A Green Electricity Guide: Courtesy of Greenpeace

A friend just emailed me the Greenpeace link to a Green Electricity Guide plus some info our electricity suppliers. Greenpeace asks:

Is There Confusion About Where Our Power Comes From?

“Electricity companies spend millions of dollars advertising a ‘clean and green’ image to convince people…they care about a sustainable future.

Unlike Europe and the US, power companies in Australia have no obligation to tell us how our power is generated. Until now, these companies have been free to promote a ‘green’ image regardless of whether their power is generated from renewable energy or fossil fuels…

Greenwashing: Among the worst greenwash offenders are AGL, EnergyAustralia and Origin Energy. The ‘Dirty Three’..advertise their ‘clean and green’ credentials but invest relatively little in renewables…and they control 77% of the household energy market.

AND

They are using their political muscle to try to dismantle the Renewable Energy Target. This means locking out solar and wind, and locking in higher household bills and climate change driving coal and gas power for decades to come.”

BUT

The Green Electricity Guide Tells Us:

1. whether they have invested in renewable energy
2. whether they are supporting or undermining Australia’s Renewable Energy Target
3. the pollution intensity of the assets they own
4. whether they are actively investing in unconventional gas mining including coal seam gas
5. whether they are committed to not buying electricity generated by burning native forest timber.

Here’s the link to the guide.