What’s renewable energy?
Renewable energy is simply putting to use the natural resources we have available from our beautiful planet (for example, sunlight and wind) that never run out and do not release any greenhouse gases.
felix came to life with a mission to create a phone plan that does better by our people, and the planet. We believe companies can and should be tackling climate change by considering how they’re producing and using energy. One of the most significant forms of energy we use is electricity. That’s why we’re proud to share that we’re powered by 100% renewable electricity. This reduces the amount of harmful greenhouse gases that are released, while leaving more fossil fuels in the ground, unburned.
Fossil Fuels vs Renewable Energy - The Difference
Fossil fuels (such as coal, oil and gas) are formed by the natural process of decomposing plants and animals over millions of years. These contain carbon and hydrogen, and are burned to release energy, while releasing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. These fuels are ‘non-renewable’ - as once we use them they are gone for good.
As the name suggests, renewable energy is generated from sources that never run out, and harness the natural resources we have available to us every day, such as sunlight and wind. The best part? Most renewable energy sources don’t release harmful greenhouse gas emissions, ultimately reducing our carbon footprint.
How does a business claim they use renewable electricity?
In sad news for fossil fuels, more and more companies are opting to transition towards renewable electricity, and the energy sector is going under a large transformation as a result. A significant part of this is transformation is increasing the share of renewable energy feeding into the electricity system.
Whilst some companies can power their operation through generating their own energy (for example rooftop solar) most companies need to get at least some of their electricity from the grid.
For us to be able to track just how much renewable energy is fed into the electricity grid, Renewable Energy Certificates (also referred to as RECs) with a unique number are assigned for every megawatt hour (MWh) created from renewable technologies (like solar panels or wind turbines).
Here in Australia, the two types of RECs are called small-scale technology certificates (STCs) and large-scale generation certificates (LGCs). For felix to be able to say that we’re powered by 100% renewable electricity, we’ve purchased enough LGCs that equate to the total electricity (MWh) that felix consumes in a year.
As we welcome more customers to felix, we look forward to increasing our purchase of renewable electricity and helping to incentivise the growth of renewable electricity in Australia.
Why is using renewable electricity important for felix?
Renewable electricity is key for felix, because the network that powers our mobile service requires a lot of energy to keep us all connected daily. Of that energy, electricity forms a large portion of the emissions we’re responsible for, so ensuring we’re purchasing renewable certificates is a way we can do better by our electricity emissions. This allows us to go above and beyond being carbon neutral.
Source: South Pole, the felix carbon offset and renewable electricity provider
