Good Energy

Last updated

Good Energy Group plc
Type Public limited company
LSE:  GOOD
Industry Renewable energy
Founded2003 (as Good Energy)
Headquarters Chippenham, Wiltshire, England
Key people
Nigel Pocklington, CEO
ProductsRenewable energy services
Revenue£73.9m (2017) [1]
£124.3m (2019) [2]
Number of employees
299 (2019)
Website www.goodenergy.co.uk OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg

Good Energy Group PLC is a British energy company based in Chippenham, Wiltshire that provides services in the electrification of transport and decentralised renewable energy generation such as domestic solar panels. The company is also an energy retailer, and built a portfolio of wind and solar generation which was sold in 2022. Founded by Juliet Davenport, its CEO is Nigel Pocklington.

Contents

History

The company was set up in 1997 as Ofex, an offshoot of the German power company Unit Energy Europe. The business was later bought by its management and changed its name to Good Energy in 2003. [3]

Good Energy said in 2010 that its aim was to move the UK away from reliance on fossil-fuel, to a network of small, independent generators supplying local customers. [4] The company sources some of its power from 800 small and medium-sized, distributed renewable electricity generators across the country, as well as investing in its own generation sources; it had a target to supply around half of its customers' demands from its own resources by 2016. [5]

In 2012, Good Energy Group was listed on the Alternative Investment Market and raised an additional £4 million of investment. [3] [6]

In 2015, Good Energy announced it had partnered with energy start-up Open Utility to trial the UK's first renewable energy marketplace, 'Piclo', where generators and consumers buy and sell renewable energy directly at prices they agree on. The six-month trial began in October 2015, and was funded by the DECC Energy Entrepreneurs Fund and Nominet Trust. It was also supported by Ofgem, the energy industry regulator. [7]

As of the end of June 2016, Good Energy supplied 72,250 customers with electricity and 43,000 with gas. The company also administered over 124,500 feed-in tariff generation sites in 2016, making it one of the largest feed-in tariff administrators in the UK. [8]

After announcing reduced profits for 2017, the company stated that it was seeking buyers for the remaining solar and wind sites, and would become a provider of decentralised energy services such as electric vehicle charging and battery storage. [9]

Since June 2020, Good Energy is the controlling (50.1%) shareholder in Next Green Car Ltd, a Bristol-based private company which operates Zap-Map, an electric vehicle charging point mapping platform. [10] Good Energy first bought a minority holding in 2019. [11]

On 1 May 2021, Juliet Davenport stepped down as CEO of Good Energy, and was succeeded by Nigel Pocklington, previously Chief Commercial Officer of Moneysupermarket.com Group. [12] [13] In December 2021, the company called on the government to support energy companies and bill-payers through the energy price crisis. [14] [15]

In May 2023, Ofgem found that Good Energy had charged almost 7,000 customers more than the maximum allowed under the Energy Price Guarantee scheme. The company was required to refund and compensate those customers, the average amount being £109 per customer; and to pay £1.25 million into Ofgem's redress fund for "inadequate systems, processes and repeated inaccurate reporting of information to the regulator over an extended period". [16] [17]

Takeover offers from Ecotricity

In early 2016, 6.8% of the shares of the company were bought by rival energy supplier Ecotricity, making them the second largest shareholder. [18] Ecotricity increased their holding to almost 25% in October 2016. [19] In July 2021, Ecotricity Group made a cash offer for the rest of the shares which implied a value of almost £60 million for the whole company. The offer was rejected by Good Energy on 22 July [20] and the bid lapsed after failing to reach 50% acceptance by shareholders. [21]

Dale Vince, owner of Ecotricity, criticised the company's announcement in November 2021 that it would sell its generation assets, describing it as a break-up of the business. [21] [22]

Generation operations

As of June 2017, Good Energy had two wind farms (at Delabole, north Cornwall, and Hampole, South Yorkshire) and eight solar farms. [23]

Delabole wind farm was the first commercial wind farm in the UK. In December 2008, planning approval was granted to Good Energy in order to refurbish (repower) the wind farm. The development was financed by an £11.8 million package including a £9.6 million loan from the Co-operative Bank and £2.2 million equity from Good Energy Group's own resources. In August 2010 the ten original turbines were replaced by four more powerful turbines [24] and in February 2011 Delabole was reopened. [25] In January 2013, Good Energy launched a community tariff offering people living near the wind farm a 20 per cent discount on their energy bills. [26]

In December 2017, the company announced that two solar sites would return to community ownership. [23] In November 2021, during the 2021 natural gas supplier crisis, Good Energy said it would sell its entire 47.5 MW generation portfolio, which had a net book value of £56.8 million [27] and provided around 15% of customers' electricity. [28] The sale to Bluefield Solar Income Fund was completed in January 2022 for £24.5m. [28]

Praise and awards

An independent review from the National Consumer Council in 2006 stated: "For those consumers who want a green electricity supply, pure and simple, (Good Energy's) is probably the closest they will get to it." [29] The NCC also found that, of twelve green supply tariffs, Good Energy's was one of only two that were going farther than they are required to by law [30] (but see criticism section below). A 2007 Guardian article echoed the NCC's belief that Good Energy's was the best green tariff [31] and in 2008 Good Energy was named Best Buy for green electricity by Ethical Consumer magazine. [32]

Which? magazine named Good Energy best utility company for customer service in 2010, 2012, 2013, [33] and best energy company for customer service in 2014. [34]

Good Energy has won awards including: the Sunday Times' best Green Company, the Sustainable Housing Awards' Sustainable Innovation award for its HotROCs scheme, the Micropower Award for Innovation, [35] the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Environment, [36] the British Renewable Energy Company Award, [37] the Observer Ethical Award for Best Online Retail Initiative [38] and PLUS Markets CEO of the Year 2010. [39] [40]

A report from Which? in September 2019 found that Good Energy fully met all criteria for supply of renewable energy. The company was recognised for matching all of its customers’ electricity demand through generating enough clean power from its own projects and buying directly from UK renewable generators. [41]

Lobbying activities

Good Energy campaigns for more renewable generation in the UK and was one of the signatories to the 2009 Ofgem guidelines which aimed to clear up confusion over 'green' energy tariffs. [42]

In 2006, Good Energy commissioned Oxford University's Environmental Change Unit to review the green electricity market. Their report put a strong case for an accreditation scheme to advise customers. [43]

Juliet Davenport, CEO of Good Energy, sat on the Renewables Advisory Board until it was abolished in 2010 [44] and, formerly, on the Board of Regen SW, the South West’s renewable energy agency. [45] She sat on Ofgem's Environment and Advisory group [46] and Microgeneration Steering Group. [47]

Criticism

In 2005 an article by The Ecologist magazine noted that Good Energy had not invested directly in constructing new renewable capacity, instead purchasing electricity from third parties: "The reality is that switching to Good Energy has made absolutely no immediate difference to the source of electrons that powered my kettle. My electricity, like everyone else's connected to the UK's national grid, still comes mainly from whatever the closest power station is [...] So what is happening? When a company offers you a '100 per cent green' tariff what it is actually saying is that for every unit of electricity you use it will provide the national grid with the same amount but from a renewable source." [48]

Since then, however, Good Energy upgraded Delabole wind farm, replacing its turbines and increasing its output [49] [25] and seven other generating sites. It also provides support to over 800 independent generators in the UK. [50]

Good Energy validates its claim of supplying 100% renewably generated electricity through the Renewable Energy Guarantee of Origin scheme. [51] [52] It also stated that on its main tariff it retires Renewables Obligation Certificates (ROCs) at an equivalent economic value of 5% above statutory compliance levels that apply to all electricity suppliers.

In 2009 Dale Vince, chief executive of rival company Ecotricity, accused Good Energy of deliberately misleading customers over Renewables Obligation Certificates retirement and called on the National Consumer Council to amend or retract its report. [53] However, Good Energy issued an open letter as a rebuttal, indicating the issue was a fair accounting matter: the company retired additional "ROC financial equivalents" rather than undiscounted ROCs, [54] which was perhaps not well communicated to customers. [55]

In May 2012, Good Energy received criticism for using G4S Utility Services as their meter-reading contractor. [56] Good Energy responded that the relationship was the result of their original contractor Accuread being acquired by G4S in 2008. Due to ethical considerations, Good Energy discontinued their contract with G4S Utility Services and in April 2013 appointed an independent company, Lowri Beck which is part of Calisen plc, as their exclusive contractor to provide meter reading services. [57]

In early 2017, the animal rights group Viva! raised concerns about living conditions for pigs at a farm in Somerset which supplied slurry to a nearby anaerobic digester operated by Wyke Farms, from which Good Energy bought some electricity. [58] The pig farm was reported to have closed in March 2018. [59]

In July 2017 it was alleged that there were "concerning" transactions involving Good Energy and the CEO’s husband, and a "lack of corporate governance". [60] [61]

See also

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References

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  2. ↑ "Good Energy Limited: Annual Report and Accounts 2019" (PDF). Good Energy. 4 June 2020. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  3. 1 2 Andrew Hore. "AIM Investor: Good Energy". Cleantech Investor. Archived from the original on 24 April 2013. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
  4. ↑ "How we achieve a 100% renewable future". Good Energy. 18 October 2010. Archived from the original on 15 March 2012. Retrieved 16 May 2012.
  5. ↑ "Our wind and solar farms". Good Energy. Archived from the original on 18 March 2015 – via Internet Archive.
  6. ↑ Giles Gwinnett (25 July 2012). "Good Energy Group to raise 4 million in placing as makes AIM debut". Proactive Investors UK. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
  7. ↑ Stoker, Liam (1 October 2015). "Trading starts on Good Energy-backed energy market service Piclo". Solar Power Portal. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
  8. ↑ "Interim Report 2016" (PDF). Good Energy Group PLC. September 2016. Retrieved 31 October 2016.
  9. ↑ Stoker, Liam (21 March 2018). "Supply market headwinds blow Good Energy on course for 'exciting position' in decentralised energy". Clean Energy News. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
  10. ↑ Lempriere, Molly (26 June 2020). "Good Energy increases share in Zap-Map to over 50%". Current News. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  11. ↑ "Good Energy acquires stake in electric car app owner Next Green Car". Shares Magazine. 5 March 2019. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
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  13. ↑ "Good Energy announces appointment of new CEO". Good Energy. 7 April 2021. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
  14. ↑ White, Josh (27 December 2021). "Good Energy calls on government support as energy prices rise further". ShareCast. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
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  16. ↑ "Good Energy Limited and OVO Energy Limited to pay £4 million for overcharging customers". Ofgem. 18 May 2023. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  17. ↑ Jordan, Dearbail (18 May 2023). "Ovo and Good Energy forced to refund overcharged customers". BBC . Retrieved 16 December 2023.
  18. ↑ Timperley, Jocelyn (16 June 2016). "Ecotricity snaps up stake in arch-rival Good Energy". businessGreen. Retrieved 16 June 2016.
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  20. ↑ Alliance News (22 July 2021). "Good Energy says Ecotricity bid "significantly" undervalues company". MorningstarUK. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
  21. 1 2 Arthur, Andrew (1 December 2021). "Ecotricity boss Dale Vince criticises Good Energy over plans to sell renewable assets". BusinessLive. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
  22. ↑ Armitage, Jim; Watts, Robert (28 November 2021). "Ecotricity boss slams Good Energy over wind farms sell-off" . The Sunday Times. London. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
  23. 1 2 "Good Energy passes solar sites back into community ownership". Good Energy. 22 December 2017. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
  24. ↑ "Delabole wind farm is redeveloped". BBC. 19 August 2010.
  25. 1 2 "Chris Huhne reopens Cornwall's Delabole wind farm". BBC. 22 February 2011.
  26. ↑ "Good Energy green lights first community wind farm tariff". Business Green. 10 January 2013.
  27. ↑ Grundy, Alice (26 November 2021). "Good Energy declares its 'job is done as a developer' as it sells 48MW portfolio to focus on mobility and energy services". Current. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  28. 1 2 Grundy, Alice (20 January 2022). "Good Energy completes sale of renewables portfolio as it doubles down on energy services strategy". Current. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  29. ↑ "Reality or rhetoric? Green tariffs for domestic consumers" (PDF). The National Consumer Council. December 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on 31 March 2007.
  30. ↑ GRÁINNE GILMORE (6 January 2007). "Grey areas with green energy". The Times. London.
  31. ↑ Leo Hickman (15 March 2007). "Your ethical dilemmas sorted". The Guardian.
  32. ↑ "Ethical Consumer Magazine Launch Best Buy Label", Ethical Consumer
  33. ↑ Which?, Smaller suppliers come out on top 2013, http://www.which.co.uk/news/2013/01/which-reveals-best-and-worst-energy-companies-308142/
  34. ↑ Which?, Energy companies rated, http://www.which.co.uk/switch/energy-suppliers/energy-companies-rated
  35. ↑ "Good Energy Wins Micropower Award for Innovation" Archived 14 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine (Press Release)
  36. ↑ "Local company wins award for Outstanding Contribution to the environment" Archived 14 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine (Press Release)
  37. ↑ "Good Energy Wins British Renewable Energy Award" Archived 14 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine (Press Release)
  38. ↑ "Good Energy Shop wins Observer Ethical Award" Archived 14 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine (Press Release)
  39. ↑ "Juliet Davenport wins PLUS CEO of the Year 2010", Financial Express (UK)
  40. ↑ "The PLUS Awards winners are announced", PLUS Markets Group
  41. ↑ Ingrams, Sarah (27 September 2019). "How green is your energy tariff?". Which? News. Retrieved 24 October 2019.
  42. ↑ Juliet Davenport (9 February 2009). "We must tackle these false claims for domestic green power tariffs". The Guardian.
  43. ↑ "Oxford University's Environmental Change Unit report" (PDF). June 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 September 2007.
  44. ↑ "What happens if the green quangos are axed?", The Guardian, 24 September 2010
  45. ↑ "Who we are", Regen SW
  46. ↑ Ofgem Environmental Advisory Group
  47. ↑ "Vice Chair of our panel of Big Green Challenge judges". NESTA . Archived from the original on 7 December 2010 – via Internet Archive.
  48. ↑ Jeremy Smith (1 June 2005). "Green Electricity… Are you being conned?". The Ecologist. Archived from the original on 23 May 2006.
  49. ↑ Enercons Magazine "Wind Blatt" February 2010
  50. ↑ "House of Commons Energy & Climate Change Select Committee Inquiry into Energy Market Reform".
  51. ↑ "Glossary". Good Energy. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
  52. ↑ "FAQs". Green Energy Scheme. National Energy Foundation . Retrieved 10 November 2013.
  53. ↑ "Good Energy accused of misleading green tariff customers". BusinessGreen.com. The Guardian. 14 May 2009. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
  54. ↑ Juliet Davenport (20 May 2009). "Open letter to Good Energy's customers and other interested parties explaining its ROC retirement policy (Press Release)". Good Energy. Archived from the original on 22 March 2012.
  55. ↑ Juliet Davenport (18 May 2009). "Action needed to close the green energy loophole". Click Green. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
  56. ↑ "Many reasons to stop G4S". Corporate Watch. 21 May 2012. Retrieved 31 July 2012.
  57. ↑ "Good Energy ditches G4S over ethical concerns". Indymedia. 7 August 2012. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  58. ↑ "INVESTIGATION: LAMBROOK PIG FARM, SHEPTON MALLET". Viva!. 14 February 2017. Retrieved 14 April 2019.
  59. ↑ Chiorando, Maria (29 March 2018). "'Hell Hole' Pig Farm Closes After Expose Reveals Squalid Conditions". Plant Based News. Retrieved 14 April 2019.
  60. ↑ "'Concerning' transactions involving Good Energy and CEO's husband behind Ecotricity board request". Clean Energy News. 11 July 2017. Retrieved 24 October 2019.
  61. ↑ Stoker, Liam (11 July 2017). "War of words erupts over Good Energy payments to solar development firm of CEO's husband". Solar Portal Power. Retrieved 24 October 2019.
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