What makes some power companies greener than others?

This is a sponsored article from SustainabilityTracker.com member Momentum Energy.

In early 2022, Greenpeace released their latest Green Electricity Guide. They looked at 48 Australian power companies and ranked them, based on what they were doing for (or to) the planet. But how can you tell if a power company is green or not? 

First, a little history 

In the past, energy was dominated by a few big companies. They were mostly what we call gentailers – companies that generate electricity as well as selling it to customers. 

Because it was par for the course back then, those generators mostly made electricity using fossil fuels. This meant the money their customers spent on power bills was staying with the polluters. 

Nowadays, customers can choose to buy from power companies who are a lot more committed to renewable energy. And even while the majority of Australia’s electricity is still made using fossil fuels, choosing a retailer who’s not associated with those generators is still a step in the right direction.

How the Green Electricity Guide helps customers 

The most important takeaway from Greenpeace’s guide was that while power companies all sell the same thing, there can be a huge difference in what your money goes towards. 

As part of Hydro Tasmania – Australia’s largest renewable generation company – Momentum Energy took out second place in Greenpeace’s 2022 Green Electricity Guide. 

Momentum’s been owned by Hydro Tasmania for over ten years, so being pro-renewable is part of our identity. We scored full marks for things like support for renewable energy, halting fossil fuel expansion and transparency in marketing. The only place we lost points was around Hydro’s two gas-fired power stations, which are important to have on hand in times of low rainfall. 

Find out more about Momentum Energy.

This is an article from a SustainabilityTracker.com Member. The views and opinions we express here don’t necessarily reflect our organisation.