Some communities are taking matters into their own hands and building large-scale wind or solar projects. For a single household though, a good start would be to install solar hot water. Or, if your budget allows, install photovoltaic panels on your roof and have a solar system large enough to produce all or most of the electricity you need. There are now generous government rebates (up to $8,000) and Origin Energy also gives an additional rebate on top of that.

If you can’t come up with the cash but are committed to ‘greening’ your home, Bendigo Bank offers ‘green loans’ to finance projects such as solar systems, but also installing water tanks or insulation.

For renters, or those who can’t afford to install infrastructure, an easy first step is to switch to green power. Most electricity providers offer some form of ‘green’ power for a slightly higher cost. This means that they are purchasing ‘renewable credits’ from renewable generators, such as the large hydro schemes, or commercial scale solar generators. Before you enter into any contracts, check how much accredited green power you are buying, as it can be anywhere from 10 to 100%. Choice Magazine did a survey and found that EnergyAustralia came out tops for highest amount of accredited green power for the lowest cost. But do your homework because conditions differ from state to state.

Links:
These links are a resource to find out more about renewable energy. If you know about other useful websites, please email them to us.

www.greenhouse.com.au/renewable/pv
www.origin.com.au
www.bendigobank.com.au
www.energy.com.au
www.choice.com.au then search in the A – Z listing for green power