News & Insights.

In the UK business energy market, companies increasingly seek genuine renewable supply to meet sustainability targets and reduce Scope 2 emissions. However, not all “green” tariffs deliver the same level of authenticity. The key distinction lies between standard REGO-backed plans and truly traceable renewable energy.

What are

REGO Certificates?

Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin (REGOs), issued by Ofgem, certify that 1 MWh of electricity was generated from renewable sources. Suppliers purchase these certificates separately from the physical electricity—often “unbundled”—to back their tariffs. This allows them to claim 100% renewable supply on paper, even if the actual energy delivered comes from the mixed national grid, potentially including fossil fuels.

While REGOs provide basic proof of renewable generation somewhere in the system and support Fuel Mix Disclosure reporting, they offer limited additionality or direct impact. Critics note this can enable greenwashing, as certificates are traded independently without guaranteeing temporal or locational matching.

What is

Traceable Renewable Energy?

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Traceable renewable energy goes further by directly linking consumption to specific generators, often via peer-to-peer (P2P) platforms or bundled Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs). Advanced matching—such as half-hourly alignment—ensures your business’s usage is paired with real-time output from identified renewable assets, like local solar or wind farms.

This delivers complete traceability: you know exactly which generator supplied your energy, when, and how. It provides stronger environmental claims, better prices through disintermediation, and genuine support for renewable projects.

Why It Matters

for Businesses

For cost-conscious enterprises facing rising energy bills and ESG scrutiny, REGOs offer a compliant but indirect solution. Traceable options, however, provide superior transparency and potential savings by cutting out layers of complexity.

SoWatt, powered by UrbanChain’s Ofgem-licensed P2P technology, connects businesses directly to renewable generators. This marketplace eliminates traditional mark-ups, ensures full traceability, and delivers better returns for producers alongside lower, more stable prices for consumers.

Ready to move beyond certificates to real, traceable renewables? Contact SoWatt today to explore tailored business energy plans.