31st July 2009 - Customers trying to do the right thing by the environment have been dealt a serious blow by electricity provider Synergy, which has announced that it will increase SmartPower and NaturalPower electricity rates from 1 August 2009.
Greens spokesperson for Energy Robin Chapple MLC says the reasons Synergy has given for the price hike are unfounded.
“The fact that Synergy has used the cost of purchasing renewable energy credits from the Eastern States as an excuse is a disgrace.”
“Synergy would have no need to buy credits from the Eastern States if Synergy placed more emphasis on renewable energy itself.”
“Forcing environmentally conscious customers to pay for its environmentally ignorant decisions is appalling.”
“Synergy is using the well-known fact that non-renewable energy electricity tariffs are increasing to trick customers into thinking that renewable energy electricity tariffs have to increase as well. This is just not the case.”
“The 2009 Office of Energy report specifically says that the recommended increase in electricity tariffs will make the cost of renewable energy more competitive.”
“Clearly the report is not suggesting that the cost of renewable energy generated electricity needs to be increased. And in fact it implies that it should remain the same.” Mr Chapple also queried the basis for Synergy’s claim that generating renewable energy has become more expensive.
“I would be very interested to see the data which Synergy has that suggests the cost of energy generated by sun or wind has increased. As far as I know, the sun is still charging us the same for its energy.”
Mr Chapple said the Greens were concerned that the price hikes would put customers off green energy. “If Synergy is truly ‘committed to the enviornment’, as it says it is, why is it increasing the cost of renewable energy generated electricity unnecessarily. It is a scandal.”
- For more information please contact Robin Chapple MLC on 0409 379 263.
