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In the lead up to the Christmas break, UKUPC is running a festive campaign all about “giving” and how effective procurement gives back to our members and wider society. 

To highlight the benefits of responsible procurement, each consortium will be focusing on a topic and the benefits achieved in these areas. The campaign will demonstrate key subjects on embedding responsible and ethical procurement, sustainable supply chain management and social value.

We hope you enjoy following the stories over the next few days and we wish all of our members a Merry Christmas.

Achieving a Sustainable Energy Future

To kick off the UKUPC festive campaign, we demonstrate how TEC is providing our members and the sector with sustainable energy solutions highlighting responsible procurement and social and environmental value.

Sustainability is at the forefront of both TEC's mission and vision statement, TEC harnesses its expertise to achieve a sustainable and secure energy future. TEC aims to manage its operations, and those of the selected framework suppliers, in ways that are environmentally sustainable, economically feasible and socially responsible.  

How are TEC procuring energy to achieve a sustainable energy future? 

TEC’s approach to securing renewable energy for its members via framework agreements ensures no “greenwashing”. This is because electricity supplied through its Power Purchase Agreements (PPA), which are directly with renewable generators, is from specific UK Renewable sources from particular windfarms and backed by a bundled Renewable Energy Guarantee of Origin (REGO) which remains with the electricity and cannot be resold. 

For those not signed to the PPA, there is the option of renewable power from renewable sources including wind, solar and hydro-electric and also electricity generated using gases (including methane from landfill and anaerobic digestion). 

Finally a half-way house comes with the availability of a so called “Clean-Tech REGO” product, electricity generated in fully renewable facilities, including onshore and offshore wind and solar parks but excluding electricity generated with renewable gases.

All these requirements are hard-coded into TEC's framework specifications, with bidding suppliers offering the widest and most cost effective renewable energy solutions receiving the highest scores in our evaluation. And it’s not just in the current framework – it will remain a requirement of future frameworks too.

Without off-takers such as TEC members, there would be less investment in new-to-earth renewable electricity which is designed to assist in the UK, European and global aspiration of carbon reduction. TEC can genuinely state that electricity supplies through its framework are a contributor to our collective climate change mitigation and carbon reduction goals.