GMO Carbon News Update week 35

Jaguar Land Rover: 50 Global Projects offset 5.2 million tonnes of Carbon Dioxide

Jaguar Land Rover has announced it is supporting the ground-breaking LifeStraw project, which will be the 50th Global carbon dioxide project the company has been involved in, in the last 5 years. The project will provide Kenya with clean and healthy drinking water.  In conjunction with ClimateCare, Jaguar Land Rover has invested in 50 carbon reduction schemes in 17 different countries over the last 5 years. The company helped to improve indoor air quality in Ghana, Cambodia and Uganda by distributing more than 180,000 new fuel-efficient stoves. This one was on the first projects Jaguar Land Rover were involved in and they have achieved continuing success since then.  So far, Jaguar Land Rover has offset 5.2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide through programmes such as the LifeStraw one. Furthermore they have committed to offset 10 million tonnes of carbon dioxide by 2014. To read this article in full click here

Two UK Airports Go Carbon Netural

Two airports in the UK recently completed their first full year of carbon neutral operations, according to the latest Corporate Social Responsibility report published today by Manchester Airports Group (MAG), which owns both airports. The airports, in East Midlands and Bournemouth, have implemented a series of carbon reduction programmes since making the commitment to go “carbon neutral” six years ago. “Today’s announcement is the strongest possible proof that as a Group, we have gone farther than any other airports in the UK and we’re looking forward to sharing our experience across the industry to reduce carbon emissions,” said Neil Robinson, corporate affairs director at MAG. “As part of the UK’s largest airport operator, we are able to contribute to the targets set by Government and we will continue to work closely with our industry partners and airlines to make a further positive contribution.” To read this article in full click here

Viridian Energy Supplies Carbon Offsets for the US Open

Initiative Offsets 2.2 Million Miles of Air and Land Travel. Viridian Energy, a leading provider of affordable, green energy, has announced that it will supply carbon offsets for all player travel to the US Open. Viridian has purchased 455 metric tons of carbon offsets, which is the equivalent of the 2.2 million miles that the tennis players will travel by land and air to reach the tournament site in Flushing, NY. The carbon offsets were generated from the New Bedford Landfill Gas Utilization Project in Dartmouth, Mass. The offsets are Carbon Standard and Green-e Climate certified. The carbon offset contribution is part of Viridian’s broader sustainability initiative. The company provides affordable green energy plans to residential and commercial customers, but also supports local and global environmental initiatives. To read this article in full click here

Scottish govt reveals £7.9m of investment for renewable sector

A new wave of marine investment could create more work for umbrella company contractors in Scotland, with £7.9 million of funding made available. The government will be helping five marine energy developers create new tidal prototypes to extend Scotland's excellent record of creating power from natural resources. Scotrenewables Tidal Power Ltd is among the companies to have benefitted and will use the money it has received to construct and install a new floating tidal turbine. Deputy first minister Nicola Sturgeon said that the Scottish marine sector is continuing to grow. "The WATERS 2 funding sends a further clear signal that Scotland - already blessed with some of the world's greatest concentrations of marine energy resource and with unrivalled offshore energy engineering expertise - will continue to provide the optimum research and investment environment for developers and commercial partners," she added.

To read this article in full click here

Renewable Energy Sees Explosive Growth During Obama Administration

Two recently-issued federal studies underscore the dramatic growth in electrical generation from geothermal, solar, wind, and other renewable energy sources during the first three and one-half years of the Obama Administration. According to the latest issue of EIA's "Electric Power Monthly" with data through to June 30, 2012, non-hydro renewable sources (i.e., biomass, geothermal, solar, wind) provided 5.76% of net electrical generation for the first half of 2012. This represents an increase of 10.97% compared to the same period in 2011. Solar increased by 97.2% while wind grew 16.3% and geothermal by 0.2%. However, biomass dipped by 0.8%. For the first six months of 2012, wind contributed 3.84% of net electrical generation followed by biomass (1.40%), geothermal (0.43%), and solar ** (0.09%). Conventional hydropower accounted for an additional 7.86% of net electrical generation in 2012 - a decline of 14.3% compared to the first half of 2011. To read this article in full click here 

Low-carbon infrastructure investment driving green economy 'success story'

Green employment, revenues, exports and infrastructure investment is all rising, according to a major new Green Alliance report. The scale of the economic "success story" delivered by the UK's green businesses was highlighted today with the release of a major new report revealing how low-carbon industries are now among the UK's largest employers, accounting for almost 10 per cent of economic activity. The new report from the Green Alliance think tank draws on a raft of official government figures to summarise the current state of the green economy, confirming that the sector was worth £122bn in 2011 and has been consistently growing at between four and five per cent since the financial crisis of 2008. It also contrasts the 939,600 people regarded by the government as being employed in low-carbon and environmental jobs with other sectors, revealing that the green economy has a significantly higher workforce than the auto industry. To read this article in full click here

t: +44 (0) 20 3384 8680

www.gmouk.com