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Energy Smart

Choose your power source

You can choose the source of your electricity and reduce the environmental impact your power consumption has, through choosing GreenPower accredited energy.

Greenpower

Ask your energy supplier to source the energy you use for your business from renewable sources. GreenPower includes using wind, solar, biomass and mini-hydro power as an alternative to the standard fossil fuel – coal power generators.

By choosing and using GreenPower you will be improving your company's image and adding value to your brand.  You will also be making a direct contribution to reducing greenhouse pollution and therefore slowing global warming and climate change, as well as supporting the development of Australia's renewable energy industry.

Climate change is both a risk and an opportunity for businesses. GreenPower can benefit your business and contribute to profitability in many ways:

• improving your profile within the community, marketplace and investment industry
• providing a simple way of fulfilling environmental policy and reporting requirements
• assisting with marketing and promotion activities

A GreenPower energy commitment has valuable public relations, marketing and communications benefits including the opportunity to promote your environmental leadership on signage and marketing materials. Take advantage of this opportunity and stand out from the crowd.

If you power business events with 100% GreenPower, you'll also be able to demonstrate your corporate citizenship by using the GreenPower Event logo on marketing materials associated with the event.

Develop a business case

Join other business who have made the switch and are reaping the rewards.

Use the GreenPower Business Guide to help you develop a business case or model that works for your business, or contact the National GreenPower Program Manager on 1300 852 688.

If you are organising an event, there are even more reasons to choose GreenPower – find out more.

Choosing a supplier

Make sure you only deal with accredited GreenPower suppliers. Look for the official "tick". An accredited GreenPower product will always carry the "tick" label – a symbol of national accreditation and clean, renewable energy.

Accreditation and the "government approved" GreenPower logo, provides assurance that the renewable energy you purchase is not only decreasing greenhouse gas emissions, but is also contributing to the development of the renewable energy industry in Australia.

There are a number of accredited suppliers providing GreenPower, so shop around and compare prices and energy source options.

Cogeneration

Cogeneration is an energy efficient system that uses a single fuel source to produce both electricity (or mechanical power) and heat. Cogeneration provides both economic and environmental benefits because it turns otherwise wasted heat into a useful energy source that can be channelled into industrial processes.

The technology is both mature and viable with over 100 sites across Australia already using cogeneration including hospitality industry, manufacturers, shopping centres, universities and office buildings.

Bioenergy

Bioenergy means generating energy from organic matter. Bioenergy resources in Australia include:

• agricultural residues such as cotton trash, sugar cane residue and nut shells
• purpose-grown energy crops
• woody weeds, forest residues and wood wastes
• 'wet' wastes such as sewage and animal manures
• the organic content of municipal solid waste
• commercial and industrial wastes, such as oils and mill residues

Bioenergy can be used to power vehicles, generate electricity, and for heating and cooling. For more information see the NSW Bioenergy Handbook.

Solar power

Solar power is a clean, green energy solution which can help save on energy bills and reduce your greenhouse gas impact.

Solar power systems convert the energy from sunlight into electricity using a process called "photovoltaics". A typical 1 kW solar power system would save approximately 1.4 tonnes of greenhouse gases each year (a tonne of CO₂ is enough to fill a family home!).