Welcome to Episode 20 of Up to Some Good! In this episode, I speak to Founder and Director of Good Energy, Juliet Davenport. Good Energy is a UK based renewable energy supplier with a mission to power a greener, cleaner world. When Juliet launched renewable energy company in 1999, it was the UK’s first 100% renewable electricity supplier! We talk about the challenges of launching an energy business, why the UK’s weather makes wind energy a popular resource as well as Juliet’s love of Jam filled doughnuts.

Renewables is a subject I am not too familiar with, but Juliet breaks it down and makes it very approachable – I definitely recommend this for listeners who want to understand more about how renewable energy works!

Here is a summary of our conversation:

- 🔍Challenges of launching an energy business in the 1990s;

- ☀️How wind and solar farms can bring value to the local community

- 🔋Potential of renewable energy in Asia

- 🏘Working with small households who generate their own power

- 🚨Exciting trends in the renewable energy industry

Follow at @goodenergyuk or head to their website to find out more: https://www.goodenergy.co.uk/

A business Juliet thinks is Up to Some Good: Too Good to Go App (@toogoodtogo.uk)

*Timestamps: 

3:35 Early stages of Juliet’s career and her journey towards starting Good Energy

4:40 Initiating a consumer led approach to a zero-carbon planet

6:35 Challenges of launching an energy business in the 1990s;

- Key challenges: (1) Gaining  licence (2) Buying power from suppliers

9:18 How wind and solar farms can bring value to the local community

- Discounted electricity supply for local communities

- Selling sites back to community – local ownership

- Cross promotions with generators who are also customers

13:00 Why wind power makes up a big part of the Good Energy’s fuel mix (hint: think UK weather!)

14:40 Potential of renewable energy in Asia

16:08 Is renewable energy generation feasible in densely populated cities?

17:10 Working with small households who generate their own power

19:00 Convincing consumers to shift to renewables

20:45 Renewables are close to achieving price parity with traditional energy companies

23:48  Using ‘Guiding Principles’ and having strong internal communications is key to ensure business decisions align with vision

29:30 Greenwashing in the energy industry

32:40 Exciting trends in the renewable energy industry

40:12 Minimising EV driver’s range anxiety by installing more EV charging points