Demand for green power grows in Australia, audit shows
SYDNEY, Australia, 2004-08-25 (Refocus Weekly)
Demand for green power increased 35% in Australia during the most recent 18-month period, according to the latest National Green Power Accreditation Audit.
A total of 91,682 customers were purchasing accredited green power products
at the end of December 2003, including 87,722 domestic and 3,960 commercial
customers. That was up 36% and 35% (respectively) since July 2002, the audit
shows.
The accreditation program was established in 1997 by the Sustainable Energy
Development Authority of New South Wales, to facilitate the growth of green
power by increasing consumer demand and confidence in accredited products. The
program expanded nationally by obtaining state support in Victoria, Queensland,
South Australia, ACT and Western Australia, and was renamed the ‘National
Green Power Accreditation Program’ in 2000.
Total sales during the 18-month settlement period were 633,235 MWh, with a
pro-rated annual equivalent of 422,157 MWh. Total green power purchases by
retailers increased 27% to a pro-rated equivalent of 990,347 MWh.
Almost all energy retailers in the six states now have at least one accredited
green power product, with the deregulated markets in four of the states allowing
domestic or commercial customers to choose a product offered by any licensed
retailer. Larger customers in Western Australia and Queensland can choose green
power from licensed retailers outside their franchise area.
The national accreditation program requires retailers to source all generation
in their product from approved sources, and to purchase 80% of their sales from
green power facilities that have been built or commissioned since January 1997.
A retailer's green power sales cannot be used to meet its target under the
federal Mandatory Renewable Energy Target and, to ensure that sales are
incremental to the legislated goals of MRET, retailers are required to transfer
eligible Renewable Energy Certificates for each MWh of generation classified as
‘new’ generation sold within a settlement period. Only RECs created by a
green power generator are eligible to meet the requirement, with the exception
of RECs from solar hot water heaters which are accepted for the purpose of
compliance.
There are 246 new and existing green power generators approved in Australia.
During the 2002-03 settlement period covered by the audit, 22 accredited
products were offered by energy retailers to domestic and commercial customers
nationally.
Wind generated 29% of green power sales, while solar accounted for 0.2%. Biomass
was 61.4% of sales and the remaining 9.0% came from hydroelectric facilities.
Wind generators increased their share at the expense of hydro.
Total sales of green power during the seven years that the Accreditation Program
has been in operated have surpassed 2,000 GWh, which has an environmental impact
equal to planting 100,000 hectares of forest.
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