Today, in the UK, green energy has taken the nation by storm as our government continues to make progressive pledges towards carbon neutrality and reduced emissions. However, despite the UK government's call for action, many energy suppliers in the UK have yet to show meaningful effort regarding the transition towards a green future. Instead, many energy suppliers around the UK are claiming that they provide green, environmentally friendly, or even sustainable energy to their customers, even if they are actually using fossil fuels and other harmful sources of energy as part of their fuel mix.

In order to be able identify an energy supplier that is genuinely green, here are 5 simple things to look out for.

1. Look out for fossil fuels in their fuel mix

Every energy supplier gets their energy from very specific sources, some much more sustainable than others. What looking at an energy supplier´s fuel mix will do is tell you a percentage breakdown of where their power is from. If a supplier's fuel mix has any percentage of fossil fuels, then you know for sure that they are not a truly green supplier.

2. Check if they offer a tariff plan for electric vehicle owners

Whether or not you personally have an electric vehicle (EV), an energy supplier that provides a specific tariff aimed at supporting EV owners is a great sign for a supplier that claims they are green. While these tariff deals are typically aimed at saving money for EV owners that use a lot of electricity to charge their vehicles overnight, they are still a promising gesture that shows that they are devoted to reducing the environmental impact that their business offers.

3. Find out if they provide a carbon offset for their gas

While natural gas is still an exceedingly common fuel in the UK, particularly in the winter to keep our homes warm, it can have a big impact on the environment. In fact, at our current rate of consumption, it is said that fossil fuels will be scarce by 2050 and completely used up by 2080.

There are a number of energy providers in the UK that are currently offering carbon offsets for all the natural gas that they provide their customers, this shows their commitment to fighting against climate change and keeping emission to a minimum.

4. Find out if the supplier has a Feed-In-Tariff Scheme

A Feed-In-Tariff, or FIT scheme, is a tariff plan that allows you to use your own solar panels to generate electricity for your home, and if by chance you have a surplus you can actually sell the excess back to the national energy grid for a profit. These tariff schemes are very popular and show a clear sign that these suppliers are eager to encourage renewable energy amongst their customers.

5. Don't fall for "green" tariff names

Many energy suppliers today will offer at least one tariff option that they've given a creative name about how green that particular tariff is, however this is often a way for energy suppliers to attract environmentally cautious consumers. Meanwhile the remainder of their tariff options, or even a majority of their fuel mix, are actually using fossil fuels to source their energy supply. Just because an energy supplier offers a tariff plan that sounds like it's green does not mean that it is true.