Our mission is to make clean energy visible by providing verifiable ratings of renewable energy supply. As we prepared to publish the Matched Clean Power Index, we wanted to set out the principles that guide our work.
We believe
Annual matching isn't enough anymore
We recognise that the annualised volumetric approach was valuable when renewable energy was in its infancy and every generator needed support. However, as the grid has become increasingly renewable, the annualised approach has grown deficient. It ignores the physical challenges of balancing renewable supply with demand and incorrectly implies that demand at one time can be offset by supply at another.
Hourly matching cannot mean 100% matching, yet
We recognise that 100% hourly matching is neither currently feasible nor desirable in the near term. Research has shown that moving from 90–95% hourly matching to 100% matching incurs exceptionally high costs with existing technologies (Xu et al, 2024). The purpose of hourly matching is to increase transparency, enable consumers to make more informed choices, and honestly acknowledge that a 100% renewable grid remains a significant challenge.
REGOs remain the source of truth
As the regulated framework and the only universal system for tracking renewable claims in the UK, REGOs are the only framework that Matched can condone. We are happy to work with suppliers to explore other, complementary foundations for their claims.
Tariff-level matching is important too
Working with public data alone, we don't generally have visibility into how suppliers divide volumes between their different business lines and/or tariffs. As a result, our methodology is limited to ratings at the portfolio level. However, we recognise the importance of consumer choice at the tariff level and invite suppliers to share data at this granularity.
Consumers need better data
Consumers have more choice than ever, and Matched provides the information that consumers need to make informed decisions about the way they purchase their energy.
We recommend
We invite suppliers to report half-hourly matching scores alongside their fuel-mix disclosures. Voluntary adoption of this practice would demonstrate leadership, build consumer trust in renewable energy claims, and catalyse regulatory evolution.
We also invite suppliers to work with Matched to validate our methodology on internal data sources.
Our plans
1. Methodological launch
Having completed a review of our methodology with suppliers and sector experts in summer 2025, our methodology is now live and open for comments. Please contact us if you would like to provide feedback.
2. Publish the Matched Clean Power Index
We are publishing the Matched Clean Power Index in October 2025—a verifiable rating of the UK's major energy suppliers that shows what renewable electricity households and businesses are actually receiving, hour by hour, all year.
3. Consumer engagement
We're currently working with consumer organisations, carbon accountants, and other energy stakeholders to make our analysis relevant to businesses and households.
4. Beyond Britain
While our current focus is on British suppliers, we see similar opportunities in other markets as well.