Consider GreenPower to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

Imagine if we took one million cars off the roads across Australia this year? That’s how much GreenPower’s residential and business customers have already contributed to cutting greenhouse gas emissions since its introduction.

Established in 1997, GreenPower is a national accreditation program that sets stringent environmental and reporting standards for renewable electricity products offered by energy suppliers to households and businesses across Australia. GreenPower aims to increase Australia’s capacity to produce environmentally friendly renewable electricity by driving demand for alternative energy generation.

Since 1997, more than 748,000 residential and commercial customers Australia wide have contributed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by buying GreenPower, resulting in savings of over 4.9 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions.

The National GreenPower Accreditation Program sets the rules for GreenPower products and independently audits GreenPower retailers’ sales and purchases and generators’ operations to make sure they are meeting the accreditation criteria.

Accreditation is essentially an endorsement from an independent authority. In GreenPower’s case this means the renewable energy product is endorsed by a collection of state governments that manage the GreenPower program. For a renewable energy product to gain endorsement from the GreenPower program it must be generated from:

·        Eligible renewable energy sources that meet strict environmental standards

·        A new renewable energy facility that was built since January 1997

Accreditation ensures that energy companies are producing renewable energy of the same standard, making it easier for customers to choose between different renewable energy products - as simple as comparing apples with apples.

Accreditation also means that GreenPower retailers’ sales and purchases are audited on an annual basis to ensure you get what you pay for.

From a customer’s perspective, the GreenPower label demonstrates at a glance that they are supporting renewable energy that is best for the environment and the renewable energy purchased will decrease greenhouse pollution.

What is GreenPower?

GreenPower is renewable energy sourced from the sun, the wind, water and waste that is purchased by your energy company on your behalf.

Companies generate electricity at a range of sites across Australia and supply the electricity to a central power grid. Our homes and businesses are connected to this grid so we can access electricity.

Traditionally, electricity on the central grid comes from generators that burn coal. Only a small amount (about eight per cent) comes from renewable sources such as sun, wind, water and biomass waste.

Energy suppliers who sell accredited GreenPower products buy electricity generated from accredited renewable energy generators on your behalf and feed it into the National Electricity Grid.

An average Australian home that has subscribed to 100% accredited GreenPower (including off peak) would save approximately seven tonnes of greenhouse pollution every year which is equivalent to removing almost two cars from the road.

GreenPower sales have represented Greenhouse gas savings of nearly 4.9 million tonnes which is equivalent to taking over one million cars off our roads for a year.

If you’re not already purchasing GreenPower accredited power, you can help do your bit for the environment by signing up now.

To view the products the GreenPower accredits, visit http://www.greenpower.gov.au/the-energy-products-that-greenpower-accredits.aspx. Alternatively phone your electricity supplier to enquire about GreenPower.

Submitted by the Trafalgar and Yarragon Sustainability Network. Information taken from GreenPower website.

Next meeting of the TYSN is 7.30pm on August 28 at the Baw Baw Technology Centre.