Carbon Offsets 101, Interview: Gillan Taddune of Green Mountain Energy

Renewable Energy Credits (REC's) and carbon offsets are the same, according to Gillan Taddune, Chief Environment Officer of Green Mountain Energy. Mike Jackson, co-founder of Village Green Energy doesn't quite see it that way. He marks a solid line between REC's and carbon offsets in his article at Green Home Beta.

"A Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) is the environmental property rights to 1 megawatt-hour (MWh) of electricity produced by a renewable generator." "
A carbon offset is a little bit different. A carbon offset represents a reduction in the total amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, usually expressed in tons or pounds of carbon dioxide."

In my interview with Green Mountain Chief Environmental Officer, Gillan Taddune, we spent the majority of our time detailing carbon offsets. I will leave it to the reader to decide how clearly stated these difference were made.

As the founder of Waynedale Green Alliance it is my mission to find out for all, and for the Waynedale area in particular, detailed definitions concerning greener living. The vocabulary that is beginning to become a part of our everyday vernacular will soon be an integral part of our future lives.

With that, please read the following interview with Taddune concerning carbon offsets.

ABS) Please tell us about yourself and your role at Green Mountain Energy Company?

GT) Gillan Taddune is responsible for renewable supply procurement, spearheading the company's environmental vision, developing and implementing sustainable business practices and continuing an ongoing commitment to help develop new renewable facilities.

In early 2006, building on her responsibilities as Chief Environmental Officer, Gillan was tapped to launch the company's new carbon offset division, BeGreen. She was tasked with developing innovative and cost effective carbon reduction solutions for both commercial and institutional sector clients seeking to improve their environmental position, as well as for individual consumers.

ABS) What is the Green Mountain Energy Company- a brief overview?

GT) Green Mountain Energy Company is the nation's leading retail provider of cleaner energy and carbon offset solutions. Green Mountain offers residential, business, institutional and governmental customers an easy way to purchase cleaner, affordable electricity products, as well as the opportunity to offset their carbon footprint.

Since its inception, Green Mountain Energy Company has delivered more than six billion kilowatt-hours of renewable energy into the market and served over 600,000 customers nationwide.

ABS) Today, we will primarily be concentrating on 'carbon offsets'. Will you explain this product to the layman?

GT) A carbon offset is a project or technology that seeks to reduce or sequester Carbon Dioxide (CO2) or investments in environmentally friendly resources, such as solar or wind power, designed to "offset" activities that create carbon emissions. Carbon offsets balance out emissions associated with certain activities through actions or projects that reduce or eliminate other emissions.
For example:
Renewable Energy Generation
Purchasing RECs
Forest Sequestration
Planting Trees
Energy Efficiency Projects

ABS) What is a 'carbon footprint"?

GT) The amount of CO2 produced by an individual or a business, encompassing normal daily activities
such as using electricity, driving, traveling by plane and consuming natural gas.

ABS) What are five chief tips you could relay to the average citizen about reducing their own carbon footprint?

GT) Please check out our list of Eco Tips here http://www.begreennow.com/tips/

ABS) What is BeGreen Now?

GT) BeGreen is the carbon offset division of Green Mountain Energy Company which offers innovative and cost effective carbon reduction solutions to individuals and commercial sector clients seeking to improve their environmental position. BeGreen's mission is to provide simple and effective ways to take steps towards becoming carbon neutral, and educate the public on the serious effects of CO2 emissions and climate change.

ABS) How can a business benefit from carbon offsets?

GT) When you choose BeGreen Business, you make a strong corporate commitment toward sustainability without compromising the bottom line.
Reduce your company's environmental impacts
Strengthen your stakeholder relationships
Differentiate your products and services
Be on the forefront of pending carbon reduction regulations
Get the benefits of a green power purchase without the heavy premium
A REC purchase can be sourced nationally from the most cost-competitive facilities
Make substantiated marketing and public relations claims about the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) the company has offset due to its purchase of Commercial Grade Offsets.

ABS) Tell us about the Green Mountain solar and wind energy facilities and the goals for the future of these facilities?

GT) Thanks to the demand of Green Mountain Energy Company's customers, the following 13 wind and solar facilities have been built and generate over 180,000 kilowatts (kW) of new renewable energy. Since the first facility came online in 1999, these facilities have been responsible for avoiding over 261,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2), a greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming.

Apr. 1999 Green Mountain Energy BJ's Solar - Conshohocken, Penn.
This 50-kW facility, located on the roof of BJ's Wholesale Club, was the largest solar generation facility in Pennsylvania when built.
Sept. 1999 Green Mountain Energy Solar 2000 Mendocino - Hopland, Calif.
This 106-kW facility is comprised of 1200 photovoltaic panels.
May 2000 Green Mountain Energy Wind Farm at Garrett, Penn. - Garrett, Penn.
The company's first commercial wind farm (also a first for Pennsylvania) consists of eight, 187-foot high wind turbines. The wind farm is 10.4 megawatts (MW) in size.
Dec. 2000 Green Mountain Energy Solar at Berkeley - Berkeley, Calif.
This 100-kW facility has 924 panels and, when completed, was the largest photovoltaic solar array in the San Francisco Bay area.
Feb. 2001 Green Mountain Energy Solar at Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh, Penn.
This 30-kW system is comprised of 175 solar electric panels installed on top of the IKEA store in Robinson Towne Centre.
May 2002 Green Mountain Energy Solar at Southern New Jersey - Deptford, N.J.
This 52-kW system consists of 1,330 solar panels.
May 2002 Green Mountain Energy Solar at Lake Farm Park - Kirtland, Ohio
This ground-mounted facility is a commercial scale, 26-kW solar array comprised of 264 solar panels. The array also serves as a solar education opportunity for visitors to Lake Earmarking Kirtland, Ohio.
May 2002 Green Mountain Energy Solar at The Winston School - Dallas, Texas
This commercial scale, 58-kW facility, consisting of 594 solar panels, is the largest solar array in Dallas. The facility also serves as a learning tool for the students at The Winston School and was constructed, in part, due to the support of Green Mountain Big Texas Sun Club members.
June 2002 Green Mountain Energy Solar at Upper Kirby District - Houston, Texas
This facility, one of the largest in Houston, is a commercial scale, 43-kW solar array with 440 panels located on top of the Upper Kirby District Foundation building. The facility was constructed, in part, due to the support of Green Mountain Big Texas Sun Club® members.
June 2002 Green Mountain Energy Solar at The Discovery Museum - Bridgeport , Conn.
This facility, one of the largest in Connecticut, is a commercial scale, 19-kW solar array with 198 panels installed at ground level near the Discovery Museum's parking lot.
Nov. 2003 The AMP-Ohio/Green Mountain Energy Wind Farm - Bowling Green, Ohio
The first utility-scale wind farm in the state of Ohio, this wind farm originally consisted of two 1.8 MW wind turbines, the largest east of the Rockies. The capacity was doubled in 2004 when two more turbines were added.
Dec. 2003 Green Mountain Energy Wind Farm at Brazos - Borden & Scurry Counties, Texas
The 160-MW wind farm in West Texas is the fifth largest in the state of Texas. The Green Mountain Energy Wind Farm at Brazos was also the first wind farm built since Texans were given the option to choose their retail electric provider in January 2002.
Dec. 2005 Green Mountain Energy Solar at The Heard Museum - McKinney, Texas
This 6-kW solar array is one of the most recent solar projects that Green Mountain Energy Company has created. It was supported, in part, by the Big Texas Sun Club.

ABS) What is the Van Eck Forest Project?

GT) Owned by the Fred M. van Eck Forest Foundation, the Van Eck Forest is a working redwood forest conserved and managed by the Pacific Forest Trust to increase carbon stores, restore biodiversity and old growth qualities and provide habitat for endangered species. In addition to helping cool the climate, the Van Eck Forest Project helps protect wildlife habitat, safeguard clean water and sustain rural communities and jobs for the benefit of all Californians.

The Van Eck Forest Project will permanently reduce approximately 500,000 tons of CO2 emissions over a 100-year period by ensuring use of sustainable forestry practices that sequester more carbon than could be attained through conventional management. The project is the first emissions reductions project registered and independently certified under the rigorous accounting standards adopted by the California Air Resources Board to help the state meet its ambitious greenhouse gas reduction goals.

When you calculate and purchase BeGreen Forest Sequestration Offsets, your purchase will reduce your household's carbon footprint with emissions reductions from the Pacific Forest Trust's Van Eck Forest Project or one like it. These emissions reductions are accomplished through the sustainable management of the 2,200 acre Van Eck Forest in Humboldt County, CA, and are secured by a permanent conservation easement granted to the Pacific Forest Trust. The easement ensures the project's climate benefits as well as water quality and wildlife habitat for threatened species such as the Coho Salmon and Northern Spotted Owl.

ABS) Why do you believe there are some organizations such as Boycott Green Mountain Energy that do not believe that Green Mountain is sincere in their efforts to provide cleaner energy?

GT) Boycottgreenmountain.com was developed over seven years ago because someone was upset about Green Mountain's use of landfill gas in a product in Pennsylvania. All of the content on the site is out of date and has not been updated since it was created. We are proud of our environmental impact and stand by our products. For more information on how Green Mountain has made a difference for the environment, please visit www.greenmountain.com.

Also, we operate according to the principles of the Coalition of Environmentally Responsible Economies (CERES). Our 2006 report is currently being written. To view an example of our 2005 CERES report visit our website, http://www.greenmountainenergy.com/about/pdfs/ceres_report_2005.pdf

In addition, Green Mountain's senior management team includes the position Chief Environmental Officer who is responsible for REC quality and procurement, corporate environmental policies, spearheading the company's mission, and maintaining relationships with local and national environmental organizations. As a way to foster dialogue, Green Mountain Energy Company assembles an Environmental Advisory Board as a forum to receive expert advice and validation on critical environmental issues. Members include:
Ralph Cavanagh-Natural Resources Defense Council
Christopher Flavin-World Watch Institute
Hunter Lovins-Rocky Mountain Institute
Elizabeth Cook-World Resources Institute
Rachel Shimshack-Renewable Northwest Project
Robin Rather - Collective Strength
Reverand Sally G. Bingham -- The Regeneration Project, Interfaith Power and Light

As is evident throughout this interview the vocabulary of the future is in flux. The 'green' jargon that is just beginning will soon be a monumental segment of our everyday language. The language will also include a good amount of controversy.

Fasten your seat belts!