Energy
Electricity, Gas, Solar PV
We negotiate Electricity and Gas contracts on behalf of our clients. We specialise in bulk Energy Basket contracts for Churches and Charities. We also deal with businesses throughout the UK from farms to factories. As independent brokers, we deal with most major suppliers but represent client interests first.
We have long-standing business relationships with The Methodist Church, The United Reformed Church, The Gloucester Diocese and the Baptist Union of Great Britain. We also deal with Elim Pentecostal churches and a number of Mosques.
Wherever possible we promote Green electricity and have teamed up with Christian Aid to create the ARK Tariff which is designed to help those in the developing world reduce CO2 emissions through new and existing renewable energy projects.
We have also teamed up with The Guild Social Economy Services CIC who offer support for the Social Enterprises and those wishing to trade in social economy. Their members now have access to ours energy services via their website.
Solar PV and Solar Thermal
Solar PV has become the most popular technology that customers choose for their on-site renewable energy generation. This is due to significant reductions in the technology costs, relatively short payback periods and ongoing indexed linked financial support from the UK Government through the Feed in Tariff subsidy. Solar thermal tends to be used where solar PV is not viable or in conjunction with other renewable heat technologies such as biomass and heat pumps. Solar is also a very visible low carbon solution that enhances customers’ brand and reputation with their stakeholders.
ESOS energy audit
ESOS is a mandatory energy assessment scheme for organisations in the UK that meet the qualification criteria. The Environment Agency is the UK scheme administrator.
Organisations that qualify for ESOS must carry out ESOS assessments every 4 years. These assessments are audits of the energy used by their buildings, industrial processes and transport to identify cost-effective energy saving measures.
Organisations must notify the Environment Agency by a set deadline that they have complied with their ESOS obligations.
ARK Tariff
Additional Renewable Kilowatt Energy Supply Tariff
Gaia Energy has teamed up with Christian Aid to develop the ARK Tariff (Additional Renewable Kilowatt tariff). You can find more information at the Christian Aid website. Green electricity can still be short supply for non-domestic customers. Churches are in the SME (small-medium enterprise) market. Although the energy itself is non-green the ARK tariff creates environmental benefit in Sub Saharan Africa.
ARK Tariff
Economic empowerment and improved quality of life for women in sustainable energy related enterprises.
Southern Ethiopia
Customers using this ethical energy tariff are helping fund Christian Aid’s award winning Breaking the Barriers through which women are being supported to create and own Women’s Led Sustainable Energy Enterprises in some of the poorest and remote off-grid communities. These groups receive training in sustainable energy products and technologies, business skills and can access finance through Micro Finance Institutions.
The programme is being implemented across four countries, Burkina Faso, Honduras, Malawi and Ethiopia but the ARK Tariff specifically supports this work in the Konso district of Ethiopia.
The benefits of this are:
- increase in rural women’s jobs and income in the sustainable energy sector
- improve working and living conditions
- promote gender equality
- strengthen women’s social status
You can find more information at Christian Aid’s website.
ARK Tariff
Diocese of Gloucester
Additional Renewable Kilowatt Energy Supply Tariff
Gaia Energy teamed up with Diocese of Gloucester in 2008 to develop the ARK Tariff (Additional Renewable Kilowatt tariff). You can find more information at on their website very soon. We generally seek to provide Green electricity, but this can still be in short supply for non-domestic customers. Churches are in the SME (small-medium enterprise) market.
How does it work?
An uplift of £20 per year (including VAT) per contract (either gas or electricity or both) is added to the Standing Charge. This uplift contributes to renewable energy projects within the Diocese.
There are a number of projects benefitting from the financial arrangements. One of these is a new ‘eco-loo’ at Elkstone which is being held up as an example of best practice. It is built from locally sourced wood which has been grown and cut in an ecologically sensitive way so that the building is being constructed from sustainable resources. It also uses a ‘separating dry loo’ mechanism which minimises the environmental impact of the building and its function. Other money from the scheme will be supporting environmental projects identified by the diocese, and supported by giving of diocesan staff as well.