Report finds GreenPower market improves; other companies still misleading consumers about renewable energy products

A report by the Total Environment Centre, Australian Conservation Fund and World Wildlife Fund Australia found that the GreenPower market – government-accredited new, renewable energy sourced from wind, water, waste or the sun – had improved in recent years, but some companies were still misleading consumers about the products they sold, reported The Sydney Morning Herald (8/10/2007, p. 8).

Only accredited GreenPower will reduce gas emissions: The report said consumers should steer clear of products sold as 100 per cent renewable energy because only “accredited GreenPower” would reduce the greenhouse gas emissions attributable to electricity generation. “Non-accredited green electricity is very unlikely to make any difference to Australia’s greenhouse emissions or increase the amount of renewable electricity supply,” it said. “This electricity generally comes from schemes that have been part of our generating mix for a considerable time and which most Australians already unknowingly buy as part of their regular electricity.”

GreenPower products ranked: By law, residential GreenPower customers had to be offered a minimum of 10 per cent accredited GreenPower, but Green Electricity Watch had called for this be raised to 20 per cent because the extra costs for consumers were minimal. It ranked 52 GreenPower products, giving the highest rankings to those that offered 100 per cent accredited GreenPower, did not mislead consumers with marketing spin and did not describe the percentage of non-accredited power offered in any particular product as renewable energy.

The Sydney Morning Herald, 8/10/2007, p. 8