ScottishPower, part of the world’s largest wind energy company*, has launched a new green tariff that will allow customers to support renewable electricity generation and make a positive contribution to the environment. The tariff meets Ofgem’s Green Supply Guidelines and has been certified under the new, independent Green Energy Certification Scheme. Called ‘Simply Green Energy’, the tariff will match every unit of electricity used by a customer with an equivalent amount of energy generated from renewable wind sources.

Customers on the tariff will also be supporting community based renewable energy projects with contributions going to a registered environmental fund. Gas and electricity offer customers would normally receive a discount. Under this offer the customer will not receive a discount, but ScottishPower will instead contribute £10.50 to the Green Energy Trust on the customer’s behalf.

Simply Green is only available online, so as well as benefitting from environmentally friendly paperless billing, customers will save an extra £15.75 with ScottishPower’s Online Energy Service annual discount.

Alison McKean, Environment and Social Policy Manager at ScottishPower, said: “The Simply Green Energy tariff is one of the first products to be certified under the new certification scheme for green electricity tariffs and also meets Ofgem’s Green Supply Guidelines. As well as offering customers a chance to support the growth of renewable electricity generation, the tariff will also offer support to a number of local community green initiatives across the UK.

“As part of the largest wind energy company in the world, ScottishPower is committed to being at the forefront of renewable energy development, and our new tariff will allow our customers to share in this commitment.”

Notes to Editors

* Source: Bloomberg New Energy Finance

• The Green Energy Supply Certification Scheme is an independent scheme that verifies the claims made by energy suppliers against their Green Energy tariffs. Similar to a kite mark, the scheme awards a ‘Green label’ to renewable energy products that will deliver a real, measurable environmental difference.
   
• The aim of the scheme is to give consumers confidence in the quality of their green tariff and reduce any confusion by providing them with everything you need to make an informed choice. Further information at: http://www.greenenergyscheme.org/
   
• The ScottishPower Green Energy Trust was founded in 1998 as an independent charitable trust to support the development of new renewable energy sources in the UK – helping to reduce the reliance on fossil fuels and combat climate change. ScottishPower produce a magazine twice a year that provides updates on the projects being supported.
   
• ScottishPower Renewables, the largest developer and generator of onshore wind power in the UK, nearly doubled its electricity output during 2009, producing just over 1.7 million megawatt hours (MWh) of electricity from its 23 operational windfarms. The rise of 43.8% on 2008 figures meant that the company produced enough clean, green electricity to power the average annual needs of over 375,000 homes.

Media Information: Paul Ferguson, 0141 566 4515 / 07702 665 924