Switch to greener energy
There are many options for greener energy.
You could buy green power through your energy supplier, generate electricity at home, or offset some of the emissions you generate through your use of energy.
See our information about renewable energy and green power options.
Buy green power
Green power is electricity that has comes from renewable sources like wind, solar, hydro and waste organic material.
Contact your electricity supplier to ask about GreenPower or see the list of accredited GreenPower products.
Generating electricity at home
You may be able to generate your own electricity at home by installing a renewable energy system such as a solar, wind or small hydro system.
Generating your own power can make a big difference to your energy bills. If you connect to the mains power grid, you might be able to feed your excess energy back into the grid.
You may be eligible for rebates or other assistance to help you with the initial set up costs.
Install solar power
The most common way to generate power at home is via solar panels (photovoltaic panels or PVs) on your roof. Solar panels generate electricity from the sun and excess electricity feeds into the mains power grid or into a storage system like a battery bank.
Solar PV panels are expensive to buy, but once installed they only need a small amount of maintenance and the electricity they provide is free and clean.
See our step-by-step guide to installing solar power.
Install solar hot water
A solar hot water system could give you most, if not all, of your hot water for free. If you are currently using an electric storage hot water system, you could save up to $700 a year and 4 tonnes of greenhouse gases by swapping to a solar or heat pump hot water system.
See our step-by-step guide to installing solar hot water.
Install wind turbines or generators
A domestic wind turbine generates electricity from the wind. Wind turbines are usually part of a stand-alone power system where they charge a battery bank, but some can connect to the grid to feed in your excess electricity.
Wind turbines are usually installed on a tower. This may not be possible if you live in an urban area, but they are often ideal for some rural and regional areas.
For more information, see Your Home Technical Manual - Wind systems.
Carbon offset schemes
You can make a difference to your impact on the environment by offsetting greenhouse gas emissions. Offset schemes plant trees or do other energy saving projects to help cut back on or absorb greenhouse gas emissions generated from electricity generation, your car or other activities.
A list of government accredited products and services and abatement projects is available to help you choose an offset scheme or provider.
Rebates & assistance
As a home owner, renter or landlord, you could be eligible for financial assistance and home assessments to help you start saving energy and water sooner.
Find out about government rebates and assistance.
Why do it?
- Increase the amount of electricity you get from environmentally friendly sources
- Support the growth of alternative energy sources
- Reduce your reliance on polluting energy sources
Did you know?
Over 900,000 Australian households have signed up for GreenPower.
What else can I do?
Take action
Page last modified: 25 Feb 2010