Faced with environmental degradation, more and more consumers want to commit to the climate by turning more towards green energy offers. Since the opening of competition in 2007, there are now around thirty renewable energy suppliers throughout the country. It is therefore difficult to find your way around, especially since some of them declare themselves to be ecological. How to recognize a real green energy supplier? We take stock for you.
What is meant by green energy?
Recent years have seen a proliferation of so-called “green” energy suppliers. But in reality, this term covers a variety of offers that should be distinguished to avoid unpleasant surprises.
Concretely, a green energy offer (electricity, gas) comes from renewable energy , in particular from natural resources which can be renewed indefinitely:
- Wind power
- Hydro-electric power
- Solar energy
A green energy supplier therefore offers electricity or gas coming only from these energy sources. It must also have a controlled certification or a recognized label , without which it cannot be considered a true green energy supplier.
Today, some suppliers practice “greenwashing” even if the offers on their website include statements such as “more natural”, “less impact on the environment”, “more responsible” or “more ecological”.
Beware of “greenwashing”
“Greenwashing” is a very fashionable practice that has grown considerably with the success of green energy. Literally translated as “eco-bleaching” , this concept is increasingly used by many companies, including energy suppliers.
It consists of using the ecological argument to sell a product or service, when its interest for the environment is very low. The published message can therefore mislead the consumer since it only “whitewashes” the image of the company, without the ecological quality announced, hence the use of the term “greenwashing”.
In the energy sector, this practice is gaining momentum, which is why it is important to be well informed to find the best green electricity offer. For example, you can follow this link to consult the opinions on the supplier Vattenfall in order to fully understand its ecological quality.
A green energy offer benefits from a guarantee of origin
In France, a truly “green” energy offer must be accompanied by a guarantee of origin . Thus, suppliers must obtain certificates from renewable energy producers in order to offer a green electricity offer.
As its name suggests, a guarantee of origin is an electronic document that certifies that the electricity injected into the customer’s consumption network is produced in the same quantities by renewable energy sources.
The consumer who has subscribed to such an offer benefits from a simple guarantee of origin, but does not directly acquire green electricity. This is therefore not enough to ensure that the offer is truly ecological, which is why some suppliers opt for an ecological label.
ADEME VertVolt Label: a guarantee of quality
In 2021, the French Environment and Energy Management Agency (ADEME) launched a new label called “VertVolt” . Thanks to this label, it will be easier for you to choose a green energy supplier in complete transparency.
To obtain this label, the energy supplier must meet strict conditions at two levels:
- Level 1 “committed”: after obtaining guarantees of origin, the supplier must purchase electricity from renewable energy producers in mainland France only.
- Level 2 “very committed”: level 1 must be respected, knowing that at least 25% of the green electricity purchased must be produced by installations set up by local authorities.
Given all these requirements, the price of a labeled electricity offer is relatively high. Nevertheless, the consumer benefits from the greenest possible electricity.
These few criteria will help you choose the green energy offer best suited to your needs. Don’t hesitate to use online comparators to find the best rate.
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