How to use cleaner energy at home

Many Victorians want to use renewable energy but, in practise, it’s not always easy to do.

This is because our electricity grid is made up of energy from a mix of sources – some renewable, like solar and wind, and some fossil fuels, like coal and gas. As it’s transported around the country, it's all mixed in together, so it's not possible to separate the renewable energy from the fossil fuels.

As a result, unless you use your own solar generation, there’s no way to ensure the electricity you’re using comes from 100% renewable sources.

So, what can you do to use cleaner energy at home?

Carbon offset your energy usage

Many power companies, like Arcline by RACV, offer electricity and gas plans that offset customers' energy usage using carbon credits.

Carbon credits are credits produced when an emissions-saving activity is undertaken, such as renewable energy generation or planting trees. These credits can then be bought by organisations to offset the emissions their activities release, for example by energy providers to offset the electricity and gas used by their customers.

Opting for a carbon offset energy plan can be one of the lowest cost ways to reduce the environmental impact of your energy usage, as many energy providers offer carbon offsets as a standard inclusion in their plans. The drawback, though, is that you’re not actually putting any extra renewable energy into the mix.

Carbon offsetting isn’t a perfect solution, however, due to its accessibility, it can be a first step on the road to a more sustainable future for many.

Purchase GreenPower

The GreenPower program is a government-run program that makes renewable energy available to households and businesses.

When you purchase certified GreenPower, your energy provider will buy energy from renewable sources to match your usage.

While it can’t be sent to your house to be used by you specifically, GreenPower ensures the equivalent amount of renewable electricity is fed into the grid on your behalf. So you’re committing your power company to provide renewable energy for your home and supporting increased renewable energy generation.

GreenPower comes at cost, however most retailers that offer GreenPower give you the option of choosing what percentage of your usage you’d like to offset. So, if you can’t afford 100% GreenPower, you can offset a proportion of your usage for a lower cost.

Go solar and generate your own renewable energy

The only way to ensure you’re actually using 100% renewable electricity at home is to generate it yourself.

Installing solar panels and a battery allows you to generate free, clean solar power and then gives you the flexibility to store any excess in your battery for use day or night.

Plus, if you have an electric vehicle that you charge using your solar, you can significantly reduce your car emissions too.

What about gas?

Victorians use more gas than any other state or territory, with over 80% of households using it.

Gas is a fossil-fuel, and a key driver of climate change. Upgrading your gas appliances for efficient, electric alternatives is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint.

Coupled with carbon offsetting, GreenPower or, ideally, solar power, the average household could significantly reduce its emissions.