Immediately, I am speaking to Matt Bunney, Gasoline Procurement Supervisor and cricket fan, about securing sufficient renewable vitality for our rising buyer base…
Hello Matt. Why did you be a part of Octopus?
I used to be working for Co-op Power for about 10 years, however had received to the purpose the place I fancied a change. A contact of mine put me in contact with Stuart, the Head of Finance at Octopus. I had a whole lot of business expertise they usually had been fascinated by me getting concerned.
I had an enchanting chat with each Stuart and the founder, Greg. Their enthusiasm and imaginative and prescient for vitality that’s way more aligned with renewable technology actually attracted me. I pressured myself to consider the function over the weekend, however I knew I used to be going to take it.
What do you do at Octopus?
My primary function is procuring all of the fuel and electrical energy our clients use. As a part of the Octopus Group, we work carefully with Octopus Investments, who personal a lot of renewable technology websites, and I be sure now we have sufficient renewable vitality for all our clients.
This implies I spend a whole lot of time forecasting what number of clients we’ll have, how a lot vitality they’ll use, and the way sunny it’s going to be. I’m all the time exploring new renewable websites to make sure we’ve the capability to produce our inexperienced clients, and to present our non-green clients a good chunk of renewable vitality, too.
I’m additionally accountable for selecting our offsetting tasks, that are actually necessary to us. Not solely do these charitable initiatives scale back carbon output, both by defending rainforest or planting bushes, however they create jobs and teaching programs for native communities. We’d love to supply biogas to our clients, nevertheless it’s very costly in its present type. We choose to present our clients an inexpensive inexperienced tariff that offsets CO² in a socially sustainable method.
One other facet of my job is engaged on massive business offers, such because the one for Arsenal. Convincing Arsenal that they’d get a greater worth and repair from us, a comparatively small and new provider, reasonably than one among our larger counterparts, was a difficult however rewarding achievement.
How is our strategy to renewable vitality totally different to different suppliers?
As of December 2016, about 20% of the usual gasoline combine is renewable. You can even purchase renewable vitality from the market in what’s known as a REGO (Renewable Power Assure of Origin) certificates. What this implies is that, theoretically, a provider may market that 20% as a part of their inexperienced credentials; or, they might merely purchase the REGOs – all with none further funding or effort.
However we’re completely genuine in our claims. We get inexperienced vitality from websites we immediately contract with, that are owned and run by Octopus Group. Our photo voltaic and anaerobic digestion websites produce sufficient inexperienced vitality to produce every of our clients, and we get the REGOs to show it (with out shopping for them from the market).
Day-after-day, we evaluation what number of clients now we have, and I be sure we’ve received sufficient renewable vitality by contracting extra websites. As we develop, we’ll want extra renewable technology, so we’re beginning to evaluation websites that haven’t even been constructed but. In the end, every new buyer on our inexperienced tariffs provides to the demand for renewable improvement, so that they actually make a distinction to how rapidly the UK strikes to renewable vitality.
Are you engaged on something particular in the intervening time?
We’re actually focussing on forecasting outputs, and utilizing meteorological information to assist venture what’s going to occur with the climate.
What’s the neatest thing about your job?
Positively our clients – now we have some actually passionate folks becoming a member of us and I’m actually proud that we’ve an genuine inexperienced product that can be one of many most cost-effective in the marketplace.
What’s essentially the most difficult factor about your job?
Maintaining with our clients. We’ve so many individuals becoming a member of and we wish to be sure they’re comfortable and that we’ve sufficient renewable vitality for his or her wants. We have now to plan forward to ensure we’re delivering the product our clients signed as much as.
Any message for these considering of switching?
Do it! You gained’t remorse it. And also you’ll not simply get inexpensive, greener vitality, however you’ll assist the event of renewables within the UK.
Any message for many who’ve already switched?
Please get in contact when you have any concepts on how we are able to enhance. We’re a versatile firm and also you’d be stunned by how simply we are able to make modifications.
