Abstract
Overview
Introduction
As an increasing number of retailers launch green tariffs and green energy is more prominently offered, Australian consumers are signing up to green power at a rapid rate. The country now has amongst the highest penetration of residential customers buying accredited green energy in the world, and the share of households taking a green product is expected to reach double figures by 2009.
Scope
- A May 2007 survey of 2000 Australian households regarding behaviours and attitudes towards green energy and other environmental initiatives
- A comparison of the 2007 survey results with a similar survey conducted in 2005.
- Breakdown of responses by state, age group, spend and household size
- Analysis of historic take-up of accredited green power by state, share of customers by supplier and price comparisons across all tariffs
Report Highlights
Residential green power customers doubled in the 12 months to June 2007 to pass half a million by June 2007. The number is expected to reach one million by mid-2009, with 11.5% of households expected to be purchasing accredited green power.
Take-up is being driven by desire to help the environment and a limited price differential with existing tariffs, with green power just one of an increasingly wide range of environmental measures being adopted by households.
Resistance to green tariffs is primarily due to additional cost and lack of understanding, though consumer awareness campaigns and new regulations helped significantly to improve knowledge of green power during 2007.
Reasons to Purchase
- Identify key sources of information for consumers when switching and the effectiveness of various offers in encouraging customers to switch
- Understand the reasons behind customers choosing to buy green power, and what is preventing others
- Evaluate the potential for further take-up of green power by state, including forecasts through to 2009.
Table of Contents
- DATAMONITOR VIEW
- CATALYST
- SUMMARY
- METHODOLOGY
- ANALYSIS
- Australia has one of the highest rates of take-up of green tariffs
worldwide
- Residential green power customers doubled in the 12 months to the end of June 2007 to pass half a million
- Over 10% of residential customers in Victoria had signed up to green power by 30 June 2007
- Take-up of green energy in Australia is higher that many other deregulated energy markets
- While consumers are increasingly taking up green power, most are choosing options with the smallest share of accredited green power
- Origin Energy has dominated the green power market, but the market is becoming increasingly fragmented
- Prices vary significantly within the different accredited bands
- Take-up is being driven by desire to help the environment and limited price differential with existing tariff
- Resistance to green tariffs is primarily due to additional cost and
lack of understanding
- The more options, the more confusing for customers
- A quarter of respondents have not got round to it
- Carbon offsetting is not expected to take the place of green energy
- Green power is just one of an increasingly wide range of environmental measures being adopted by households
- Australia has one of the highest rates of take-up of green tariffs
worldwide
- CONCLUSIONS AND FORECASTS
- Awareness and education key to ongoinAustralia remains a goog growth
- Australia forecast to have over one million green power customers by mid-2009
- APPENDIX
- Green energy products offered in Australia
- ActewAGL
- AGL
- Alinta
- Australian CO2 Exchange (ACX)
- Aurora Energy
- Australian Power & Gas
- Click Energy
- Climate Friendly
- Country Energy
- COzero
- EnergyAustralia
- Energy Pacific/Pacific Hydro
- Ergon Energy
- GreenSwitch
- Integral Energy
- Jackgreen
- Origin Energy
- Qenergy
- Simply Energy
- Synergy
- TRUenergy
- Victoria Electricity
- Definitions
- Sources
- Further reading
- Ask the analyst
- List of Tables
- Table 1: The share of green energy within green customers' consumption has declined over time with the increasing popularity of 10% accredited tariffs
- Table 2: Number of accredited green power customers by retailer, 30 June 2006 - 30 June 2007
- Table 3: Variations exist in the price of accredited power in Australia within each share band
- Table 4: Block prices for buying units of green power vary widely
- Table 5: For those buying green energy, what encouraged you to do so? (Tick all that apply)
- Table 6: For those yet to purchase green energy, what are the main barriers to you doing so (Tick all that apply)
- Table 7: For those yet to purchase green energy, what are the main barriers to you doing so (Tick all that apply)
- Table 9: Which of the following environmental initiatives have you pursued? And intend to pursue over the coming 12 months (tick all that apply)
- Table 9: Forecast number and penetration of green customers, 2007-2009
- List of Figures
- Figure 1: Victoria leads the way in residential green power customers, though customers in NSW rose rapidly in H1 2007
- Figure 2: NSW share of green energy customers grew from 17% to 28% in 12 months to June 2007
- Figure 3: Over 10% of residential customers in Victoria were being supplied accredited green power as at 30 June 2007
- Figure 4: The share of green energy within green customers' consumption has declined over time with the increasing popularity of 10% accredited tariffs
- Figure 5: Green power tariffs offered by State and territory, 30 June 2007
- Figure 6: Share of residential accredited green power customers by retailer, 30 June 2006 - 30 June 2007
- Figure 7: By mid-2009, Australia is predicted to have almost one million residential customers on accredited green power schemes
- Figure 8: Victoria to maintain highest share of customers on accredited green tariffs through to 2009
- Green energy products offered in Australia
