‘Green’ Energy Giant Exposed: 90% of Their Carbon Offsets are From Planting Trees That Died Last Year

Veridian Power, the energy firm that plasters its logo over every eco-festival and sponsors nature documentaries, has a dirty secret. An investigation by The Grift has found that the vast majority of their much-publicized carbon offsetting scheme relies on forestry projects where the trees have either failed to grow or have already died.

The "Forest of Hope"

Their flagship project, the "Forest of Hope" in Scotland, which promised to offset the carbon footprint of 50,000 homes, is now a barren field of withered saplings. Our sources confirm that due to poor planning and a complete lack of aftercare, less than 10% of the two million trees planted two years ago have survived. Yet, Veridian Power continues to sell "100% renewable" energy tariffs backed by carbon credits from this non-existent forest.

A Pattern of Deception

This isn't an isolated incident. We found similar issues in their Welsh "Project Seagrass" and their peatland restoration initiative in the Pennines. The company buys cheap, degraded land, puts in a minimal, headline-grabbing effort, and then sells the resulting "carbon credits" for a massive profit, all while their core business of fossil fuel energy continues to expand.