How to read your Good Energy bill — explained simply
Good Energy, founded in 1999 and based in Chippenham, is one of the UK's original dedicated green suppliers. Unlike tariffs that simply buy certificates, Good Energy sources electricity directly from a network of independent UK renewable generators. That genuine-renewable positioning — and its role paying solar households through the Feed-in Tariff — drives most of the questions customers have about their bills.
What each part of your Good Energy bill means
Why Good Energy costs more than the cheapest deals
Good Energy buys electricity directly from around two thousand independent UK renewable generators rather than relying solely on certificates bought after the fact. That sourcing model usually makes it pricier than the cheapest tariffs on the market. So if your unit rate looks higher than a budget supplier's, that's the trade-off you're paying for — verified renewable sourcing rather than the lowest possible price. It's worth deciding whether that premium matches what you want.
Genuinely matched renewable electricity
Many suppliers label a tariff 'green' by buying Renewable Energy Guarantee of Origin (REGO) certificates separately from the power itself. Good Energy's model is to match your usage with electricity bought directly from named UK renewable generators. The physical electrons still come from the shared grid — that's true for everyone — but the sourcing behind your tariff is more directly tied to renewable generation than a certificate-only green tariff.
Feed-in Tariff (FIT) statements
Good Energy is one of the licensed administrators of the Feed-in Tariff scheme, which pays households with solar panels for the electricity they generate and export. If you're a FIT customer, you'll receive separate generation and export statements — usually quarterly — that are distinct from your normal energy bill. These show generation payments (for what your panels produce) and export payments (for surplus sent to the grid). Don't expect them to appear on your standard usage bill; they're handled separately.
Smart Export Guarantee for newer solar
The Feed-in Tariff scheme closed to new applicants in 2019. If you installed solar more recently, your export payments come instead through the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG). Good Energy offers an SEG export tariff, and the credit you earn is your export rate in pence per kWh multiplied by the units you send back to the grid. As with FIT, this export credit is tracked separately from the electricity you import and pay for.
Standing charge and unit rate
Like every supplier, Good Energy charges a daily standing charge per fuel plus a unit rate in pence per kWh, and these track the Ofgem price cap on its variable tariff. Being a renewable supplier doesn't exempt Good Energy from the standing charge — that covers the fixed cost of keeping you connected to the network and is set within Ofgem's rules. Compare these two figures, not your green credentials, when judging whether your bill is high.
Common questions Good Energy customers ask
Why is Good Energy more expensive than other suppliers?
Good Energy buys electricity directly from a large network of independent UK renewable generators rather than relying only on certificates, and that sourcing model typically costs more than the cheapest tariffs. The higher price reflects that approach. Whether it's worth it depends on how much you value verified renewable sourcing over paying the lowest possible rate.
How is Good Energy's 'green' electricity different from other green tariffs?
Most green tariffs are made 'green' by buying REGO certificates separately from the electricity itself. Good Energy instead matches your usage with power bought directly from named UK renewable generators. The electricity reaching your home still comes from the shared grid — that's unavoidable — but Good Energy's sourcing is more directly tied to renewable generation than a certificate-only tariff.
Where are my solar Feed-in Tariff payments on my Good Energy bill?
They're not on your normal energy bill. Good Energy administers the Feed-in Tariff scheme and sends FIT customers separate generation and export statements, usually each quarter. Those show payments for the electricity your panels generate and for any surplus exported to the grid, kept distinct from the energy you import and pay for.
I have new solar panels — can I still get export payments from Good Energy?
Yes, but through the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) rather than the Feed-in Tariff, which closed to new applicants in 2019. Good Energy offers an SEG export tariff that pays you a rate per kWh for the surplus electricity you send back to the grid. That export credit is tracked separately from the electricity you import.
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