Green energy: why it’s important and how to switch

You know in your gut that making the switch to green energy is the right thing to do, but you haven’t done it yet. The idea of going through that rigmarole sits firmly in the too hard basket. But making the switch to a renewable energy plan is so important - and it’s probably so much easier than you think!

I’m not much of a procrastinator but, wow, did I put off switching my energy plan.  I had really built it up in my mind to be a hugely difficult thing. I had convinced myself that it was going to be a time-consuming, expensive, administrative nightmare. Sound familiar?

If it does, you are going to be surprised at how simple it actually was! My experience was:

• 30 mins, all told

• All online

• Very simple and straightforward

• We actually saved money on our power bill!

• My guilty conscience has shrunk to a shadow of its former self (phew)

*NB: This is not a sponsored post - I’m just really passionate about helping people switch to a renewable energy plan!

As much as it is important to save energy, switching to green energy is a far better option.

A few facts to understand why:

How is energy produced?

Currently most electricity in Singapore is generated from natural gas (95%),  with the rest produced by coal, oil, incineration of municipal waste, and solar (1). Burning fossil fuels (ie, oil, coal & gas) releases some of the biggest pollutants (including carbon dioxide). These emissions trap heat in the atmosphere and create climate change. Switching to green energy is an important step in the game plan for how the world might solve climate change.

What is green energy?

Green energy means that the power is generated by renewable energy sources such as solar and wind (in Singapore, it’s predominantly solar).

Switching to a renewable energy plan means that you are reducing the amount of fossil fuels burnt, and reducing the amount of carbon dioxide being released into the environment. In short, it’s imperative in the fight against climate change.

Here’s how to do it.

1.    Find a plan that’s right for you

Of course, this is an important first step. You need to find out which plan is right for you. This article is a great starting point sharing an outline of the energy retailers in Singapore.

There are a number of carbon neutral plans available, which make very good financial sense, but only a few fully solar ones. We decided that the solar plan was right for us, and decided to pay slightly more for it, however we are still paying less than our previous plan! This was a nice little bonus.

If you’re watching your finances and want to save a bit extra per month, carbon neutral is not a bad second fiddle.

2. Bite the bullet and switch

It certainly wasn’t the administrative nightmare I pictured, but of course there is some paperwork. When you apply to switch, you will need your ducks in a row and have the relevant information with you.

Either the account holder of your current electricity account, or someone who can act on their behalf, can submit the form. You will need:

• IC of the account holder

• full address details

• current energy provider

You’ll also need to read and digest a fact sheet which contains some information to consider. Most is very standard, but of course you will want to go through this with a fine-toothed comb and consider if the plan is right for you.

NB: You can switch your energy plan at any time but do be aware of possible early contract termination fees from your current provider.

3. That’s it! Your new energy provider will do the rest

It’s true. Once we submitted our information, we didn’t need to do another thing. Our new energy provider finalised the rest including cancelling our plan with the previous provider too. Of course they make it as easy as possible for you to switch providers, but the ease of it was something I didn’t expect.

Switch responsibly

It bears saying that just because you have switched to a green energy plan, this doesn’t mean that you can leave your air-con blasting 24-7. We still need to be responsible for our energy usage.

But knowing that the energy you use comes from renewable sources, the planet, and your conscience, will thank you!

Have you made the switch to green energy? Share your experience in the comments below.

It’s important to make the switch to renewables!

Photo by enriquelopezgarre--3764790