In the light of several developments affecting green supply offerings, the original Guidelines on Green Supply Offerings in the domestic electricity market issued by the British energy regulator Ofgem in April 2002, are being reviewed.

A revision is required due to the decision of the Energy Saving Trust to discontinue the former green electricity accreditation scheme (the Future Energy Scheme). It will be based on the experience of the first three years of operation of the Renewables Obligation, the introduction of Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin (REGOs) and the requirement for electricity suppliers as of 1 July 2005 to disclose the fuels used in their electricity generation.

Key elements of the Green Supply Guidelines are:

•  Transparency: suppliers need to state clearly what forms of technology are being used to generate renewable energy

•  Additionality: consumers choosing a green supply deal need to be sure they are contributing to the development of renewable generation, over and above what is legally required, or to some other clearly identifiable environmental benefit

•  Verification: suppliers must be able to verify all claims made in marketing material relating to their supply packages and be prepared to release information that proves these claims to the public or an authorized accreditation body.

The consultation suggests that REGOs should be the main industry-wide evidence for tracking the origin of renewable energy for domestic and non-domestic customers that sign up to green supply offerings. The offers should contribute to increased renewable capacity of generation.

The consultation period ends on 1 July 1 2005. Copies of the consultation document can be found at www.ofgem.gov.uk .