Getting to Know Bulb: The Next Generation Energy Supplier

You’re here because you believe in a better approach to energy. Perhaps you’re an Electric Vehicle user who wants to charge their car more sustainably. Maybe you generate your own energy via PV solar panels and want a supplier that will give you a good rate for energy that you feed back into the grid. Or maybe you’re thinking of making the switch to renewable energy and want to power your home in a way that benefits the planet.

Whatever your needs, your choice of energy supplier is not one that’s made rashly. Lots of energy suppliers market themselves as renewable and eco-conscious. But how do you know if the claims they make are genuine, or just another example of corporate greenwashing? Here, we’ll take a look at Bulb, one of the most prominent in a new generation of green energy suppliers. Let’s take a look at some of the ways in which the brand may appeal to our readers.

Can I save money with Bulb?

Energy consumers shouldn’t have to choose between powering their homes sustainably and getting great value for money. Fortunately, Bulb’s rates are consistently ranked among the most affordable on the market. According to the energy experts at Switch-Plan, Bulb’s current average energy rates are 17.798 p for electricity and 3.1395 p for gas. Your rates may vary depending on where in the UK you live.

For households with average use, this is low enough to put them well below the Ofgem Energy Price Cap of £1,138 per year for both fuels.

Is Bulb a 100% renewable supplier?

Yes. 100% of Bulb’s energy comes from renewable sources. This is an impressive 62% increase on the UK average of 38%. 78% of Bulb’s electricity comes from wind energy, 18% from solar, and 4% from hydropower.

Bulb’s gas is 100% carbon neutral, with 10% coming from green biomethane gas, and the remaining 90% coming from carbon offset gas.

What makes Bulb’s tariffs different?

Many energy suppliers offer a bamboozling array of tariffs. So many, in fact, that it can be difficult to choose the right one for your household. Bulb’s approach is much simpler. They offer a single variable tariff which it calls ‘Vari-Fair’. This is a variable-rate tariff that offers flexibility at a much more reasonable price than most variable-rate energy plans. If you see a better deal elsewhere, you can leave at any time without needing to worry about early exit fees.

Does Bulb have a tariff exclusively for EV users?

Unfortunately not. However, it does offer tariffs for customers with Economy 7 meters. These offer cheaper energy during off-peak hours. These vary around the UK, however, they are usually around 12am-7am. These benefit people who like to charge their electric vehicles overnight or use storage heaters.

Does Bulb participate in the Smart Export Guarantee?

Readers with PV solar panels will be glad to know that Bulb does indeed participate in the Smart Export Guarantee. What’s more, they currently offer some of the best rates on the market, paying 5.57p/kWh at the time of writing.