Quakers launch initiative to buy 100% clean power from Good Energy

Quakers, churches and charities have the chance to purchase 100% clean energy for their buildings through a new scheme launched on Thursday.

The Renewable Energy Group Buying Initiative (REGBI) sees green energy supplier Good Energy provide the groups with 100% renewable electricity. Members of the scheme will benefit from an annual joint contract and from a group discount.

Chayley Collis, a member of Huddersfield Quaker Meeting and one of the creators of the project, said, “We think REGBI may be the first time group purchasing power has been used to support 100% renewable electricity in the UK.

“We wanted to make a strong commitment to renewable energy sources and to demonstrate the widespread support there is for clean energy in the UK. This is particularly important in the light of the government’s recent failure to set clean energy targets for 2030, in the Energy Act.”

The Quakers’ HQ in London and another 37 meeting houses have already signed up for the scheme, but organisers hope that numbers will soon rise.

“The REGBI scheme is helping to bring the costs of renewable energy down on a par with brown energy, making it easier to support renewables. We are hoping that more meeting houses, charities and denominations will join the scheme”, Collis said.

Quakers have hit the headlines in recent months after announcing support for Operation Noah – a Christian charity campaigning for religious institutions to divest from fossil fuels firms.

They said that holding shares in high-carbon, polluting energy sources was incompatible with their commitment to sustainable and low-carbon communities.

Further reading:

Catholics gather to watch melting glaciers on film at US climate change events

Operation Noah holds church to account over fossil fuels divestment

Christian charity: we must divest from, not engage with, fossil fuels firms

Church improves emissions performance of 53 former ‘laggards’

The Guide to Limitless Clean Energy 2013