Ecotricity vs British Gas: comparing commercial tariffs and features to help you choose for your business

Ecotricity and British Gas both supply electricity and gas to companies across Britain, but their business energy propositions differ significantly.

Ecotricity is a renewable-focused supplier whose business electricity is sourced entirely from renewable generation. Its wider environmental model involves investing revenue from energy bills in new wind, solar and green-gas projects.

British Gas is one of the country’s largest commercial energy suppliers, serving more than 350,000 businesses. It offers fixed, rolling and flexible contracts, zero-carbon and renewable electricity options, renewable gas, commercial solar, export tariffs, smart-meter analytics and wholesale purchasing services for major users.

A small company seeking a straightforward renewable electricity contract may find Ecotricity’s proposition easier to understand. A larger organisation requiring flexible purchasing, multi-site data, solar installation or a wider selection of gas products may find more options through British Gas.

Neither supplier is universally cheaper. Business tariffs are normally calculated individually according to consumption, meter type, postcode, credit history and contract term.

Ecotricity vs British Gas at a glance

Feature	Ecotricity Business	British Gas Business
Small-business electricity	Yes	Yes
Small-business gas	Yes	Yes
Large-business supply	Yes	Yes
Published universal contract price	No	No
Fixed-price contracts	Available by quotation	Normally one to three years, with some published schedules extending to four years
Short rolling contract	No prominent standard SME product	30-day Rolling Energy Plan
Online-only small-business plan	Online quotation and account management	British Gas Lite
Flexible wholesale purchasing	Bespoke for larger users	Flex Advantage above 1GWh and Full Flex above 10GWh
Standard fixed electricity credentials	100% renewable	Zero carbon on qualifying fixed plans, using renewables and nuclear
Renewable-only electricity	Standard proposition	Optional Natural Renewable Electricity
Supplier-wide renewable proportion	100%	35% in the 2024/25 fuel mix
Nuclear electricity	None in Ecotricity’s disclosed mix	55% of British Gas’s supplier-wide mix
Time-matched renewable reporting	Real Time REGOs	Standard REGO reporting and Energy360 data services
Business gas	Sustainable and fossil gas supported by British carbon removal	Conventional, Carbon Neutral and Renewable Gas options
Published renewable gas proportion	About 1% of total Ecotricity gas supply currently comes from green gas mills	Carbon Neutral Gas is 10% RGGO-backed; Renewable Gas is 100% RGGO-backed
Commercial solar	On-site generation and bespoke support	Turnkey commercial solar services
Published solar saving claim	No universal percentage	Up to 30% for suitable installations
Business export tariff	Bespoke PPAs for qualifying generators	Published Smart Export Guarantee
Published export rate	Not standardised	8p/kWh for eligible British Gas electricity customers
Public PPA threshold	More than 250kW of generation	Fully funded commercial solar PPAs for qualifying projects above 500kWp
Smart energy analytics	Consumption information and bespoke reporting	Energy360 DataView
Demand-shifting rewards	No directly comparable standard scheme	PeakSave for Business trials
Best suited to	Renewable-led SMEs and environmentally focused organisations	Businesses wanting scale, data, flexible procurement and infrastructure services

Which companies can apply?

Both suppliers serve small companies and larger commercial organisations.

Ecotricity eligibility

Ecotricity defines an SME as a business meeting at least one of the following conditions:

• annual electricity consumption below 200,000kWh;
• annual gas consumption below 200,000kWh; or
• five or fewer meter points.

Companies above these levels can approach its large-business team.

This makes Ecotricity potentially suitable for:

• shops;
• offices;
• cafés and restaurants;
• hotels;
• charities;
• schools;
• workshops;
• warehouses;
• care providers;
• manufacturers; and
• multi-site organisations.

British Gas eligibility

British Gas offers different routes according to the size and complexity of the customer.

British Gas Lite is aimed at smaller companies that:

• spend less than £30,000 a year on energy;
• are prepared to manage the account online;
• pay by monthly Direct Debit; and
• have, or agree to install, a smart meter.

Its standard British Gas Business service covers SMEs and larger companies, including businesses with several premises or half-hourly meters.

Flexible procurement is aimed at larger users:

British Gas flexible product	Published consumption profile
Flex Advantage	More than 1GWh per year
Full Flex	More than 10GWh per year

One gigawatt-hour equals one million kilowatt-hours.

Example eligibility by business type

Example company	Electricity consumption	Gas consumption	Likely suitable route
Small shop	12,000kWh	10,000kWh	Ecotricity SME or British Gas Lite
Office	60,000kWh	80,000kWh	SME service from either supplier
Restaurant	150,000kWh	300,000kWh	Ecotricity SME electricity; standard British Gas Business
Hotel	400,000kWh	1,200,000kWh	Large-business teams
Manufacturer	2,500,000kWh	4,000,000kWh	Both; British Gas Flex Advantage may be relevant
Industrial group	15GWh	20GWh	Bespoke large-business service; British Gas Full Flex may be relevant

Eligibility does not guarantee that either supplier will quote. Credit risk, meter configuration, property use and contractual complexity may also affect acceptance.

Which supplier is cheaper?

No supplier can be declared cheaper without comparing quotations for the same premises.

Business energy prices depend on:

• annual electricity or gas use;
• MPAN or MPRN;
• meter profile;
• half-hourly consumption pattern;
• distribution region;
• residual charging band;
• agreed electricity capacity;
• contract start date;
• contract duration;
• credit rating;
• payment method;
• renewable product selection;
• number of sites; and
• current wholesale prices.

A meaningful comparison should calculate:

• Annual consumption × unit rate
• daily standing charge × 365
• capacity charges
• meter and data costs
• network and policy charges
• renewable product costs
• VAT and Climate Change Levy where applicable
  − export income and other credits

A low unit rate may not produce the lowest bill if it is accompanied by a much higher standing charge.

How rate differences affect annual costs

Annual consumption	Value of 1p/kWh difference	Value of 3p/kWh difference	Value of 5p/kWh difference
10,000kWh	£100	£300	£500
25,000kWh	£250	£750	£1,250
50,000kWh	£500	£1,500	£2,500
100,000kWh	£1,000	£3,000	£5,000
250,000kWh	£2,500	£7,500	£12,500
1GWh	£10,000	£30,000	£50,000
10GWh	£100,000	£300,000	£500,000

Standing-charge differences can also accumulate across a multi-site portfolio.

Daily difference per meter	Annual difference	Difference across ten meters
25p	£91.25	£912.50
50p	£182.50	£1,825
£1	£365	£3,650
£5	£1,825	£18,250
£10	£3,650	£36,500

British Gas maximum microbusiness prices

British Gas publishes the maximum prices that microbusiness customers may pay when entering or renewing a Fixed Price Energy Plan.

These are price ceilings rather than typical or average quotations. Many businesses may be offered lower rates.

The figures below were stated as current on 27 May 2026 and exclude VAT, Climate Change Levy and other applicable charges.

Single-rate electricity

Fixed term	Maximum unit rate	Maximum standing charge	Annual standing charge
One year	38.41p/kWh	334p per day	£1,219.10
Two years	37.81p/kWh	379.96p per day	£1,386.85
Three years	38.04p/kWh	428.43p per day	£1,563.77
Four years	38.04p/kWh	462.23p per day	£1,687.14

British Gas bases its published estimated contract figures on annual electricity consumption of 21,000kWh.

Fixed term	Estimated annual cost	Estimated full contract cost
One year	Approximately £9,285	£9,285
Two years	Approximately £9,327	£18,654
Three years	Approximately £9,552	£28,657
Four years	Approximately £9,676	£38,702

The two-year option has the lowest unit rate in this maximum-pricing schedule, but its standing charge is higher than the one-year tariff.

Day-and-night electricity

Fixed term	Maximum day rate	Maximum night rate	Standing charge
One year	40p/kWh	31.76p/kWh	334p per day
Two years	39.37p/kWh	31.17p/kWh	379.96p per day
Three years	39.61p/kWh	31.42p/kWh	428.43p per day
Four years	39.61p/kWh	31.42p/kWh	462.23p per day

A two-rate tariff is only beneficial if enough electricity is consumed during the cheaper night period.

For example, using a 39.37p day rate and 31.17p night rate:

Proportion consumed at night	Weighted average rate
10%	38.55p/kWh
25%	37.32p/kWh
50%	35.27p/kWh
75%	33.22p/kWh

The standing charge must still be added to these calculations.

Maximum fixed gas prices

Fixed term	Maximum unit rate	Maximum standing charge	Annual standing charge
One year	12.54p/kWh	1,710.28p per day	£6,242.52
Two years	11.44p/kWh	1,784.47p per day	£6,513.32
Three years	10.92p/kWh	1,862.57p per day	£6,798.38
Four years	11.07p/kWh	1,975.41p per day	£7,210.25

British Gas bases the gas example on annual consumption of 30,000kWh.

Fixed term	Approximate annual cost	Published full contract cost
One year	£10,005	£10,005
Two years	£9,945	£19,891
Three years	£10,074	£30,223
Four years	£10,531	£42,125

These high figures are maximum pricing limits. They should not be interpreted as British Gas’s normal market quote for every microbusiness.

Ecotricity published deemed prices

Ecotricity does not publish an equivalent maximum fixed-contract table. Negotiated rates require an individual quotation.

It does publish deemed prices for businesses that occupy premises it already supplies without agreeing a contract.

From 1 April 2026, Ecotricity’s non-half-hourly electricity schedule includes:

Ecotricity category	Unit rate	Daily standing-charge range
Domestic residual band	23.80p–26.33p/kWh	49.63p–75.82p
No Residual	33p/kWh	51.13p–77.87p
Band 1	35p/kWh	51.13p–77.87p
Band 2	35p/kWh	86.20p–135.96p
Band 3	35p/kWh	152.21p–250.10p
Band 4	35p/kWh	375.75p–645.99p

Prices exclude VAT, Climate Change Levy, government-imposed taxes and government support schemes. Half-hourly sites may also incur capacity, reactive-power, meter-maintenance and data-collection charges.

Ecotricity deemed electricity examples

The following examples use Ecotricity’s 35p/kWh Band 1 price.

Annual consumption	Consumption charge	Standing-charge range	Total range
10,000kWh	£3,500	£186.62–£284.23	£3,686.62–£3,784.23
21,000kWh	£7,350	£186.62–£284.23	£7,536.62–£7,634.23
25,000kWh	£8,750	£186.62–£284.23	£8,936.62–£9,034.23
50,000kWh	£17,500	£186.62–£284.23	£17,686.62–£17,784.23
100,000kWh	£35,000	£186.62–£284.23	£35,186.62–£35,284.23

These are deemed rates, not an indication of the fixed quotation Ecotricity would provide.

They also cannot be directly compared with British Gas’s maximum fixed prices. One table shows variable uncontracted charges, while the other shows the highest price a qualifying microbusiness could pay on a fixed plan.

Ecotricity deemed gas rates

Ecotricity’s deemed gas price from 1 April 2026 is:

Charge	Published rate
Unit rate	10p/kWh
Daily standing charge	100p
Annual standing charge	£365

Annual gas use	Consumption charge	Standing charge	Total
30,000kWh	£3,000	£365	£3,365
50,000kWh	£5,000	£365	£5,365
100,000kWh	£10,000	£365	£10,365
250,000kWh	£25,000	£365	£25,365

Again, these prices exclude VAT, CCL and other applicable charges.

Can the published prices identify a winner?

No. The publicly available figures are drawn from different types of tariff:

• British Gas publishes maximum microbusiness fixed-contract prices;
• Ecotricity publishes variable deemed rates;
• British Gas also publishes separate deemed, standard-variable and British Gas Lite variable schedules; and
• both suppliers prepare individual negotiated quotations.

British Gas itself says deemed contracts can cost up to 80% more than fixed plans. A company moving into premises should therefore contact the existing supplier immediately rather than remaining on default rates.

The only reliable test is to request written fixed quotes from both suppliers using identical consumption and contract dates.

British Gas fixed and rolling contracts

British Gas offers several contract structures.

Fixed Price Energy Plan

The standard fixed plan normally provides:

• a fixed unit rate;
• a fixed standing charge;
• one-, two- or three-year terms;
• Direct Debit discounts;
• online account management; and
• advance notification when renewal is due.

Some maximum-price schedules also contain four-year options, so the available terms should be confirmed in the quotation.

A fixed unit rate does not guarantee that the bill remains identical each month. The amount charged still depends on how much energy the company uses.

British Gas Lite

British Gas Lite is a digital-first fixed product for smaller companies.

It includes:

• online account management;
• monthly Direct Debit;
• automatic smart-meter readings;
• webchat support; and
• no conventional telephone customer-service route.

Lite may suit a price-conscious small company comfortable managing everything online. It may be less suitable for a business that wants to discuss complex billing or metering issues by telephone.

British Gas states that Lite is aimed at businesses spending less than £30,000 per year on energy.

Thirty-day rolling plan

The 30-day Rolling Energy Plan provides more flexibility than a long fixed contract.

Rates can rise or fall, but the business is not committed for several years and can normally move to a fixed plan.

This may be useful where:

• the company expects to move premises;
• its future consumption is uncertain;
• it is waiting for wholesale prices to change; or
• it does not want to make a long commitment.

The disadvantage is exposure to rate increases.

British Gas flexible purchasing

British Gas offers more developed wholesale purchasing services than Ecotricity publicly advertises.

Flex Advantage

Flex Advantage is intended for businesses using more than 1GWh annually.

It allows the company to:

• purchase energy in 20% tranches;
• access wholesale market-reflective prices;
• view market data;
• monitor its purchasing position; and
• manage trades through an online portal.

A company could, for example, purchase five separate 20% blocks rather than fixing its entire forecast on one day.

Full Flex

Full Flex is designed for organisations consuming more than 10GWh.

Features include:

• fixing and unfixing energy;
• more flexible trade sizes;
• detailed market data;
• position reporting; and
• support from British Gas’s optimisation specialists.

Flexible purchasing can spread market-timing risk, but it cannot guarantee a lower price.

Consider a company consuming 10GWh:

Average purchased price	Annual commodity cost
18p/kWh	£1.8 million
20p/kWh	£2 million
22p/kWh	£2.2 million

A movement of 2p/kWh changes annual expenditure by £200,000.

A flexible contract is therefore most appropriate where the company has a documented risk strategy and people authorised to make purchasing decisions.

Ecotricity business contracts

Ecotricity’s SME proposition is less focused on active wholesale trading.

It emphasises:

• individually quoted prices;
• 100% renewable electricity;
• carbon-neutralised gas;
• straightforward account management;
• assistance with switching; and
• using customer revenue to develop additional green generation.

Larger organisations can request:

• fixed pricing;
• half-hourly supplies;
• multi-site contracts;
• on-site renewable generation;
• Power Purchase Agreements;
• smart-grid support; and
• Real Time REGOs.

Ecotricity may therefore be better suited to a company that wants a conventional renewable supply contract, while British Gas may have an advantage where energy procurement resembles financial risk management.

Comparing renewable electricity

The main environmental distinction is between renewable-only electricity and a broader zero-carbon mix.

Ecotricity electricity

Ecotricity says it supplies 100% renewable electricity generated from sources including:

• onshore wind;
• offshore wind;
• solar; and
• hydroelectric generation.

Its published mix does not include fossil fuels or nuclear power.

Ecotricity also uses customer revenue to support new renewable generation through its Bills into Mills model.

For a company with an environmental policy requiring renewable-only electricity, this provides a relatively simple procurement statement.

British Gas electricity

British Gas offers several levels of environmental backing.

Its supplier-wide fuel mix for 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025 was:

Source	British Gas	UK average published alongside it
Coal	1%	6%
Natural gas	8%	33%
Nuclear	55%	16%
Renewables	35%	42%
Other	1%	3%
Carbon emissions	53g/kWh	205g/kWh
Zero-carbon proportion	90%	58%

British Gas’s supplier-wide mix has a relatively low reported carbon intensity, largely because of its high nuclear proportion.

However, it is not renewable-only.

British Gas product fuel mixes

British Gas’s latest product-level disclosure shows:

Electricity source	Renewable Energy for Business	Zero Carbon Energy for Business	All other products
Coal	0%	0%	2%
Natural gas	0%	0%	13%
Nuclear	0%	79%	54%
Renewables	100%	21%	30%
Other	0%	0%	1%
Reported carbon emissions	0g/kWh	0g/kWh	81g/kWh
Zero-carbon proportion	100%	100%	84%

British Gas advertises zero-carbon electricity as standard on qualifying new and renewed fixed-term British Gas Business contracts. This is backed by a combination of renewable certificates and nuclear declarations.

British Gas Lite and non-contracted customers may be excluded from that standard proposition.

Companies requiring renewable-only electricity should select Natural Renewable Electricity rather than relying solely on the term “zero carbon”.

Renewable versus zero carbon

The terms are related but not identical.

Renewable electricity is generated from replenishing sources such as wind, solar and hydro.

Zero-carbon electricity can include renewable generation and nuclear power.

This means:

• Ecotricity’s electricity is renewable and zero carbon under market-based reporting;
• British Gas Natural Renewable Electricity is renewable;
• British Gas Zero Carbon Energy can contain substantial nuclear generation; and
• British Gas’s general fuel mix contains some fossil-fuel generation.

A company should define its requirement before requesting prices.

An organisation seeking to minimise reported Scope 2 emissions may accept either renewable or nuclear-backed zero-carbon electricity. A company whose environmental policy excludes nuclear generation would need a renewable-only product.

Time-matched renewable reporting

Ecotricity offers Real Time REGOs, allowing a business to compare when it consumes electricity with when renewable electricity is generated.

Traditional REGO-backed tariffs normally balance total annual consumption against total renewable generation over the reporting period. They do not necessarily show that renewable generation occurred in the same hour as the company’s demand.

Ecotricity’s service can combine:

• half-hourly consumption;
• renewable generation data;
• REGOs;
• power purchased through Ecotricity’s PPAs; and
• a customer’s own sleeved PPA.

This may be relevant to organisations pursuing:

• 24/7 carbon-free electricity;
• detailed Scope 2 reporting;
• net-zero building standards;
• audited sustainability reports; or
• supply-chain environmental targets.

British Gas provides renewable fuel labels and carbon-reporting support, but its principal data tool focuses on consumption management rather than publicly advertised hourly REGO matching.

Energy360 DataView

British Gas provides Energy360 DataView free to existing business customers with compatible smart meters.

The platform allows users to:

• view half-hourly consumption;
• identify usage trends;
• examine out-of-hours demand;
• access data updated daily;
• download historical information; and
• schedule reports.

This can help identify issues such as:

• equipment left on overnight;
• high weekend consumption;
• inefficient heating schedules;
• avoidable peaks; and
• unexpected changes in site demand.

Ecotricity also provides consumption information to business customers, particularly half-hourly and large users. British Gas nevertheless has the more prominently developed public energy-management platform.

PeakSave for Business

British Gas has run PeakSave for Business promotions that reward eligible smart-meter customers for using electricity during selected lower-demand periods.

The most recent published event ran from 6 May to 10 June 2026. Eligible businesses received half-price electricity between 11am and 4pm on Wednesdays, subject to a maximum £100 credit per smart meter on each event day.

That promotion has ended and should not be treated as a permanent tariff feature.

It nevertheless demonstrates British Gas’s ability to offer smart-meter-based demand incentives. Businesses should check whether a new PeakSave campaign is open when requesting a quote.

Ecotricity does not currently advertise a directly comparable standard SME reward programme.

Comparing business gas

Neither supplier’s ordinary gas service means that every physical unit delivered to the premises is renewable.

Ecotricity gas

Ecotricity states that approximately 1% of the gas it currently supplies comes from green gas mills, with the remainder being fossil gas.

Its environmental approach includes:

• developing biomethane production;
• grass-fed anaerobic digestion;
• British carbon-removal projects;
• enhanced rock weathering; and
• nature-recovery activity.

Ecotricity has moved away from relying entirely on overseas carbon-avoidance credits and now emphasises direct British carbon removal.

The proportion of sustainable gas included in an individual business agreement should be confirmed in the quotation.

British Gas Carbon Neutral Gas

British Gas’s Carbon Neutral Gas product is structured as:

Component	Proportion
Gas backed by UK Renewable Gas Guarantees of Origin	10%
Gas supported by carbon-offsetting projects	90%

The 10% renewable element is matched with UK renewable gas. The remaining emissions are balanced using independently verified carbon credits.

Carbon offsetting does not prevent combustion emissions from occurring at the business premises.

British Gas Renewable Gas

British Gas also offers a Renewable Gas product for businesses using more than 150MWh annually.

Under this option, 100% of the customer’s gas consumption is matched with Renewable Gas Guarantees of Origin from UK-produced biomethane.

The physical gas delivered through the network remains mixed with gas from other sources. The RGGOs provide evidence that an equivalent volume of renewable biomethane entered the grid.

Which has the greener gas option?

British Gas provides more clearly defined certificate-backed options:

• 10% RGGO-backed gas plus 90% offsets; or
• 100% RGGO-backed Renewable Gas for qualifying customers.

Ecotricity currently supplies a smaller stated physical green-gas proportion but places more emphasis on developing new gasmills and funding direct carbon removal in Britain.

The stronger option depends on what the business values:

Priority	Likely stronger fit
Published 100% renewable-gas certificate matching	British Gas
Clear 10% renewable and 90% offset structure	British Gas
Investment in new British green-gas production	Ecotricity
British direct carbon removal	Ecotricity
Auditable RGGOs for every unit	British Gas Renewable Gas
Renewable-only electricity alongside gas	Ecotricity

Commercial solar

British Gas has the broader turnkey commercial solar proposition.

It says suitable commercial solar installations can reduce electricity costs by up to 30%.

Services can include:

• site assessment;
• system design;
• rooftop or ground-mounted panels;
• installation;
• monitoring;
• maintenance;
• battery integration;
• project finance; and
• export arrangements.

The actual saving depends on:

• roof or land area;
• orientation and shading;
• installation size;
• capital cost;
• daytime electricity demand;
• financing;
• export rate;
• maintenance; and
• future grid electricity prices.

Applying the 30% claim to different annual electricity costs produces:

Existing electricity expenditure	Illustrative 30% reduction
£10,000	£3,000
£25,000	£7,500
£50,000	£15,000
£100,000	£30,000
£500,000	£150,000

These are mathematical examples, not guaranteed savings.

Ecotricity can support on-site wind and solar generation and arrange purchase agreements for qualifying installations. Its public service is more bespoke and less focused on a standard turnkey SME solar package.

Export tariffs

British Gas publishes a Smart Export Guarantee for businesses.

Its current published supply-customer rate is:

British Gas SEG feature	Detail
Export payment	8p/kWh
Low-capacity category	Below 15kW
High-capacity category	Above 15kW
Maximum normal SEG capacity	5MW
Micro-CHP limit	50kW
Payment frequency	Every three months
Payment timetable	Within 28 days of receiving the export reading
Smart meter required	Yes

Eligible technologies include:

• solar PV;
• wind;
• hydro;
• anaerobic digestion; and
• micro combined heat and power.

At 8p/kWh, indicative export income would be:

Annual export	Income
5,000kWh	£400
10,000kWh	£800
25,000kWh	£2,000
50,000kWh	£4,000
100,000kWh	£8,000

British Gas also accepts SEG customers whose imported electricity comes from another supplier, although a different non-supply export rate may apply.

Power Purchase Agreements

Ecotricity promotes PPAs for companies generating more than 250kW of renewable electricity on site.

A PPA can provide:

• an agreed export price;
• a route to market;
• certificate management;
• settlement support;
• balancing arrangements; and
• longer-term revenue certainty.

Ecotricity can combine the PPA with its supply service and Real Time REGOs.

British Gas and the wider Centrica group can support large commercial solar and PPA arrangements. Centrica Business Solutions advertises fully funded PPA structures for qualifying solar projects above 500kWp.

British Gas may therefore have an advantage for companies seeking financed large-scale solar, while Ecotricity may appeal to organisations wanting an integrated renewable supply and time-matching arrangement.

EV charging

British Gas promotes commercial and communal EV charging, including solutions for:

• commercial landlords;
• apartment developments;
• shared parking;
• employee charging; and
• business fleets.

Its communal charging service combines equipment, billing and a dedicated energy tariff. British Gas says suitable arrangements may reduce communal charging costs by more than 50%, although results depend on the site and tariff.

Ecotricity developed the Electric Highway public charging network but sold it to GRIDSERVE in 2021. Its current business supply proposition does not offer a directly comparable nationwide commercial EV package.

British Gas is therefore likely to be the stronger option where installation and management of workplace or communal chargers is a priority.

Account management and customer service

Ecotricity

Ecotricity offers:

• an online SME quotation service;
• a dedicated business energy team;
• online account management;
• half-hourly billing support;
• multi-site arrangements; and
• specialist renewable reporting.

Its smaller and more focused proposition may appeal to companies that want a dedicated green supplier.

British Gas

British Gas offers:

• telephone and online service for standard business accounts;
• online-only British Gas Lite;
• smart meters;
• Energy360 DataView;
• multi-site account management;
• metering and new connections;
• flexible purchasing portals; and
• specialist support for major users.

Its scale and range of services may be useful for a national or technically complex business. Smaller Lite customers must be comfortable relying on webchat rather than telephone support.

Contract risks to check

Business energy contracts are not protected by the domestic energy price cap. Most business contracts also have no automatic cooling-off period, including contracts agreed by telephone.

Before accepting either supplier’s offer, check:

• contract start and end dates;
• unit rates;
• standing charges;
• fixed and pass-through elements;
• payment method;
• Direct Debit discounts;
• volume-tolerance provisions;
• early termination costs;
• metering charges;
• capacity charges;
• excess-capacity charges;
• renewable certificate terms;
• security deposits;
• broker commission;
• renewal procedure; and
• post-contract prices.

A quote described as “fixed” may fix the energy rate without fixing every network, regulatory or metering charge.

Ecotricity advantages and disadvantages

British Gas advantages and disadvantages

Which supplier is better for different companies?

Business type or requirement	Likely better fit	Reason
Small sustainability-led shop	Ecotricity	Straightforward renewable-only electricity
Price-focused online SME	British Gas Lite	Digital-first tariff and smart-meter service
Business wanting telephone support	Compare standard British Gas and Ecotricity	British Gas Lite is webchat-only
Company requiring renewable-only power	Ecotricity or British Gas Natural Renewable	Both can provide renewable-backed electricity
Company accepting nuclear electricity	British Gas	Zero-carbon fixed products can include nuclear
Business seeking hourly renewable matching	Ecotricity	Real Time REGOs
Business using more than 1GWh	British Gas may have an advantage	Flex Advantage
Business using more than 10GWh	British Gas may have an advantage	Full Flex
Multi-site national organisation	British Gas may have an advantage	Scale, data and portfolio services
Company seeking British carbon removal	Ecotricity	Carbon Bank and direct removal investment
Company seeking 100% RGGO-backed gas	British Gas	Dedicated Renewable Gas product
Business wanting turnkey solar	British Gas	Design, finance, installation and export
Rooftop solar exporter	British Gas	Published 8p/kWh SEG rate
Generator above 250kW	Compare both	Both can discuss PPAs
Solar project above 500kWp	British Gas may have an advantage	Fully funded Centrica PPA option
Commercial landlord requiring EV chargers	British Gas	Communal charging package
Business with strong anti-nuclear policy	Ecotricity	No nuclear power in its electricity mix
Company wanting a smaller specialist supplier	Ecotricity	Renewable-focused business proposition

Final verdict: Ecotricity vs British Gas

Ecotricity and British Gas can both provide credible business energy contracts, but they are likely to appeal to different organisations.

Ecotricity is likely to be the stronger choice where the main priorities are:

• 100% renewable electricity as standard;
• avoiding nuclear generation;
• directly supporting new renewable infrastructure;
• Real Time REGOs;
• British carbon removal;
• an integrated renewable PPA; and
• using a specialist green supplier.

British Gas is likely to be the stronger choice where the company needs:

• a choice of fixed and rolling contracts;
• an online-only small-business tariff;
• flexible wholesale purchasing;
• half-hourly analytics;
• commercial solar;
• business export payments;
• renewable gas;
• EV charging;
• complex metering; or
• services across a large multi-site portfolio.

The publicly available rates do not provide a fair like-for-like price comparison. British Gas’s numerical table shows maximum fixed-contract prices for microbusinesses, while Ecotricity’s table shows deemed prices for customers without a negotiated agreement.

A business should obtain written quotations from both suppliers and compare:

1. the projected annual cost;
2. unit rates;
3. standing charges;
4. fixed and pass-through components;
5. contract duration;
6. early termination liability;
7. renewable or zero-carbon evidence;
8. nuclear content;
9. gas certificate or offset arrangements;
10. metering and data charges;
11. solar export income;
12. customer-service channels; and
13. rates applying after the fixed term ends.

For most companies, the conclusion is:

• choose Ecotricity for a renewable-first contract and direct support for new green infrastructure;
• choose British Gas for broader tariff choice, flexible procurement, smart data, solar, export and EV services;
• compare Ecotricity with British Gas Natural Renewable Electricity where renewable-only credentials are required; and
• avoid deciding from published maximum or deemed prices without obtaining an individual quote.

FAQ