Dale Vince, the founder of green energy company Ecotricity, says more money needs to be spent on building new green energy sources.

He has spoken out in light of the news that the ‘Big Six’ energy companies are making £125 per customer.

Dale said: "There is a big problem in the energy market, but it’s not about how much money the big six energy companies are making – it’s about what they are doing with that money."

He points out that out of the £125 only £5 is spent on building new green energy sources; a gap that he sees as scandalous.

"The reason for the lack of investment is not just weak regulation but because four of the Big Six energy companies are foreign owned and their interests are not aligned with the interest of the British public," he said. 

"These multi-nationals take bill money from customers here in Britain and spend it in Germany or France or pay out dividends to shareholders."

Ecotricity is a ‘not for dividend’ company with no outside shareholders to answer to. It powers over 50,000 homes and businesses in the UK from a fleet of 53 windmills and "it invests more per capita in building new sources of green energy than any other UK electricity company". It is also the only energy supplier supported by Oxfam and the Soil Association.

Along with other eco-minded energy companies such as Good Energy, Ebico and Ovo Energy, Ecotricity offer us the chance to save energy and money, instead of just giving our £125 to the Big Six. So, as urged by our own government just the other week; shop around, there are alternatives.

[Image: Simon Hickson]