Energy and Australia
Australia is blessed with abundant natural resources. We have taken advantage of our plentiful supply of fossil fuels and enjoyed some of the cheapest energy prices in the world. However, our use of fossil fuels for energy generation does not come without environmental consequences.
Our continued reliance on electricity sourced from coal-fired power stations is causing an increase in the Earth's temperature (known as the enhanced greenhouse gas effect). This change causes many environmental impacts such as rising sea levels, an increase in freak weather events like drought and severe storms, and massive changes to the habitats that species rely on to survive.
Because most of our electricity comes from burning low cost coal, electricity generation accounts for one third of Australia's total greenhouse gas emissions. If we are to respond to the challenge of climate change, we must encourage the use of alternative, cleaner sources of energy and reduce the emissions of existing technologies and seek ways to reduce our consumption whilst maintaining our living standards.
EnergyAustralia is at the forefront of the energy industry's efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and find more sustainable solutions for our energy supply. We are committed to multiple long term renewable energy generation and emissions reduction projects, as well as offering a comprehensive range of green energy products to our customers.
In 2005 EnergyAustralia offset 2.5 million tonnes of Greenhouse gases from being released into the atmosphere, that's equivalent to removing over 700,000 cars off the road.*
*Car refers to a small family car with the equivalent of a 1.6l engine driving 15,000km per year, which would emit 0.23kg of CO2 per km)