Carbon Offset Certificates    Clean Energy – Democratic Economics – Locally Based

Think Globally, Reduce Greenhouse Gasses Locally!

For as little as $40, you can help prevent one tonne of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere by making a local greenhouse gas saving project happen that wouldn't otherwise happen. You can buy carbon offsets (Also known as Renewable Energy Certificates) elsewhere, but only VREC's carbon offsets support greenhouse reductions through renewable energy projects in Greater Vancouver.

Offsets are typically purchased to balance out other activities that create greenhouse gasses, making your total activities 'carbon neutral'. Money from the certificates goes to subsidise projects that prevent greenhouse gases.

Purchase of Carbon Offsets is recommended by environmental organizations such as the David Suzuki Foundation. Offsets from renewable energy projects are considered to be the highest quality offsets, since they prevent the production of greenhouse gases and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, rather than merely sequestering (storing) carbon temporarily, as in tree-planting projects.  Purchasing certificates from VREC allow individuals and businesses to become greenhouse gas neutral and support renewable energy at the same time.

• How it Works - Example
• Policy and Calculation Details
• Where does the money go?
• Why buy from VREC?
• Calculate Your Carbon Footprint
• Buy Carbon Offset Certificates
• Carbon Offsets in the News
• Background info on carbon offsets

• Go to the Purchase Page

How it Works

Policy and Calculation Details

Vancouver Renewable Energy's Carbon Offset Certificates (COCs) conform strictly to the concept of 'additionality'.

Additionality means that monies from the sale of certificates are only used to fund projects that would not have happened without additional Carbon Offset Credit funding. To be specific, given the economic conditions (component costs, installation, and energy savings based on current and projected local cost of conventional energy) present at the beginning of the project, the project would not be economically viable without the additional funding. COC funding makes an uneconomic project viable to the project sponsor in order to promote the use of greenhouse gas saving technology and systems.

The certificates will go towards a minimum of 95% solar hot water systems with the rest covering solar photovoltaic (electric) systems.

Calculations are based on a lifetime of 35 years for both types of systems.

Greenhouse gas reductions are based on a calculation of 56 kg / gigajoule for the solar hot water systems replacing natural gas heating. For solar PV systems the ratio of .53 kg /kWh is used.

The calculation for PV is based on the assumption that the system will offset the need for new generation in B.C. with a mix of 20% coal, 70% natural gas and 10% large hydro.

Ten percent of the price of the certificates covers administrative, marketing, mailing and printing costs.

Where does the money go?

Money from Carbon Offset purchase will go towards providing additional funding solar hot water and photovoltaic systems, primarily for housing cooperatives, which are non-profit organizations.

In a typical project, money would be contributed over the first few years of use while the bank loan to finance the project is being repaid, in order to bring payments down to a level equal to the amount of money saved on energy costs. This in effect will make solar hot water systems for housing cooperatives cost neutral over the first few years of the project, and then a money-saving system after that. Cost neutral means that the cost of the loan to pay for the system would equal the money saved, so having the system costs no more than the cost of heating the water the old way.

For example:

Let's say the cost to finance a $40,000 solar hot water system for a housing coop is $270 per month.  If the energy savings from the system aren't going to be quite that much in the first few years, the housing cooperative may not be able to afford to purchase the system unless it costs no more than it costs now to heat their water. Carbon Offset Credit funding will help make up the difference. As natural gas prices go up and the loan gets paid off, the amount saved will get higher and higher and after about five years the offset funding will not be necessary. Natural gas prices and the output of the solar hot water system can be calculated to determine at the outset how much funding will be needed compared to how many tonnes of greenhouse gasses the system prevents.

Why buy from VREC?

Unlike other offset certificates, ours support local renewable energy projects in Greater Vancouver. They support renewable energy, rather than projects that store carbon temporarily (like tree planting projects), or which might have other negative environmental  impacts (like hydroelectric projects).  When you buy from VREC, you will be able to  visit the completed projects in Greater Vancouver to see how your money was spent.  VREC is a workers cooperative, a non-profit that installs and designs renewable energy systems.

"The idea that people can burn fossil fuels and then plant trees to clean up the carbon dioxide [with] results is simply wrong. This false 'solution' will merely keep people digging up oil and coal, instead of trying to shift to clean energy."

Heidi Bachram of Carbon Trade Watch,
http://www.sinkswatch.org/pubs/Environmentalists%20cry%20foul.pdf 
 

"Even run-of-river [hydroelectric] plants can eliminate fish migrations, and they can badly damage silt flows, which are crucial to river ecology."

World Rainforest Movement

Calculate Your Carbon Footprint

To calculate your "Green House Gas Footprint" visit these websites:
SafeClimate.net
EPA Paper Emissions Calculator
EarthFuture -  A list of 26 Personal Carbon Calculators

Air Travel Greenhouse Gases produced

Air Travel greenhouse gas chart for Canadian Destinations (Round Trip) between Victoria and Vancouver and other Canadian Cities (Tonnes). source: www.carbonneutral.com

Purchase the  Certificates

Click here to purchase your certificate(s).

Carbon Offsets in the News

• The Tyee - Article on Carbon Offsets and travel called 'Confessions of a Polar Bear Killer - my travel guilt and how I dealt with it.. http://thetyee.ca/Views/2005/12/14/PolarBearKiller/

Background info on carbon offsets

• David Suzuki foundation background info on Carbon Offsets (VREC's Carbon Offsets go towards funding new renewable energy projects that would not have otherwise happened as recommended. Also as recommended in this document, they are sold in the development stage of a new project.)
• David Suzuki Foundation information on going 'Carbon Neutral' (VREC is listed on this page as a carbon offset credit supplier)
• Report on Carbon Offset Credits in the United Kingdom
• The Gold Standard (Note: VREC's Carbon Offset Certificates comply with the principles of the 'gold standard' program, but are not eligible because our projects do not occur in the developing world. The Gold Standard program only applies to projects (primarily very large projects) taking place in the developing world.)