Australia’s first completely renewable energy provider sets up shop in SA
Australia’s first 100 per cent renewable energy utility company Zen Energy was launched in Adelaide on Tuesday. The company plans to use a combination of solar power generation, battery storage, and localised energy grids to create self-sustained communities that will buy back the power they generate, according to abc.net.au.
Climate change expert, Professor Ross Garnaut, has been appointed chairman of Zen Energy and said the company’s launch would be a game changer.
"I've been disappointed that the established energy companies have not taken the opportunity that's there," he said.
Described as Australia’s first dedicated community renewable energy provider, the company has emerged out of an existing Adelaide group called Zen Technologies - a solar and storage company.
Zen Energy’s Chief Executive Richard Turner now plans to take entire communities off the grid — from social housing stock, to apartment buildings and regional communities.
He said he will generate the power, then sell it back to users at a fraction of the current costs.
"We're looking at a spot in the market very soon where we're going to be almost half the cost of the grid," he said.
Zen Energy is pushing for grid usage costs to be calculated for the energy people use, instead of a flat fee.
"The economically inefficient way to go is to just charge a fixed charge for being connected to the grid. That's economically irrational, so how the regulators go in recouping the costs becomes important."
Read more about the latest news on the renewables revolution and the best green energy plans available in South Australia as well as the rest of the country.
