NativeEnergy School Wind Projects Chip Away Corporate Carbon Footprints
80,000 tonnes of carbon credits add clean energy to the grid
Burlington, VT, August 29, 2013 /3BL Media/ – NativeEnergy, a Vermont-based carbon offset project developer and supplier, announced a seventh community wind energy project in the country’s heartland. Corporate Sustainability leaders are seizing the opportunity to meet environmental goals by purchasing Help Build™ carbon offsets from the Middletown, Indiana school wind project.
As part of their corporate sustainability programs, Ebay, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, ClifBar and Aveda have previously invested in a range of forward stream HelpBuild™ carbon offset projects through NativeEnergy. With their purchase of carbon offsets, they provided essential upfront funding for clean energy projects that could not have moved forward without the revenue from the offset sales.
Today’s announcement spotlights the most recent of NativeEnergy’s community wind projects. The 900kW turbine at the Shenandoah School Corporation campus in rural Middletown, Indiana will generate clean energy for the K-12 school and avoid an estimated 13,000 tonnes of carbon emissions. In addition, the School will save a net of $1.7 million during the first 20 years of operation of the project, which is the term NativeEnergy used to evaluate this project’s economics.
“The wind turbine is a winning project all around. The school will utilize its own source of renewable energy, reduce our carbon footprint and have a hands-on learning facility. The project also contributes clean energy to the grid and corporate sponsors receive carbon credits to offset their unavoidable emissions,” said Ron Green, the Superintendent of the Shenandoah School Corporation.
The carbon reduction benefit of the Shenandoah School Wind Project is equivalent to preventing the emissions of 30,000 barrels of crude oil or 1.5 million gallons of gasoline. All NativeEnergy Help Build™ projects deliver social benefits, in addition to the environmental benefit of reduced carbon pollution. The Shenandoah School Wind Project will provide vocational education in wind technology for high school students.
In all, NativeEnergy, along with its clients, have stepped in to provide essential upfront funding to seven Indiana community wind projects, avoiding nearly 80,000 tonnes of carbon—equivalent to the emissions from nearly 9 million gallons of gasoline. “The carbon reduction is the catalyst for a range of benefits of these seven Indiana community wind projects,” said Jeff Bernicke, President of NativeEnergy. “Real and lasting social and economic benefits make these unique sustainability projects for our corporate clients."
Performance Services, an Indianapolis based engineering and construction company, is the design-builder for each of the Indiana community wind projects.
Corporate Sustainability leaders interested in procuring the carbon credits from the Indiana community wind projects can contact Tom Rawls at 802-861-7707.
Founded in Vermont in 2000, NativeEnergy is an expert provider of carbon offsets, renewable energy credits, and carbon accounting software. Through our Help Build™ carbon offsets, businesses and individuals can help finance the construction of wind and other carbon reducing projects with strong social and environmental benefits. We have provided essential funding to more than 50 community-based initiatives. The Shenandoah School Wind Project is the seventh Indiana community wind project to which NativeEnergy’s Help BuildTM program has provided upfront funding.
Performance Services, design-builder for the project, is an Indianapolis based engineering and construction company that specializes in constructing and renovating schools, universities and healthcare facilities to deliver optimal environments through both the Guaranteed Energy Savings Contract and Design-Build procurement methods. Innovative Community Wind projects are integral to the energy services portfolio and the company has recently created a video to help inform the public on the benefits of wind power and net metering installations. To learn more, watch the Community Wind YouTube video or visit www.performanceservices.com
