Why Momentum is one of the greenest power companies

In early 2022, Greenpeace released their Green Electricity Guide. They looked at 48 Australian power companies and ranked them, based on what they were doing for (or to) the planet.

Nationwide, Momentum came in second with 4.5 stars. So, apart from the wicked party we threw with all the office plants and city pigeons, what exactly sets us apart from the average power company?

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First, a little history

In the past, energy was dominated by a few big companies. They were mostly what we call gentailers – companies that generate electricity as well as selling it to customers.

Those generators mostly made electricity using fossil fuels. But because they were also retailers, the money their customers spent on power bills was staying with the polluters.

No disrespect to the past, but people have way better options nowadays. We can get hash browns delivered to our door if we feel like it, and we can choose a power company that supports renewable energy – not fossil fuels.

Customers now have greener choices

Changes to the industry means there are now a lot more power companies to choose from, and some of them are a lot greener too.

Of course, the majority of Australia’s electricity is still made by fossil fuel generators, but customers are no longer forced to support the retailers that are associated with them. Instead, they can buy their energy from companies with real commitments to renewable energy – and that’s where we come in.

What makes Momentum green

As part of Hydro Tasmania – Australia’s largest renewable generation company – Momentum has one of the highest ratings in Greenpeace’s Green Electricity Guide.

Momentum’s been owned by Hydro Tasmania for over ten years, so being pro-renewable is part of our identity. But having a completely third party verify our greenness was kind of like a stranger telling us we’re pretty, instead of just our mum. Again.

We scored full marks for things like support for renewable energy, halting fossil fuel expansion and transparency in marketing. The only place we lost points was around Hydro’s two gas-fired power stations, which they keep on hand as backup in times of low rainfall.

The most important takeaway from Greenpeace’s guide was that while power companies all sell the same thing, there can be a huge difference in what your money goes towards. So, if you support renewable energy, make sure your power company does too.