GreenPower and Renewable Energy Certificates
GreenPower is a joint initiative of the ACT, NSW, SA, QLD, VIC and WA government agencies to provide an accreditation program for renewable energy. Under this scheme when a consumer chooses to buy a GreenPower product from an energy retailer a small extra amount is charged to their electricity account. The retailer then invests this extra amount in renewable energy. The GreenPower program audits these purchases.
Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) are a market based certificate that is issued to a generator for each megawatt hour of renewable electricity generated (or saved) from particular types of generation. RECs must be surrendered annually by some large users of electricity so that a certain percentage of their electricity comes from renewable sources (1 REC = 1 megawatt hour). Any entity can also purchase and surrender RECs voluntarily from a REC market.
Corporations and Reporting Transfer Certificate (RTC) holders that report their greenhouse gas emissions and energy usage to the Greenhouse and Energy Data Officer (GEDO) are able to also voluntarily report (PDF 200 KB) their GreenPower purchases and RECs surrendered to the GEDO.
The table below lists the amount of GreenPower purchases and RECs voluntarily surrendered in megawatt hours (MWh) as provided by each corporation for the 2008-2009 reporting year.
| Corporation name | GreenPower purchased (MWh) | RECs surrendered (1 REC = 1 MWh) |
|---|
| Australian National University |
13,288 |
|
| Brisbane City Council |
69,220 |
|
| Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation |
15,500 |
|
| EnergyAustralia |
29,500 |
|
| Melbourne Water Corporation |
|
11,900 |
| Port of Brisbane Corporation |
246 |
|
| Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology |
7,341 |
|
| Western Region Water Corporation |
428 |
|
| Yarra Valley Water Ltd |
224 |
|