Best green electricity providers revealed

Australians are being urged to reconsider which electricity provider they use as changing could have a big impact on the environment.

Australians are being urged to consider the environmental impact of their electricity providers with the release of a new guide.

Switching to a greener electricity provider is one of the most effective ways Australians can take action on carbon emissions. It also allows people living in apartments who might not be able to install solar panels to choose 100 per cent renewable energy, which is just as effective at reducing emissions.

Analysis provided to news.com.au last year by consultants Ironbark Sustainability found people could more than halve their household carbon emissions by switching to clean power and making other changes to their diet or appliances.

Greenpeace is also trying to make this process easier through the release of the Green Electricity Guide, which ranks providers on six criteria, including the provision of clean, renewable energy, commitment to ending coal use by 2030, halting fossil fuel expansion, support for new renewable energy, transparency in marketing, as well as pollution and environmental harm.

Enova Energy and Diamond Energy were the top ranked electricity providers this year, both scoring five stars each.

Diamond offers 100 per cent renewable electricity, is a large investor in renewable energy, and offers active support for household solar.

Enova gives half of its profits back to the community and sources electricity via customer distributed solar panels.

Meanwhile AGL, which is Australia’s biggest electricity provider, has seen its ranking fall and now has a one star rating.

Its plan to burn coal until 2048, local environmental harm, and continued coal mining has seen it slump to the bottom of the pack, alongside Origin and Energy Australia.

Even if you can’t install solar panels, you can choose a 100 per cent renewable electricity provider.

“AGL is Australia’s biggest climate polluter, accounting for about 8 per cent of Australia’s

greenhouse gas emissions,” Greenpeace Australia Pacific senior campaigner Glenn Walker said. “83 per cent of AGL’s generation comes from burning coal.”

Powershop, which ranked first in the last guide released in 2018, fell to 10th place due to its new ownership. Mr Walker said its anticipated acquisition by fossil fuel giant Shell saw a reported 6000 customers move away from the provider.

He said the guide provided consumers with the information they need to take action and switch.

“Australians can play a crucial role in transforming the country’s electricity system by switching to a greener electricity provider, forcing dirty polluting coal out, and bringing more renewable energy in,” he said.

He said the guide also help cut through greenwashing.

“Many companies continue using dirty coal, while spruiking the use of carbon offsets which often do more harm than good by delaying meaningful action on climate change.”

Emissions from electricity have fallen since 2009 thanks to renewables but the sector still contributes the most to the Australia’s totals — making up 33 per cent of the country’s emissions.

Last year an International Energy Agency report found the electricity sector would need to get to net zero emissions by 2040 if the world wanted to keep warming to 1.5C.