Qld GreenPower sellout?

Friday, 01 December 2006 09:20

“TEC is concerned that unless the Government buys from approved sources and requires suppliers to surrender their mandatory Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), the purchase will do little to boost renewable energy and reduce greenhouse emissions,” said Jeff Angel, Executive Director. 

“Trying to do greenhouse on the cheap is no substitute for action.  Unless the Government buys the whole output of renewable generators and prevents Renewable Energy Certificates from being double counted, it can be rightly accused of ‘greenwash’.”

TEC has sighted a tender document for the supply of electricity to the Department of Main Roads Spring Hill Complex that clarifies the Queensland Government’s approach to the purchase of renewable energy.  TEC is concerned that the purchases may not contribute to any new renewable generation being established in Queensland or elsewhere.  The more such generation is established the cheaper it gets and this will
benefit consumers and the environment.

“The approach appears to be a change in policy, hidden in Addendum 3 of the tender document.  Why is the Queensland Government changing its policy?  If it’s about cost-cutting by the new department charged with purchasing renewable energy, the Department of Public Works, then it’s cost-cutting at the expense of our climate.”

 “The Queensland Government should be up front with the public.  If it wants to make a difference to current greenhouse gas emissions through its purchasing power, then it should make sure that when it buys green electricity it is new generation and is not double counted.  Otherwise it is selling the environment and renewable energy short.”

“This is no drop in the ocean.  Over $3 million is up for grabs and it could really help the renewable energy industry – or be wasted with phoney procurement for public relations.”

The tender document states that the “…request for renewable energy for Main Roads is identical to the type of renewable energy being sourced in the Queensland Government’s whole-of-Government contract” and that the renewable energy “…does not need to be supported by RECs, this element can be retained/traded by the retailer.”  This means is that when the REC is re-sold, the environmental benefits will travel with the REC and the Government’s purchase loses its environmental benefit.

Environment groups recently released an audit of GreenPower products and assessed which products genuinely made a contribution to reducing our spiralling greenhouse emissions.  Energex and ActewAGL had high ranking products in Queensland.  See – www.greenelectricity.org.au