GreenPower won't be so green any more?

The real mess is in fact whether the green power scheme is a legitimate scheme or a scam. You really need to know exactly where the extra money you are paying for green power actually goes. For example does it really go into helping promote the prodution of green energy, or does it simply go into driving up the profits of existing producers of green power.

Yes, you have to be careful. See:

The Origin Energy GreenEarth Solar/Wind plans consistently come out #1 in all audits, and also came out as the best in my own (actually my wife who knows the in's and out's of these things) investgations, so I've been with Origin Energy 100% Wind scheme from day one.

One of the original "pioneers" of Green Power in Australia, Jack Green, is one of the worst offenders. A lot of poeple signed up to them thinking they are making a difference.

Dave.

Isn't that how it works anyway? As demand rises, the existing producers increase their profits until more pople decide it is worth investing money in green power generation infrastructure to get their hands on a share of the profits.

No. Read the article I provided in a previous post. To be fully greenpower accedited there are bunch of requirements you have to meet, including: "the renewable energy supplied must not be part of the retailer's mandatory renewable energy supply component." and "the supply must meet the customers energy demands"

This is the case with the higher priced energy plans, but there are many plans that advertise as being "green" but don't meet these criteria. I don't believe there are any laws stopping this, provided it's all in the fine print somewhere. So if you pay the extra and sign up for a 100% green plan then your energy

Dave.

No. Read the article I provided in a previous post. To be fully greenpower accedited there are bunch of requirements you have to meet, including: "the renewable energy supplied must not be part of the retailer's mandatory renewable energy supply component." and "the supply must meet the customers energy demands"

This is the case with the higher priced energy plans, but there are many plans that advertise as being "green" but don't meet these criteria. I don't believe there are any laws stopping this, provided it's all in the fine print somewhere. So if you pay the extra and sign up for a 100% green plan then your energy

Dave.

You're assuming that there's anything 'green' about it. Suggest you re-think.

Graham

I don't need to, thanks. I like knowing my extra money is currently going toward wind power generation.

Dave.

Its simple: You either tax ALL fossil fuels at their source, or you don't. Emission 'trading' is just another way to for the goverment to intercept a portion of commerce and recreate more needless regulation and new goverment departments.

Basically correct, except that its political suicide. Taxing coal for example would mean that we wouldnt be able to export any as no one would buy it as it would be too expensive compared with other countries who dont tax it. No coal exports wipes out the State of queesland and would hit NSW very hard as well.

The information I have heard is that the greatest competition Australian coal exporters face is each other. The tax(royalty on coal is miniscule, about 20c/ton(?) and it does not cover the cost of infrastructure to ship it out.

That probably explains why ships were queuing a year or so ago, the mining companies were waiting for the taxpayer to build bigger ports, and it didn't happen.