Greenhouse gas emissions dropping fast at Genesis

Greenhouse gas emissions dropping fast at Genesis Energy

Hard on the heels of this week’s report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which said climate change effects are well underway, Genesis Energy announced a 40.3% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions in October, compared to the same period in 2006.

In the four months since the start of its financial year, the leading energy company has seen its emissions from power generation drop by 37.4%.

Genesis Energy’s Chief Executive, Murray Jackson, said the company’s climate change strategy to reduce emissions was bearing fruit.

“While a portion of the reduction is due to lower volumes of thermal generation, the majority of the drop is a result of switching almost half of our thermal electricity generation from the coal-fired Huntly Power Station to the new 400MW combined cycle gas turbine, known as e3p,” he said.

Genesis Energy CO2 Emissions from Generating Activity

Month
- Current Year 07/08 Total (kilotonnes)
- Last Year 06/07 Total (kilotonnes)
- Percentage change

July 388.7 530.8 -26.7
August 282.8 493.0 -42.6
September 323.1 537.4 -39.9
October 303.4 513.6 -40.3

Genesis Energy has a five-point plan to address climate change issues. As well as reducing greenhouse gas emissions from its generation and non-generation business and investing in both wind and geothermal energy, the company is working with customers to assist them to reduce their carbon footprint. Various initiatives include energy efficiency and conservation advice for industrial customers and discounted energy saving products such as heat pumps for residential customers.

Genesis Energy’s leading climate change initiative, the Schoolgen solar panels in schools programme, has so far generated more than 5000kWh of electricity for six schools.

Genesis Energy has committed itself to install photovoltaic, electricity-generating panels in 50 schools over the next three years – an investment of $2.5 million. It also plans to roll out the Schoolgen renewable energy and climate change curriculum to all New Zealand schools within five years.

ENDS

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