Actew AGL - Green Initiatives

Green Initiatives

Since its beginning, ActewAGL has continued to undertake several innovative programs to help the environment. They include the following.

• Greenchoice – This is a program that lets residential and business customers support environmentally friendly green energy by paying a premium on their electricity bill (either fixed or percentage based plans). The additional payment is invested in renewable energy generation from sources like mini hydro, wind power and biomass.

The Greenchoice program is independently assessed by the Australian government's National Green Power Accreditation Program to guarantee that the green energy produced by ActewAGL comes from government-approved renewable energy sources.

However Greenchoice customers are still charged for carbon tax on their Greenchoice energy, which even the CEO of ActewAGL admits is counterintuitive. This negates any financial benefit Greenchoice customers might otherwise have received by supporting carbon-neutral energy.

• ActewAGL solar – The purpose of this initiative is to encourage the use of renewable energy sources, by offering support and advice to those interested in installing solar generation systems to their homes.

• ActewAGL hydro – While most hydro-electric developments require the building of dams and lakes, ActewAGL's mini-hydro uses an existing water supply to provide electricity that would otherwise come from fossil-fuel power stations.

• Solar farm – In early 2008 ActewAGL worked with the ACT Government to study the feasibility of developing a solar farm in the ACT. The study investigated the environmental impact, economic viability and educational benefits of such a facility. In May 2009 the ACT Government called for expressions of interest to construct, own and operate a solar power facility in the ACT. The government specified the facility must be capable of delivering power to at least 10,000 Canberra homes. ActewAGL responded to this request and in December 2009 were advised that they had been shortlisted to move through to the next stage of the selection process.

• Battery electric vehicle – ActewAGL is assisting Better Place Australia in the establishment of their first Australian electric vehicle network in Canberra. In July 2009, Better Place Australia announced that it had chosen Canberra for its first city-wide roll-out in Australia. Better Place will commence installation of its charge spots and battery swap stations in 2011 and start supporting approximately 1,000 trial electric vehicle customers in Canberra from 2012. ActewAGL will support the electric vehicle network by supplying and distributing electricity from renewable sources.