Greener Energy Terms and Conditions
Effective from: 13/3/23
These terms and conditions (the Terms) apply to you if you have chosen our Greener Energy upgrade, or receive Greener Energy as part of an OVO Energy plan.
These Terms are supplemental to and do not replace our Core Energy Supply Terms and Conditions (Core Terms) or any other terms which may apply to your OVO Energy plan.
In these Terms:
“you” are the person who has signed up to our Greener Energy upgrade;
“OVO”, “we”, “us” or “our” is OVO Energy Limited. Our address is 1 Rivergate, Temple Quay, Bristol, United Kingdom, BS1 6ED.
1. About Greener Energy
1.1 Greener Energy is a paid for upgrade which includes:
a) 100% renewable electricity backed by Power Purchase Agreements; and
b) carbon neutral electricity and gas if we supply you with both gas and electricity (or carbon neutral gas if we only supply your gas, or carbon neutral electricity if we only supply your electricity) (see section 5 for more information); and
c) a fixed contribution each year by OVO Energy to support new renewable generators in the UK. For more information on how we do this see section 6 and our PPA Page.
2. Eligibility
2.1 You’ll be eligible for Greener Energy if you:
a) are an OVO Energy pay monthly customer (you can be on any pay monthly plan);
b) are a dual fuel or a gas only or electricity only customer;
c) pay your energy bills by monthly direct debit on time and at least the recommended amount (or more) each month;
d) receive all account communications by email (and ensure that you provide us with a correct and up to date email address); and
e) comply and continue to comply with these Terms and the Core Terms.
3. Adding Greener Energy
Provided you meet the eligibility criteria above you can add Greener Energy to your OVO Energy plan at any time by signing up via your OVO Energy account or contacting us on 0330 303 5063. Your first monthly payment will be added to your bill the month after you sign up and each month thereafter. You can cancel Greener Energy at any time, see Section 9 below for details.
If you get Greener Energy as part of your OVO Energy plan, it’ll be automatically added to your account and you won’t need to do anything.
4. Where does Greener Energy’s renewable electricity come from?
When you add Greener Energy we’ll make sure we buy enough renewable electricity from UK-based renewable generators through contracts called Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) to match the amount of electricity you use. The electricity that powers your home from the national grid will still come from a variety of sources. But our PPAs mean that the amount of renewable electricity equal to the amount you have used will be added to the grid, directly from a UK-based renewable generator. We also purchase Renewable Energy Guarantee of Origin Certificates (REGOs) alongside the renewable electricity we buy to show that it comes from a renewable source. For more information about PPAs see our PPA information page.
5. Carbon Neutral Energy
5.1 Greener Energy gives you carbon neutral energy by:
- providing 100% PPA backed renewable electricity;
- providing carbon neutral gas (comprised of 10% green gas and 90% offset); and
- offsetting any remaining lifecycle carbon emissions involved in the production, transmission and consumption of your electricity and gas.
5.2 We purchase one carbon offset certificate (from carbon reduction projects certified to the Verified Carbon Standard or the Gold Standard) for every tonne of carbon released from the natural gas that our Greener Energy customers use. We also purchase enough carbon offset certificates to cover all emissions associated with the generation and provision of 100% renewable electricity.
The green gas we sell is backed via renewable certificates (Renewable Gas Guarantees of Origin (RGGOs)). You can see details on Renewable Gas Guarantees of Origin and how these work.
6. Contribution to UK Based Renewable Generators and a greener future
When you add Greener Energy to your account we’ll make a £20 contribution to support the creation of new renewable electricity generation in the UK. We’ll make additional contributions on the anniversary of the upgrade to your account for as long as you continue to take the Greener Energy upgrade. The £20 contribution will be used to purchase electricity at an above market rate from renewable generators across the UK who aren’t able to get subsidies through any government or industry-backed scheme. By paying above the market rate for electricity from newly developed renewable generators, OVO Energy is encouraging continued investment in new renewable energy generating assets. Securing a commitment from OVO Energy to purchase power from these assets (once fully operational), will also increase the likelihood of that developer receiving other funding for their site. This is sometimes referred to as supporting subsidy free renewable generation. Find more information on how this will support the creation of new renewable generation assets.
Note that we will use reasonable endeavours to make contributions to support the creation of new renewable electricity generation as quickly as possible, but it does take time to originate and negotiate new subsidy free PPA agreements. On that basis, we commit that these contributions will be applied to support new renewable generators in the UK, but they may not be applied right away on signing up for Greener Energy (or on the anniversary of the upgrade to your account).
OVO is committed to supporting the ongoing rollout of renewable generating capacity across the UK. And we see a key element of this work as offering power purchase agreements to new build subsidy free renewable generators as described in these Terms. However if OVO is unable to apply the £20 contribution to new subsidy free PPA agreements for any reason, OVO reserves the right to contribute these funds via a different mechanism, provided that funds will always be used to support projects that can make a contribution to speeding up the deployment of new renewable capacity in the UK.
Only one £20 contribution per customer will be applied per 12 month period. Meaning if you sign up for the Greener Energy upgrade, cancel the upgrade, and re-sign up again in the same 12 month period, only one £20 contribution will be applied.
7. Payments and Direct Debits
7.1 Greener Energy will be added to your monthly bill. Your first payment will be taken in the next month’s Direct Debit following the date you sign up.
7.2 Your monthly Direct Debit payment for your energy will be automatically adjusted to cover the monthly price of Greener Energy.
7.3 You will see an itemised line in your monthly bill relating to Greener Energy payment: “Greener Energy” .
8. Offer Periods
Your Greener Energy upgrade may start with an offer period. The duration of the offer period will be specified during sign-up. From the end of the relevant offer period you’ll be charged the full monthly price for Greener Energy at that time, unless you cancel Greener Energy prior to the end of the offer period.
9. Cancelling Greener Energy
9.1 You can cancel Greener Energy at any time either online by going to the account management section of your online account, or over the phone by calling 0330 303 5063. Your Greener Energy upgrade will finish on your next billing date. Please note that we don’t provide refunds or credits for any partial months you have your Greener Energy upgrade.
9.2 If you don’t notify us that you want to cancel before the date your next monthly fee is due, we’ll automatically charge the monthly Greener Energy fee on your next billing date.
9.3 If you cancel, you may add Greener Energy again at any point as long as you continue to meet the eligibility criteria (as set out in section 2). You’ll pay the relevant monthly price for Greener Energy applicable at the time.
10. Changing your OVO Energy plan
As long as you’re on supply with us and you still meet the eligibility criteria, Greener Energy will be automatically added to any new, renewed, or upgraded OVO Energy plan that you take on and you’ll continue to receive Greener Energy, unless you choose to cancel.
11. Switching away from OVO Energy
11.1 If you switch your supply to a different supplier, you’ll no longer be able to benefit from Greener Energy.
11.2 You’ll continue to receive energy and Greener Energy until the point that your switch takes place. Your Greener Energy upgrade will finish on that date. We do not provide refunds or credits for any partial months.
11.3 If you move house your Greener Energy upgrade will continue, provided you stay with OVO Energy and continue to meet the eligibility criteria.
12. Termination by us
12.1 We may terminate your Greener Energy upgrade with 14 days notice at any time and for any reason and will issue a prorated refund of your paid Greener Energy monthly fee based on the time remaining in your current monthly fee period.
12.2 We may terminate your Greener Energy upgrade immediately if we consider that (a) your use of Greener Energy or its services or benefits materially breach these terms or any applicable law or (b) you fraudulently use or misuse Greener Energy upgrade or its services or benefits. In this case we will not give you a refund.
13. Changes to Greener Energy or these Terms
13.1 Subject to section 13.2, we may change these Terms or make changes to Greener Energy at any time (including, without limitation, amending the features of the product or withdrawing or replacing the product or amending or withdrawing any offers). We’ll update these terms on our website if we do. Please check this page regularly to review updated terms. The date these terms and conditions were last updated is at the top of this page.
13.2 If we make changes to these Terms or to Greener Energy that put you at a disadvantage, we'll let you know about the changes at an appropriate time (leaving you reasonable time to avoid the changes by cancelling your Greener Energy upgrade should you wish to do so).
14. Our liability to you
14.1 Subject to sections 14.2 and 14.3, we will not be liable, whether caused by breach of contract, negligence, breach of statutory duty or otherwise, for any (a) loss or damage that we couldn’t reasonably have expected would result from breach of these terms at the time you entered into it, or (b) for any loss of savings, profit or business; or (c) for any indirect or consequential losses which you or anyone else suffers.
14.2 Nothing in these Terms and Conditions will affect our liability to you for death or personal injury as a result of our negligence, fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation.
14.3 Subject to Section 14.2, our maximum aggregate liability (including for negligence and breach of statutory duty) if you suffer any loss or damage as a direct result of something we’ve done, our maximum liability to you will be no more than £10,000 per event or series of events if they’re connected.
15. General
15.1 We can transfer any of our rights or obligations under these terms without your permission. You may not transfer or assign your Greener Energy upgrade or benefits, except as expressly allowed in these terms.
15.2 If any part of these terms are void or unenforceable, the rest of these terms will be unaffected.
15.3 These terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales if your property is in England or Wales, and in Scotland if your property is in Scotland. If there is any dispute between us, it will be dealt with by the courts of England and Wales if your property is in England or Wales, and by the courts of Scotland if your property is in Scotland.