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Green Power

 

This means that Queenslanders, like most other Australians, will be able to nominate their preferred energy service provider and experience potential opportunities for savings and efficiencies.

The transition has begun recently as we received notification of a change of our electrical service provider following the Queensland Government's sale of Energex's Sun Retail division to Origin Energy.

Competition for our business is likely to intensify. This is timely as discussions about climate change and the reduction of green house gases also heat up. As consumers and voters we have power of our own to ensure we get the safest and most effective option.

The major proportion of our electricity still comes from non renewable and high polluting sources such as coal.

The push for 'GreenPower' becomes more prevalent as the energy retailers aim for recognition and business growth while changes to regulations encourage we run our gadgets more efficiently.

There are many companies already espousing their 'GreenPower' products but how do you know which is the best product to buy?

'GreenPower' retailers must be government accredited and their 'GreenPower' products must be sourced from solar, wind, geothermal, hydro or biomass. Solar and wind power are the two obvious renewable options.

Solar energy usually refers to light or heat energy direct from the sun. It is captured and used either as solar thermal or solar electric.

Solar thermal systems capture heat energy for direct use or storage. The most apparent example of stored solar heat is the solar hot water system.

Solar thermal collectors can be heat concentrated enough to drive turbines or engines to generate electricity. These are referred to as solar thermal power systems.

Solar electric systems produce electricity directly from photovoltaic cells seen occasionally on roofs, over street lights or traffic signals.

Wind energy is most commonly known from the windmills that have long produced power for pumping water to farms. Now 'wind farms' are becoming a popular form for generating electricity.

Geothermal energy is heat energy from the earth. Hot springs and geysers are an example of this but the useful high temperature sources we require are deep in the earth's surface and therefore drilling wells are required.

'Hot dry rock', the heating of underground granite rock sources is being researched as a possible major source of power.

Hydro energy is the use of water falling from a certain height to drive turbines or generators to make electricity. While we once used wooden waterwheels we now traditionally trap water in our rivers using dams.

Hydroelectricity is relatively efficient however it can negatively alter natural river flows.

Biomass energy is energy derived from sunlight via energy crops such as trees, grain crops, oil seed crops, and sugar cane.

 Since 1 July 2006, all new 'GreenPower' customers must receive their supply from new and more efficient electricity generators built after 1997.

This suggests that any of us that are old customers or non purchasers of GreenPower may well be receiving our electricity from higher polluting or less efficient generators.

Therefore, we can help reach that 60% target I talked about last month, simply by becoming a new customer of 'GreenPower'.

Monitoring the supply and source of GreenPower is essential to ensuring that we each get what pay for. Marketing and government information may not provide all the data we require.

The Green Electricity Watch group survey and investigate to determine what GreenPower retailers are advocating and how well they are meeting their requirements.

The report is available at www.greenelectricitywatch.org.au and the criterion includes:

·      What proportion of accredited GreenPower is in the product?

·      How much does it support the growth of new, renewable energy in Australia?

·      How much has the retailer succeeded in promoting the uptake of GreenPower?

·      How clear and accurate is the information given by retailers about their products?

Interestingly, Origin Energy's solar and wind programs feature as the Top 2 in the report.

As we are faced with choice it is well worth seeking out accredited 'GreenPower' providers particularly those that rate high in the Green Electricity Watch report.

Negotiating options may present us with financial savings but it will definitely deliver us a simple way to reduce green house gases and our impact on global warming.