PPAYA Launches Open Renewable Energy Marketplace
A new digital marketplace for renewable energy has opened in the UK, aiming to make it easier for businesses to buy clean power directly from generators. The platform, operated by PPAYA, brings together solar farms, wind sites, hydroelectric plants and biogas facilities with corporate electricity buyers, brokers and energy suppliers. It launched in November 2026 with eight founding partners whose combined network includes more than 2,000 generating sites.
For many UK businesses, securing renewable electricity remains complicated. Power Purchase Agreements offer a route to buy directly from generators, but negotiations can take months and involve complex commercial terms. Smaller companies often lack the expertise or bargaining power to navigate those deals. Meanwhile, renewable generators need reliable buyers to underpin project finance and revenue forecasts.
PPAYA's marketplace attempts to address both sides of that problem by creating a shared platform where generators can compete for contracts and buyers can compare offers. The company says the system supports automated auctions, daily price tracking and contract management across more than 30 electricity suppliers. Participants can specify their requirements, receive matched proposals and select arrangements that suit their business needs.
This matters for UK SMEs in several ways. Demonstrating credible renewable procurement is increasingly important for public sector tenders, supply chain requirements and corporate climate commitments. Electricity costs remain volatile, and locking in long-term pricing through a PPA can provide budget certainty. However, without access to competitive offers or transparent pricing, businesses risk overpaying or signing terms that don't match their consumption patterns.
How the platform connects generators and corporate buyers
Power Purchase Agreements are long-term contracts under which a buyer agrees to purchase electricity, or its associated renewable attributes, from a specific generator. These arrangements can run for ten years or more. They give generators stable revenue to support project development and financing. For buyers, they offer fixed or predictable pricing and the ability to claim renewable energy use for carbon accounting.
Traditionally, arranging a PPA involves bilateral negotiations between a generator, a licensed electricity supplier and a corporate buyer. Each deal is bespoke. Pricing, balancing risk, volume commitments and contract length all need separate agreement. The process can be opaque, time-consuming and difficult for smaller businesses or independent generators without in-house expertise.
PPAYA's marketplace is designed to simplify that process. Generators upload project details and invite competing offers from suppliers and buyers. Corporate consumers specify their electricity requirements, the proportion they want from renewables, and their preferred contract structure. Brokers and consultants can manage multiple client portfolios through the same interface.
The platform covers solar, wind, hydro and biogas technologies. It supports continuous auctions, which allow participants to submit and compare bids in real time rather than waiting for lengthy tender cycles. Users can track daily PPA pricing and access contract templates. The system is intended to increase transparency, reduce administrative burden and expand the range of counterparties available to both sides of a transaction.
Importantly, the marketplace is open to new participants. While it launched with eight founding partners, PPAYA is inviting additional generators, brokers and service providers to join. This open model could increase liquidity and improve the range of offers available, particularly for buyers seeking specific technologies or regional generation.
Founding partners bring 3.1 terawatt-hours of annual renewable output
The marketplace launched on 5 November 2026 with eight founding partners: Sustainable Energy First, Carter Jonas, infra3, Gen Capital, Locogen, Earthmill, Green Cat Renewables and H2O Hydro. Together, these organisations manage more than 2,000 generating sites and assets producing approximately 3.1 terawatt-hours of renewable electricity each year.
According to renewable energy publication reNEWS, the corporate clients represented by these partners consume around 5 TWh annually. That figure is equivalent to roughly 3.5% of total UK business electricity demand. The scale suggests the marketplace has reached a meaningful size from launch, rather than starting as a small pilot.
PPAYA itself has been operating since 2020, initially focusing on a continuous auction platform for PPA tendering. The company reports that it has facilitated more than 1,000 PPAs, contracted over 1.5 gigawatts of renewable capacity and processed approximately 7 TWh of electricity volume. It maintains relationships with more than 30 electricity suppliers and says it manages around 10 TWh of electricity on behalf of clients.
Kristina Rabecaite, chief executive of PPAYA, described the marketplace as bringing together supply and demand sides that have historically operated separately. The platform was developed over six years through the company's work with suppliers, generators and corporate clients. That development period suggests the system has been tested with real transactions before the public launch.
Commercial structures extend beyond standard PPAs
The platform offers more than simple matching between buyers and generators. It supports a range of contractual routes, including corporate PPAs, sleeved arrangements involving licensed suppliers, and licence-exempt supply models. This flexibility could prove particularly valuable for smaller renewable projects that struggle to access traditional PPA markets.
Fixed-price contracts provide revenue certainty but can limit a generator's upside when wholesale electricity prices rise. Fully market-linked arrangements expose both parties to volatility. By aggregating competing bids and offering access to different contract structures, the marketplace gives smaller generators more options to manage price risk and secure routes to market.
For corporate buyers, the ability to compare multiple offers through one interface reduces the administrative burden of negotiating separate agreements with individual suppliers or generators. It also improves visibility into pricing and contract conditions. A business can see competing bids for the same volume of renewable electricity and make informed decisions based on price, contract length, balancing terms and generator location.
This matters because businesses often lack the internal expertise to assess whether a PPA offer represents fair value. Without benchmarks or alternative quotes, they may accept unfavourable terms. A competitive marketplace creates natural price discovery and allows buyers to test market conditions before committing to long-term contracts.
The platform also addresses a practical challenge for brokers and consultants managing multiple clients. Instead of running separate tenders for each customer, they can use a single system to manage portfolios, track pricing and execute transactions. This could reduce costs and improve service quality for SMEs that rely on intermediaries to access renewable energy markets.
What UK businesses need to know about the marketplace
- PPAYA's renewable energy marketplace launched in November 2026, connecting generators, corporate buyers, brokers and electricity suppliers through a single digital platform.
- The platform supports automated PPA auctions, daily price tracking and contract management across more than 30 electricity suppliers, covering solar, wind, hydro and biogas technologies.
- Eight founding partners bring more than 2,000 generating sites producing approximately 3.1 terawatt-hours of renewable electricity annually, with corporate demand of around 5 TWh represented.
- The marketplace is open to new participants, allowing additional generators, brokers and service providers to join and expand the range of offers available to buyers.
- Contract structures include corporate PPAs, sleeved arrangements and licence-exempt supply models, giving both generators and buyers flexibility to manage price risk and procurement requirements.
- PPAYA reports facilitating more than 1,000 PPAs since 2020, contracting over 1.5 gigawatts of renewable capacity and processing approximately 7 TWh of electricity volume.
Implications for corporate renewable procurement and climate reporting
The marketplace arrives as UK businesses face growing pressure to demonstrate credible renewable energy procurement. Public sector tenders increasingly require suppliers to show carbon reduction plans. Supply chain standards demand transparency over energy sources. Scope 2 emissions reporting under greenhouse gas accounting protocols requires businesses to account for purchased electricity.
Direct procurement from renewable generators through PPAs can support all of those requirements. A properly structured agreement provides verifiable renewable electricity, often with guarantees of origin that prove additionality. This is stronger than simply buying Renewable Energy Guarantee of Origin certificates on the open market, which may not demonstrate genuine support for new renewable capacity.
However, securing a credible PPA requires due diligence. Businesses need to verify that the generator is genuinely additional, that the electricity can be traced to their consumption, and that the contract terms align with their carbon accounting methodology. A marketplace that aggregates multiple offers makes it easier to compare not just price but also the quality and credibility of renewable procurement claims.
Cost management is equally important. Electricity prices have been volatile in recent years, creating budget uncertainty for energy-intensive businesses. A fixed-price PPA can provide cost certainty over multiple years, making financial planning easier. Nevertheless, businesses need to ensure the fixed price represents fair value compared to forecast wholesale costs and alternative procurement routes.
The marketplace also creates opportunities for businesses to support local renewable generation. A company in Yorkshire might prefer to source power from a nearby wind farm rather than a distant solar site. Geographic proximity doesn't change the technical electricity supply but can strengthen sustainability narratives and community engagement. The platform's filtering and matching functions allow buyers to specify location preferences.
For smaller businesses, access to competitive PPA pricing has historically been limited. Large corporations can negotiate directly with generators and secure favourable terms. SMEs often lack the volume or expertise to do the same. By pooling multiple buyers or enabling brokers to aggregate demand, the marketplace could make PPAs accessible to smaller companies that previously relied on standard supply contracts.
There are also implications for public sector suppliers. PPN 06/21 requires central government suppliers to publish carbon reduction plans and commit to net zero by 2050. Demonstrating renewable electricity procurement through credible PPAs can strengthen those plans. Businesses competing for public contracts may find that transparent, verifiable renewable procurement gives them a commercial advantage.
Limitations and questions around market liquidity
The marketplace does not guarantee that every generator will secure a contract or that buyers will obtain lower prices. Renewable PPAs remain dependent on wholesale market conditions, credit quality, project location, generation profile and the buyer's consumption pattern. A generator with intermittent output or unfavourable grid connection may struggle to attract buyers even on an open platform.
Similarly, a corporate buyer with low credit rating or unpredictable consumption may find limited interest from generators seeking stable, creditworthy counterparties. The marketplace can improve transparency and competition, but it cannot eliminate the underlying commercial risks that make some transactions more attractive than others.
Success will depend on liquidity. If participation remains limited to the founding partners, the marketplace will function more like a closed network than an open exchange. For genuine price discovery and competitive tension, both buyers and generators need to participate in sufficient numbers. The platform must attract a steady flow of new projects and corporate demand to maintain active trading.
Transparency around pricing, contract performance and environmental claims will also be important. Businesses need confidence that the renewable electricity they purchase is genuinely additional and properly accounted for. Guarantees of origin must be retired correctly. Balancing costs and grid constraints must be clearly allocated in contract terms. Without robust verification, the marketplace risks facilitating deals that don't deliver credible carbon benefits.
There is also a question about how the platform interacts with existing PPA brokers and consultants. Some intermediaries may see the marketplace as competition. Others may use it as a tool to improve client service. The outcome will depend on how PPAYA structures access, pricing and revenue sharing with third-party participants.
Considering whether the marketplace suits your business
If your business is exploring renewable electricity procurement, several factors determine whether this marketplace could be useful. First, consider your electricity consumption. PPAs typically require minimum volumes to be commercially viable. Very small businesses may find that standard green tariffs from licensed suppliers remain the simpler option.
Second, assess your appetite for long-term contracts. PPAs often run for ten years or more. That provides cost certainty but also limits flexibility if your business changes location, scales down or exits certain activities. Make sure you understand the termination clauses and what happens if your consumption drops.
Third, evaluate your carbon accounting needs. If you are reporting Scope 2 emissions under the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, you need to ensure the PPA structure supports location-based or market-based accounting correctly. Not all PPAs deliver the same carbon accounting benefits. The marketplace should allow you to filter for contracts that meet your reporting requirements.
Fourth, consider your risk tolerance around electricity pricing. Fixed-price PPAs protect you from market volatility but mean you won't benefit if wholesale prices fall. Market-linked structures give you exposure to price movements in both directions. Understanding your business's risk profile will help you select the right contract type.
Finally, think about your supply chain and tender obligations. If you supply the public sector or large corporates with strict sustainability requirements, credible renewable procurement can be a competitive advantage. A PPA that is transparent, verifiable and supports genuine additionality will strengthen your carbon reduction plan and meet procurement policy expectations.
Businesses should also consider seeking advice before committing to a PPA. While the marketplace simplifies comparison and tendering, the underlying contracts remain complex legal and financial instruments. Our net-zero program for carbon reporting compliance helps businesses understand how renewable electricity procurement fits into broader emissions reduction strategies and ensures carbon accounting is robust.
Where to find further information on renewable PPAs
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero publishes guidance on renewable energy procurement and corporate PPAs as part of its wider net zero policy framework. Businesses can find information on guarantees of origin, additionality criteria and how renewable electricity supports emissions reduction targets on the official gov.uk page for the department.
Ofgem regulates the guarantees of origin scheme in the UK and provides guidance on how renewable electricity is certified and tracked. Their website includes information on how businesses can verify that purchased renewable electricity is genuine and properly accounted for. This is essential for credible carbon reporting.
The Greenhouse Gas Protocol, managed by the World Resources Institute and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, sets the international standards for corporate emissions accounting. Their Scope 2 guidance explains how businesses should account for purchased electricity and which types of contractual instruments qualify for market-based accounting. Understanding this guidance is important before entering a PPA.
For businesses involved in public sector supply chains, the government's Procurement Policy Note 06/21 on carbon reduction plans sets out the requirements for demonstrating net zero commitments. The official PPN 06/21 guidance explains what must be included in a carbon reduction plan and how renewable procurement supports compliance.
Businesses seeking support with carbon reporting, emissions reduction strategies and renewable electricity procurement can explore our ESG compliance and carbon reporting services, which provide practical guidance on how renewable PPAs fit into broader sustainability and commercial objectives.