good Energy actually different from a REGO-only supplier?
Yes. Good Energy procures through PPAs with named UK renewable generators. This provides ongoing revenue to specific assets. REGO-only suppliers buy certificates from any qualifying generator on the spot market.
How much more expensive is Good Energy than the cap?
Around £150 to £250 per year on a medium-consumption household, depending on tariff choice and region. The 12-month fix narrows the gap; the standard variable widens it.
Are specific renewable generators trackable in the customer account?
Good Energy publishes its generator list and annual fuel mix disclosure. The specific electrons cannot be traced to one generator because the GB grid is a shared system; the procurement linkage is portfolio-level.
Are gas offsets credible as an environmental claim?
The offsets are audited under recognised standards (Verra, Gold Standard) and the supplier rotates portfolios based on additionality criteria. Offsets remain contested in environmental policy; Good Energy is transparent about the limitations.
Does Good Energy have EV tariffs?
Not currently. The supplier announced an EV-specific tariff in development in October 2025, with a target launch in late 2026.
Does Good Energy install heat pumps alongside supplying electricity?
Yes, as of March 2025. The supplier launched a heat pump installation arm through a partnership. This is separate from the retail energy supply but available to existing customers.
