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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 8 Hansard (24 August) . . Page.. 2337 ..

Where will the green energy come from?

ACTEW's green energy will come from interstate purchases of government accredited green power and, in the future, from new mini-hydro power generation using water from the ACTEW dams, and electricity generated from methane gas from the ACT tips.

Where does ACTEW get the interstate power from?

ACTEW has supply contracts for government accredited hydro electric green power from Victoria (7000 MWh per year); from a small hydro generator on the NSW Central Coast (700 MWh per year); and solar energy (7 MWh per year). In future it is intended to buy power generated by wind.

Is there an independent review of the scheme?

Each financial year, GreenChoice purchases and sales are audited by independent auditors to ensure that the amount of green energy purchased is equal to or greater than the amount sold.

Will it cost more than the normal tariff?

Yes, but with fossil fuel based generation there is no direct charge for resource depletion, pollution, climate change impacts and other hidden costs. Nature and future generations will pay for these.

How much more?

GreenChoice 100 is offered at a premium of 3 cents per kWh above the domestic or general tariff, and caps are in place to ensure the extra cost does not become too great. So it costs about as much as you'd pay for two cups of coffee per week.

What happens to my GreenChoice payments?

ACTEW premium receipts from GreenChoice sales are separately accounted for to purchase green energy. The administration of premium funds is subject to audit by the Sustainable Energy Development Association (SEDA).

How does joining GreenChoice compare to other things that I might do?

It is amongst the most effective actions you can take to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. An average domestic consumer on GreenChoice 100 saves about 7.5 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions per year: that's equivalent to planting six house blocks with trees, or stopping driving your family car for 2 years.

Can I do something now ?

Call the ACTEW GreenChoice Hotline on 1 800 447 336 or visit www.actew.com.au/greenchoice

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