March 27, 2018: Powershop and Diamond Energy have retained their crowns as Australia’s top energy retailers and AGL has been given a new “Most Improved” award in the long-awaited third installment of the Greenpeace/Total Environment Centre Green Electricity Guide (http://greenelectricityguide.org.au).

The guide is the only independent ranking of the environmental performance of electricity retailers selling to Australian households. The ranking takes into account factors including the company’s emissions intensity, its investments in and policy positions on renewable energy, and their corporate transparency and sustainability reporting.[1]

“In taking the top two places for the third time running, five-star retailers Powershop and Diamond Energy continue to be the guiding lights in the retail energy space with their investment in renewable energy projects and refusal to buy power from high-polluting sources like coal or gas plants [2],” Greenpeace Australia Pacific Climate and Energy Campaigner Nikola Casule said.

“They show that a rapid decarbonisation of Australia’s energy sector is possible, and can be cheaper for consumers with retailers recently passing on savings to their customers [3].”

“What is most interesting and different about this year’s guide,” says TEC’s Energy Market Advocate, Mark Byrne, “is the emergence of a new breed of small retailers with a strong commitment to supporting local communities as well as renewable energy.”

“Energy Locals and Enova Energy are on four stars. Neither currently has the scale to be able to directly build or own large power stations. But if they continue to grow, invest in more distributed energy resources and get more directly involved in energy efficiency and demand response programs, they could give the top two a run for their money in the next guide.”

Byrne said AGL had also been recognised with this year’s Most Improved Retailer award for a range of initiatives as well as championing a transition to renewables despite criticism from the federal government.

“AGL has been recognised as this year’s Most Improved Retailer for its work around decarbonisation and renewables and we commend the company for standing up to the Federal Government’s bullying to try to keep Liddell power station open past 2022,” Byrne said.

“But despite their improvements AGL remains Australia’s biggest carbon polluter and should be doing more, particularly around closing down their inefficient, unreliable, and high-polluting old coal power stations as early as possible.”

Greenpeace and TEC aim to empower consumers with independent information to inform their choice of retailer. Retailers can choose where they buy electricity from and whether or not to take public positions in favour of rapidly decarbonising the energy sector or maintaining the status quo. By switching from a retailer that invests money in fossil fuels to one that generates or buys energy from renewables, consumers are voting with their wallets and sending a signal to Australian energy companies that they want them to get serious about tackling climate change.

 

Notes for editors:

[1]  Retailers were ranked on the emissions intensity of the power stations they own, their investments in and policy positions on renewable energy and fossil fuels, their deals for solar consumers, their carbon offset products, their promotion of energy efficiency and demand management, and their corporate transparency and sustainability reporting. This year’s guide also ranked their support for community energy, battery power and local energy trading.

TEC reviewed the 2015 Green Electricity Guide (GEG) criteria and rankings, and then conducted background research to identify additional criteria and sub-criteria to ensure that the 2018 GEG continues to comprehensively assess the ‘green’ credentials of Australia’s electricity retailers. The criteria and sub-criteria were weighted to reflect their importance in assessing performance, and overall weightings were adjusted accordingly. Scoring criteria were then developed for each sub-criteria. Alviss Consulting developed the retailer surveys and prefilled known information as much as possible.

[2]  Except for spot market purchases, which reflect the fuel mix of the market at the time.

[3] http://reneweconomy.com.au/cheap-wind-and-solar-allows-powershop-to-cut-tariffs-to-customers-66928/

 

For interviews contact:

Martin Zavan

Greenpeace Australia Pacific Media Campaigner

0424 295 422 / martin.zavan@greenpeace.org

Mark Byrne

Energy Market Advocate and GEG Project Manager Total Environment Centre

0403070442 / [email protected]