What is your relationship with your energy provider?

Utility bills are often looked at solely to see the total cost to be paid and then filed away. 

How many people analyse them to become more energy efficient? Now there are many options in terms of energy providers, and I think it is time that we took a minute to see how they can help us, their customers, to analyse the information they are giving us.  

A recent meeting with Pinergy Ireland has enlightened me on the way in which energy suppliers can be helpful to us in managing our use of energy. 

How we use our resources comes down to personal responsibility but having a provider who can offer data for us to monitor and decrease our use is a step in the right direction.  They can help us as we create positive changes by better understanding our consumption of energy.  

Also, there are now many energy providers who have moved away from fossil fuels to renewable energy.  This industry is changing.  Being less reliant on fossil fuel energy means that we, as a country, can move towards being more sustainable.

It all starts with our own use of energy and our choice of who supplies it: Do we go with the supplier who still uses fossil fuels or the supplier who has 100% renewable energy?  Pinergy is an independent supplier who offers 100% renewable energy across Ireland. They also offer detailed 30 minutes interval data to their customers on their energy use.  

Ireland as a country, does not have enough Indigenous-produced renewable energy to meet the consumption need, so Pinergy also buy their renewable energy from Scandinavia, the UK and they purchase guarantees of origin, the energy is certified 100% renewable by SEMO and CRU.

In Ireland we need to have more conversations in our homes, workplaces, communities and with providers about how we can move forward with our energy use in a more environmentally sustainable way.  Rather than the mentality of “that’s just the way it is” or “I wouldn’t have a clue about that” it is time to start asking questions.  

What changes in our energy use can we make that are more sustainable; personally, at work and in our community?

What questions can we ask our suppliers about where our energy comes from and how to analyse our usage? What can we do with the energy systems we have in our buildings to becomes more sustainable?  These questions are timely as the government has a target of 70% renewable energy by 2030.  

I believe the customer will choose the more sustainable option, the one that is less harmful to the environment, if the choice makes sense for them.

Personally, I feel at the moment this option looks more expensive, like too much extra work and it’s slightly confusing.  How do we change this perception?  How can we show that it will be cost saving for us and a rewarding, positive change?

 Pinergy as a supplier, are starting this conversation with households & businesses to help support them in a move to a sustainable energy future. Some options they have for businesses include funded solutions for LED retrofits through to Micro-Generation on-site such as Solar PV.  Also, there is the option of EV charging solutions for larger premises or destinations such as Hotels and Golf Clubs.   

I asked David Slattery, Head of Marketing at Pinergy, did he think that the Irish producers are doing enough to have more renewable production on the island of Ireland for suppliers and customers?   He responded that he sees “solar as an underutilised generation asset in Ireland” and that “there needs to be a more balanced mix of renewables in Ireland. Wind accounts for the majority of renewables in Ireland.”  

Traditional utility bills and the traditional interaction with our use of energy and suppliers needs a tweak – start the conversation today – see what your supplier offers in terms of renewable energy, check out the renewable providers, such as Pinergy, and what they offer in data and how they can help you in your personal journey to lower your carbon emissions. 

Also, look at the SEAI (Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland) for more information in relation to sustainability in energy, renewable energies, funding opportunities for communities etc. 

Pinergy put it well; “So you can learn from yesterday and make a change today.”  And I’ll add to that: “for a Greener tomorrow”.