Commitment to the Environment

While we are focused on building a strong and secure business, we recognise our obligation to conduct all our activities with due regard for the environment, our stakeholders and the community. Ethical business practice forms a large part of our corporate culture.

Our Environmental Policy provides the framework for our commitment to responsible environmental management.

A summary of some of the work TRUenegy has done to support our Environmental Policy is outlined below.

Greenhouse gas emissions and climate change

Greenhouse emissions are created as a result of our electricity generation operations.  To reduce emissions, we have implemented a number of greenhouse reduction strategies including a $50 million upgrade of our Yallourn power station, which reduced our emissions by 100,000 tonnes per year.  We are also building Australia's most efficient natural gas generation plant near Wollongong, NSW.  When complete this power station will produce 50% less emissions than other coal fossil fuel plants.

Renewable energy

Each year, TRUenergy purchases increasing amounts of wind, hydro and biomass energy.  We do this to support the development of the renewable energy industry in Australia and to offset greenhouse emissions from our electricity generation operations.  Last year, we a purchased over half a million megawatt hours of clean, green renewable energy, more than double our annual target.

TRUenergy, as part of the CLP Group, is also committed to increasing the capacity of renewable energy in our power generation portfolio to 5% by 2010. 

Green Power

TRUenergy is one of the few Australian energy retailers to offer only government accredited Green Power products. National environment groups rate our TRUenergy Wind product as a market leader. In 2005, our Green Power customers consumed 18,914-megawatt hours of green energy, effectively reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 24,588 tonnes.

Energy efficiency

We believe it is important to help customers modify the way they use energy, to help you save money and to reduce our collective impact on the environment.  TRUenergy provides energy efficiency advice on our website and over the phone via our customer help centres.

Energy Auditing

TRUenergy offers an in-home energy audit service for customers who are part of our hardship assistance program. Educating customers about low cost home energy efficiency measures, appliance running costs and helping them to make small behavioural changes can make a big difference to energy costs over time.

Our home energy auditing program is an important way of helping vulnerable customers manage their energy costs while reducing environmental impacts.

Water

Our generation facilities use large amounts of water to cool electricity generation equipment.  Each of our power stations must abide by strict rules governing how we use, treat, recycle and discharge water back into the environment.

In 2005, we spent $120 million to restore the Morwell River to its natural state. The largest earthmoving exercise ever undertaken in Victoria, the project was awarded the Engineers Australia Victorian Division Award for excellence.

Recycling and waste

We try to minimise material use and what we do use, we try to recycle or reuse before disposal. We regularly audit and develop new initiatives to improve our waste management systems.

Land around Site Operations

TRUenergy site operations span 5650 hectares of land in diverse environments.  We regularly monitor for animals and plants and rehabilitate land to enhance visual amenity and re-establish areas of natural vegetation.

While we are constantly aware of the close link between our operations and the environment, sometimes we are reminded at just how close this link is! One example is the regular visits our Iona Gas Plant (near the township of Port Campbell) receives from a rather inquisitive koala!