Next Business Energy recently launched the Next GreenPower program. GreenPower is renewable energy sourced from the sun, the wind, water and waste that is purchased by your energy company on your behalf. Buying accredited GreenPower products means that you support large-scale renewable energy generation in Australia, in addition to national targets.
For an additional charge, you can add Next GreenPower to your electricity bill, for whichever percentage you choose.
You can also be sure that your renewable energy claim is highly credible, as the renewable energy generators must be accredited by the program, and the retirement of Renewable Energy Certificates are audited by the GreenPower program.
Here’s what you need to know about GreenPower:
What are large scale generation certificates?
Large-scale Generation Certificates (LGCs ) are a form of renewable energy currency created under Australia’s Renewable Energy Target that retailers use to buy electricity from power stations.
Does GreenPower count toward the Commonwealth’s renewable energy target?
GreenPower certified electricity is not counted towards the Commonwealth Government’s Renewable Energy Target. This means you know that when you purchase GreenPower, you are helping to increase the amount of renewable energy generated in Australia beyond the national target.
How does GreenPower interact with Climate Active (Climate Active Carbon Neutral Standard for Organisations)?
GreenPower is considered carbon neutral electricity consumption under Climate Active, and as such, no emissions are added for the part of GreenPower purchased.
What percentage of GreenPower should I choose for my business?
The higher the GreenPower component of your electricity use, the more you are doing to promote the use of renewable energy and reduce the impact of climate change.
As such, matching your power with renewable energy can help position your company as a responsible corporate citizen. Buying 10% or more of your electricity from renewable energy generators allows use of the GreenPower logo to promote an environmentally conscious image to your clients and customers.
Buying 50% to 100% allows you to gain exposure by being listed on the GreenPower website.
What does the GreenPower label mean?
An accredited GreenPower product will always carry the “tick” label. This accreditation label is supported and managed by governments throughout Australia. When you decide to purchase renewable energy make sure you look for the accredited GreenPower “tick” label.
These labels tell you the amount of accredited GreenPower your energy retailer is purchasing on your behalf, as a percentage (10%–100%) of your business’s electricity consumption. 100% means that your energy supplier purchases renewable energy from accredited GreenPower sources to the amount equal to all of your organisation’s electricity consumption.
How does GreenPower interact with NGERS (National Greenhouse & Energy Reporting Scheme)?
An entity reporting under the NGERS Act can state their use of GreenPower as voluntary renewable energy, and this is reported publicly.
What qualifies as eligible renewable energy?
Renewable energy is energy derived from sources that cannot be depleted or energy that can be replaced, such as solar, wind, biomass (waste), wave or hydro. Renewable sources do not produce greenhouse gas pollution.
Eligible renewable resources include:
- solar power,
- wind,
- biomass (landfill gas, municipal solid waste, agricultural wastes, energy crops, wood wastes),
- hydro-electric power (small-scale or on existing dams),
- geothermal energy, and
- wave and tidal power.
Only wood waste sourced from existing sustainably managed forestry plantations, and clearing of specified noxious weeds are eligible. Use of any materials from high conservation value forests is not eligible. Only crops grown on land cleared before 1990 are eligible under the GreenPower program. Hydro-electric power projects must have adequate environmental flows. Projects that involve construction of new dams or diversion of rivers are not acceptable under GreenPower.
Is renewable energy reliable – is there enough to supply my business?
All electricity produced from electricity generators (coal or renewable energy) are provided into an electricity grid. It is the grid operators that ensure reliability to customers, coordinating supply with demand – they gauge when certain generators are operating or idle. Therefore, electricity from specific renewable energy generators does not directly go to individual businesses and has no impact on reliability.
As demand for accredited GreenPower increases from customers, energy suppliers will buy more renewable energy from new renewable energy generators. Your investment in accredited GreenPower will feed more energy from clean, renewable energy sources into the grid that services your business.
To find out more about Next GreenPower, contact our team or visit https://nextbusinessenergy.com.au/greenpower-business-electricity-plans/.