Green Network Energy Goes Bust: What now?

Has Green Network Energy gone bust? In January 2021, Green Network Energy announced it was set to cease trading. Its 360,000 domestic customers have since been transferred to EDF. For detailed information about your new provider, check out our EDF Energy guide.

Green Network Energy entered the UK energy market in 2016 and grew at a staggering rate, with its UK customer base reaching 650,000 in 2019. The supplier, founded in Italy in 2003, committed to expanding consumer choice through the supply of and investment in renewables.

About: What is Green Network Energy?

Green Network Energy Ltd, previously Zephyr Energy Supply Limited, has closed, but was part of the Green Network Group, an energy company operating in Italy and across the UK.

The company provided gas and electricity to over a million domestic and business customers throughout Italy and the UK through its retail energy arm, while also providing energy-efficiency services and trading in energy commodities internationally.

History

1. The Green Network Group was founded in 2003 by current CEO Piero Saulli and Executive Vice President Sabrina Corbo. The supplier joined the Italian electricity market in 2005 and the gas market in 2007.
2. In 2011, the Group engaged in its first efforts to provide energy from renewable sources.
3. Green Network Energy was established in the UK in 2017. In the same year, it supplied its first domestic and business customers. Executive Vice President Sabrina Corbo stated that the Group had no regrets about operating in the UK amid Brexit turmoil.
4. By 2019, Green Network Energy amassed 650,000 customers in the UK and 350,000 customers in Italy.

Reviews: Green Network Energy

From what we have seen, Green Network Energy’s customer reviews were generally positive; customer data from review sites and surveys show that the provider was rated above average, though certainly not the best on the market.

On the popular customer review site Trustpilot, Green Network Energy received an ‘Excellent’ rating - the highest available rating - from 59% of the 6,078-strong review base, while 24% rated the supplier ‘Great’. Only 21% rated the supplier ‘Average’ or below, with unhappy customers revealing a trend of frustration with waiting times and the Green Network Energy mobile app.

Taken together, the supplier received a four out of five star TrustScore average.

The annual Which? Customer survey from 2020 placed Green Network Energy 13th of 35 energy providers. The supplier outranked the then “Big Six,” and achieved full marks for bill accuracy. Its weakest point, according to surveyed customers, wass the supplier’s digital services.

Customer Service

Green Network Energy’s ‘Italian touch’ was a key part of its customer service strategy in the UK - the supplier boasted a bilingual customer service team and committed to treating customers like family.

While receiving positive feedback in general on the quality of its customer service, it is worth noting that the supplier’s efficiency when it came to responding to customers was poor. On average there was a delay of 14 minutes before a customer service agent answered the helpline, and it took a full 11 days to receive an email response.

Login to my Green Network Energy account

The Green Network Energy login portal was simple, easy on the eyes, and most importantly, it was easy to find.

Through your online account, you could do the following:

• Manage your personal details.
• Check your tariff information.
• See your energy bills and payments.
• Submit meter readings.

Customers could also manage their account through the Green Network Energy app. It gave you the same access as the online my account system, but did not let you manage payments. The app was available for Android and Apple devices from the Google Play Store and App Store.

Meter reading

Meter readings are essential for accurate billing. Green Network Energy customers were encouraged to submit meter readings once a month.

Green Network Energy’s smart meter rollout was still in test phases and meant that the majority of customers - those not in the smart meter test group - had to submit meter readings manually through their GNE accounts, either via the supplier’s website or the GNE app.

If you did not submit regular meter readings, you would receive estimated bills based on your last submitted reading. Your bills would be adjusted for actual usage once you submitted a subsequent reading.

To find out more on how to read your gas and electricity meters, head to the Selectra meter reading guide.

Tariffs, rates & prices

The Following tariff information was correct at time of original posting. Since the time of Green Network Energy’s closure, these tariffs are no longer offered and are for for demonstration purposes only. For information on current tariffs please visit the new provider’s page.

Green Network Energy offered five tariffs: Two standard variable plans, two fixed-rate, and a single prepayment option. In the sections below, we have outlined all tariff rates, standing charges, and exit fees from the time of its closure.

1. GNE Family Green 12 Month Fixed

1. This was the supplier's CHEAPEST tariff
2. Fuel: Electricity/gas (single and dual fuel)
3. Tariff type: Fixed-rate, 12 months
4. Payment: Direct Debit or pay on receipt of bill
5. Economy 7 option available; Economy 7 times differ by region and may range from 10pm-8:30am.
6. Dual fuel discountl

2. GNE Family Green 2 Year Fixed

1. Fuel: Electricity/gas (single and dual fuel)
2. Tariff type: Fixed-rate, 24 months
3. Payment: Direct Debit or pay on receipt of bill
4. Economy 7 option available; E7 hours differ by region and may range from 10pm-8:30am.
5. Dual fuel discount

3. GNE Standard Var

1. Fuel: Electricity/gas (single and dual fuel)
2. Tariff type: Standard variable
3. Payment: Direct Debit or pay on receipt of bill
4. Economy 7 option available; E7 hours differ by region and may range from 10pm-8:30am.
5. Dual fuel discount

4. GNE Standard Var Capped

1. Fuel: Electricity/gas (single and dual fuel)
2. Tariff type: Standard variable
3. Payment: Direct Debit or pay on receipt of bill
4. Economy 7 option available; E7 hours differ by region and may range from 10pm-8:30am.
5. Dual fuel discount

5. Prepayment

1. Fuel: Electricity/gas (dual fuel)
2. Tariff type: Pay as you go
3. Payment: Prepayment meter top up

Pay as you go customers could top up their prepayment meters through their online accounts - via desktop or the GNE app - or in any PayPoint store.

Green Energy Network vs, E.ON. British Gas, Octopus Energy & Bulb

How did Green Network Energy prices stack up when compared to that of other gas and electricity suppliers? While not the most expensive, GNE tariffs were not the cheapest on the market.

Tariff information was correct at time of original posting and has not been updated since the time of Green Network Energy’s closure. For information please visit the new provider’s page.

Smart Export Guarantee

The supplier’s Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) was an alternative to feed-in-tariffs (FIT), whereby customers that generated small amounts of renewable energy at home could get paid to export electricity into the grid. The export tariff rate was 3.5p per kWh.

To sign up to the SEG tariff, customers needed meet the following conditions:

• You must have had an electricity meter that could measure electricity export in half-hourly intervals.
• You agreed to provide Green Network Energy with accurate meter readings when requested.
• Any renewable electricity you generated must come from solar, hydro, wind, anaerobic digestion, or micro-combined heat and power.
• Your installed capacity had to be up to, and must not exceed 5MW; if you had micro combined heat and power, your total installed capacity could not have exceed 50kW.
• You had to ensure that all installations were MCS certified, or had equivalent certification.
• You could not be in receipt of other feed-in-tariff payments.

Green network energy for business

Business energy customers were offered bespoke GNE contracts for their business premises. All business contracts were fixed-rate and included standing charges. Calculations for tariff charges were affected by meter types, region, and typical consumption.

If you were moving into a new premise supplied by Green Network Energy, or if your fixed-rate contract had ended, you would be charged the supplier’s ‘deemed’ tariff rates, which are often more expensive than fixed rates.

To negotiate a new agreement, to submit a meter reading, or for any billing, payment, and any other customer enquiry, you had to use the GNE business contact information from the table below.

*Information correct at the time Green Network Energy’s closure in January 2021. For up to date contact information, see the new supplier's contact page.

Fuel Mix: Is Green Network Energy actually green?

Both GNE Family Green fixed-rate tariffs offered 100% renewable electricity, however the supplier’s standard and prepayment electricity supplies were made from only 33% renewable sources, the rest coming from fossil fuels and nuclear power.

This brought the supplier’s total use of renewable energy sources for its electricity supply to 53.4% - higher than the national average - with natural gas close behind at 30.9%, followed by nuclear power at 9.3% and coal at 4.5%.

The supplier had not disclosed its gas mix.

Green Network Energy did invest in renewable energy power stations across Europe. Green Network Group companies had built solar panel installations in Rome and Romania, and wind farms in Puglia.

Does Green Network Energy use smart meters?

GNE second generation smart meters (SMETS2) were being tested with a small sample of GNE customers to ensure that all systems operated smoothly and efficiently. The supplier had stated that it aimed to offer free smart meters to all of its customers by the end of 2020.

If you already had a second generation smart meter and you were switching to Green Network Energy, your smart meter would continue to function as normal. If, however, you had a first generation smart meter, its smart capacity may no longer have functioned.

What is a smart meter?A smart meter has a digital display that can show you the cost of your energy use in real-time. It also sends automatic meter readings to your supplier so that you get billed accurately for your usage. To find out more, head to our smart meter guide.

Billing: How to pay

You could pay your Green Network Energy bills by monthly Direct Debit or by cheque, card, or bank transfer on receipt of your bills. To set up a Direct Debit or pay by any other method on receipt of your bill, you used the information in the table below.

Customers opting for Direct Debit payments would receive a discount on their monthly bills. Please note that you could view and change your Direct Debit settings by going to your Green Network Energy online account.

Warm Home Discount

Green Network Energy was part of the Warm Home Discount Scheme, a government backed programme designed to help households at risk of fuel poverty with their electricity bills during the coldest winter months. The Warm Home Discount provided eligible consumers with a one-off payment of £140.00 off their winter electricity bills.

Some consumers received this payment automatically (the Core group), while others had to apply (the Broader group). The Warm Home Discount is still available through other suppliers. To find out more about this scheme, see our Warm Home Discount guide.

Green Network Energy accepted a limited number of Broader group applicants on a first-come-first-serve basis, meaning that there was no set deadline.

Contact Green Network Energy

In the table below you’ll find the supplier’s customer service contact and social media info from the time it went bust, including its croydon call center number, email address, and postal address.

For information about the supplier’s complaints contact details and procedures, see our Green Network Energy Contact page.

Green Network Energy FAQs

1. Will I be subject to a credit check when signing up?

   If you signed up to a credit-meter tariff, you would undergo a credit check with a credit reference agency before your account could be opened. If you failed a credit check, the supplier would set you up with a prepayment meter and request that you provide a security deposit.

2. How do I notify Green network energy about moving house/premise?

   Whether you were moving into a GNE-supplied home or premise, or moving out, you would have to notify the supplier.

   If you were an existing domestic customer, you could notify the GNE customer care team on 0800 520 0202. If you were a business customer, you had to fill in the supplier’s moving out form and send it to [email protected].

   As soon as you notified GNE, the supplier would draw up your final bill and process any refund due. If you were in debt to the supplier, you may have been offered a repayment plan to clear all outstanding charges.

3. Does Green network energy offer boiler cover?

   Green Network Energy did not offer boiler cover.

4. Can I get cashback by referring a friend?

   You could receive £60 everytime you referred a friend with a personal GNE referral link, which you could find in your online account; and what’s more, your friend would also receive £60 in credit.

5. What is the Green Network Energy emergency number?

   Green network energy did not have an emergency number. However if you are suffering a continual loss of power, please call 150 from a mobile or landline to get directed to your Distribution Network Operator (DNO), to whom you can report the power cut and get further information.

   If you think you may have a gas leak, turn off all appliances, open all windows and doors, and turn your gas supply off at your meter. Then call the National Gas Emergency Service helpline on 0800 111 999 to request a visit from a gas-safe registered engineer.

6. Does Green Network Energy offer an Economy 10 tariff?

   The supplier did not currently offer Economy 10 tariffs. This is because Green Network Energy did not support Economy 10 meters in its system.

7. Can I find job opportunities at Green Network Energy?

   Green Network Energy regularly updated its jobs page with vacancies and openings, for which anyone could apply to online.

8. How do I cancel my green network energy account & switch?

   Switching suppliers and terminating your Green Network Energy account was easy. Once you found the right energy deal and signed up to a new supplier, your new supplier would contact Green Network Energy to facilitate the switch.

   You would not experience any cut to your supply while switching. GNE would send you a final bill, and process any refund owed to you. You may have been charged a cancellation fee (exit fee) if you terminated a fixed-term contract before the end of its full-length term.