Carbon Management: Switch

Written by: Mae Ercolani of EPA Victoria

Over the past few editions of Carbon Matters we have included a regular article about applying the EPA Carbon Management Principles to business. This article focuses on the fifth Carbon Management Principle: switch.

While EPA Victoria's Carbon Management Principles were designed as a framework to drive environmental outcomes, such as emission reduction, the Principles have often served to support business opportunities as well. Identifying optimal business opportunities while responding to climate change can often be difficult; the Principles work to support the discovery of these opportunities.

The principles comprise eight steps:

1. measure emissions,
2. set objectives,
3. avoid emissions,
4. reduce emissions,
5. switch to alternative energy,
6. sequester emissions,
7. assess residual emissions,
8. offset what you can’t avoid.

This strategy should be reviewed regularly to ensure your business takes advantage of new practices, opportunities and technologies.

After having applied the 'measure', 'set objectives', 'avoid' and 'reduce' Principles, your business will be well positioned to consider switching its energy and fuel sources. Look for opportunities to ensure that the primary energy source you are using is the least GHG intensive available. The three most comment switch activities are:

• direct renewable energy, such as installing solar panels at your home, office or facility
• purchased renewable energy from an accredited electricity retailers through the GreenPower scheme
• exchange a fossil fuel energy source to one with a lower carbon content, e.g. switch from coal-fired boiler to a natural gas or cogeneration boiler.

Direct Renewable Energy
Installing renewable energy directly on-site reduces your direct emissions and the reliance on fossil fuels from the energy grid. There are six primary categories of renewable energy: biomass, solar, wind, geothermal, cogeneration, and wave-tidal. EPA will be releasing renewable energy fact sheets to help you decide whether switching is right for your business in the future. In the meantime, read the "How can your business benefit from the Renewable Energy Target?" article.

Purchased Renewable Energy
Purchasing renewable energy is the easiest way to switch energy sources. Electricity from renewable energy sources can be purchased from accredited electricity retailers through the GreenPower scheme. Through this scheme, accredited renewable energy is purchased on your behalf. It comes at a small additional cost to your regular electricity bill, but ensures that your power has a lower greenhouse impact. For more information go to www.greenpower.gov.au

Exchange Fossil Fuel
If your business can't avoid using fossil fuels, it can still try to choose fossil fuels with lower greenhouse intensity. For example, GHG emissions from bio-diesel are lower than petrol or fossil diesel. When considering fuel exchange options, it is important to take into account the efficiency of energy sources. For an example on how your business can exchange its fuel source, read the "ProGreen article" in this Carbon Matters newsletter.

To find out more on switching your fuel and energy sources, look for upcoming Renewable Energy Fact Sheets, and visit http://www.epa.vic.gov.au/climate-change/carbon-management/resources.asp#_switch