Is your energy supply vegan?

We’re more conscious than ever about the impact our buying choices have on the planet. But the energy industry still hides a secret about how it uses animals in its energy production. 

You've got a right to know how your energy is made, so you can choose a supplier that fits your principles. Here’s everything you need to know about vegan energy, and how to switch to an animal-free supplier.

What is vegan energy?

Vegan energy is the production of electricity or gas that doesn’t involve the use of animals or animal by-products.

There are two main sources of non-vegan energy generation in the UK: anaerobic digestion (AD), and biomass. Both AD and biomass energy production can contain by-products of animal farming – like factory-farmed livestock, slaughterhouse waste, fish parts, and animal slurry.

While energy providers are required by Ofgem to declare the fuel mix of the energy they supply, there’s no obligation to declare whether animals are used in its production.

What’s the difference between green energy and vegan energy?

Green energy is the production of electricity or gas through renewable sources, in place of traditional fossil fuels. Green energy is produced by harnessing power from solar, wind, wave and tidal sources.

But just because an energy supply is green, it doesn’t make it vegan.

Many green energy companies, like Good Energy, Bulb, and Octopus, supply electricity that’s been generated using animals or animal by-products.

So how can you check if your energy supplier is vegan?

Four of the Big Six energy companies have animal by-products in their supply chains, along with many independent and green energy suppliers. This means their energy has been sourced from AD and biomass generators that are linked to animal farming.

So while less than 1% of energy in the UK is made by non-vegan methods, the issue still affects almost 60% of the population. 

What makes Ecotricity different?

We’re the only energy supplier in the UK that’s registered with The Vegan Society and Viva! for our green electricity and green gas. We’ve verified all of the energy sources that go into making our electricity and gas, to ensure we aren’t inadvertently using animals in our energy production.

We produce green electricity using power from the wind, the sun and the sea – and we plan to start generating our own vegan green gas from grass too.

You can read more about how we make our green electricity here.

Why should you switch to vegan energy?

You don’t have to follow a vegan diet to switch to vegan energy – there are other reasons to make a change:

  • Cut your carbon emissions. Energy, transport and food production account for up to 80% of our personal carbon emissions. By switching to vegan energy, you’re doing one of the biggest single things you can do to cut your carbon footprint.
  • Support ethical energy production. If you switch to vegan energy, you can be sure your energy bills don’t support factory farming or the unethical treatment of animals. Instead, you’ll get green, animal free, ethical energy.

How can you switch to vegan energy?

Switching to vegan energy is easy – you just need to answer a few questions, and we’ll do the rest. It only takes a few minutes to switch.

Join the green energy revolution, and switch to ethical vegan energy today online or by giving us a call on 0808 123 0 123.

We can also supply businesses with animal-free energy. If you'd like to power your business with vegan energy, it's simple. Get a quote and switch today.