Ecotricity has launched the “world’s first” certified vegan electricity tariff, whilst calling on rivals to “come clean” over the use of animal products to generate the power they supply.
The company has also announced plans to launch a vegan gas tariff.
Ecotricity said the use of animal products to produce biomass power and biomethane, including both excrement and the bodies of fish, has remained a “well-kept secret”, despite being “widespread” within the energy industry.
“For millions of Britons there’s a secret ingredient in their power,” said Ecotricity founder Dale Vince. “Energy companies big, small, brown and green are using the by-products of factory farming to make electricity and gas.
“That’s not against the law, but it shouldn’t be a secret, any more than the ingredients in the food we buy should be secret – energy suppliers need to come clean. We need clear labelling of energy sourcing so that people can make informed choices.”
Vince said the company has had a “long-standing policy” of refusing to buy electricity or gas from animal related sources, but this has now been backed up with an endorsement by the Vegan Society of its one and only electricity tariff.
Chantelle Adkins, head of business development at the Vegan Society, commented: “Animals are needlessly used in almost every area of life, and electricity is sadly not an exception. As vegans, we strive to avoid all animal use; it’s disheartening when we’re not able to do so.
“We hope that by highlighting the use of animal by-products to generate electricity we can help people realise just how widespread animal use is in our society and inspire them to avoid it.”