How to become climate neutral

What do ice-cream, beer, rock music and financial services have in common? Some brands are already – or on the way towards becoming – climate neutral. These days you can hardly open a newspaper without reading about climate neutral initiatives.

Originally, it was all about offsetting emissions: CO2 emissions were to be compensated by fixing CO2 from the atmosphere, for example by planting trees. Later on this was broadened to include offsetting through emission-reduction projects such as those devoted to stimulating energy efficiency or renewable energy.

The first offset project in the early 1990s represented a breakthrough in seriously tackling climate change. Now, thanks to international agreements, joint implementation and the clean development mechanism are being applied around the globe.

But clearly we cannot reduce global emissions of greenhouse gases through off-setting alone. This explains why Ecofys has introduced a concept of climate neutrality that combines individual inputs on emissions reduction with the offsetting of emissions elsewhere .

Climate neutrality comes in many different forms. You can make specific operations climate neutral. Ecofys, for example, has been involved in achieving climate neutrality for a brewery – and also for a rock band. By choosing a life-cycle approach, it’s also possible to make specific products climate neutral. Examples range from ice cream to credit-card purchases. Climate neutrality will move centre stage in many corporate strategies in the years ahead.

In this newsletter you can read about Ben & Jerry’s ambitions to be the first climate-neutral ice cream producer, take a look at the ingredients of Bayer’s climate-change policy, read some tips on subsidies and gain insights into sustainable engineering, wind power forecasting and environmentally friendly fuel.

Kornelis Blok
Board member, Ecofys International

For more information, please contact Kornelis Blok
Or climate neutrality product manager Edgar van de Brug

Ben & Jerry’s go climate neutral

Ben & Jerry’s want to make the best ice cream in the world – not just in gastronomic terms, but also with respect to the planet and its environment. That’s why they’ve chosen a climate-neutral business approach with Ecofys as their advisors.

Climate-neutral scan

The main objective of our project with Ben & Jerry’s was to perform a climate neutral scan that would assess the contribution that one pint of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream made to global warming. Based on the results of this scan, we formulated a climate-neutral strategy.

Investing in reducing emission

To cut emissions by 10% “from cow to carton” and to offset emission elsewhere, Ben & Jerry’s will invest at least €2.4m over the next five years. They invest on projects ranging from reducing methane production by cows to building more wind farms and thus become the world’s first climate-neutral ice-cream producer.

Philippa Marshall of Ben & Jerry’s corporate communications department described our involvement: “Ecofys played a central role in coaching us through to a low-carbon strategy and helping us secure climate neutral status. Part of their consultation took place during a site visit to our factory in Hellendoorn, where they walked us through our manufacturing process, helping us identify energy efficiency measures we could introduce. Their sensible, practical advice has been immensely valuable, and we hope to continue working with them in the future.”

For more information, please contact Marielle Vosbeek

Wind power forecasting services facilitate power trading

In Eemshaven in the north of the Netherlands, a 63-MW wind farm called Growind is being built. On completion in March 2008, this facility will supply 54,000 households with green electricity. Growind BV is a company with a good and solid finance structure that combines a maximum of revenue with manageable risks.

General manager Henk Hutting puts it this way: “In many ways, Growind is a unique wind farm. It’s not just the Netherlands’ largest onshore wind farm. As Growind BV serves 21 individual owners, its structure is also unique. The wind energy it generates will be sold direct onto the power exchange. To optimize our trading profits, we have asked Ecofys to supply us with high-quality wind power forecasts.”

Tailored forecasts

Since 2003, Ecofys has provided detailed Wind Power forecast Services (WPS) to a number of utilities in several European countries. Each day, these clients receive one or more updated day-ahead power forecasts and each forecast provides specific detailed information for an individual wind farm. This helps optimise trade and dispatch planning, minimises imbalance costs and maximises the profitability of wind power trading.

Already close collaborators, Ecofys and weather forecaster Meteo Consult recently extended their joint activities by providing WPS for power traders. These forecasts can be made for entire countries for periods up to ten days ahead.

Increasing the chances of success with subsidy applications by Ecofys

What is your experience of applying for subsidies: do you find it awkward, time-consuming and a distraction from a hundred and one everyday tasks? With our proven track record in delivering successful subsidies for innovative renewable-energy projects, we can take a lot of work out off your hands. With customers ranging from small companies to multinationals, we’ve successfully obtained subsidies for a wide variety of bio-energy and construction projects.

Subsidy applications not only need to convey the details of your project, clearly and succinctly, they should also match the objectives of the subsidy scheme. At Ecofys, each application is tailor-made to achieve the maximum result for your project and thus significantly reduce your own financial investment. We have an extensive international network of consultants with experience of both national subsidy schemes as well as EU programmes. They are also among the first to know about new subsidies and developments.

No cure/no pay

Our subsidy services can be smoothly integrated into your financial planning, at minimal cost and risk. We apply for subsidies on a no cure/ no pay basis, starting with a low basic fee.

Additional services include our fiscal allowance assistance, subsidy handling service and geographical, technical and financial subsidy scans. Other options include investment subsidies, Research & Demonstration subsidies, and support for feasibility studies.

You should be able to concentrate on your core business while leaving this area of expertise to us. Thanks to our long experience in the renewable energy field combined with our intimate knowledge of the EU subsidy world, we can greatly increase your chances of success.

For more information, please contact Jeroen Daey Ouwens

Creating a roadmap for Bayer’s climate change strategy

Since the 1990s Bayer has been a frontrunner in reducing its climate footprint, thanks both to major efficiency improvements in its electrochemical processes and to early voluntary reductions of its N2O emissions.

Bayer Climate Challenge Programme

Early in 2007 Bayer CEO Werner Wenning launched the Bayer Climate Challenge Programme. While reviewing the company’s position and track record on climate change, climate policy and adaptation, the programme also identified opportunities and risks. In March, Ecofys was invited to provide independent scientific advice on ways in which climate change may be impacted by Bayer’s main divisions: Material Science, Crop Science and Health Care, as well as its internal energy supply company, Bayer Industry Services.

The advice of Ecofys contained:

• Providing support in setting climate targets and established an overall climate strategy
• Developing a Bayer Fact book on climate change and policy
• Providing sophisticated knowledge to environmental ‘champions’ within the Bayer divisions, as well as to their internal consultant, Bayer Business Services
• Evaluating the existing greenhouse-gas reporting system and advising on improvements (such as state-of-the art reporting under the carbon disclosure project)
• Providing policy briefings on evolving regional policies that are relevant to specific Bayer activities
• Participating in a range of platforms and events – such as the annual shareholders meeting – to advise on external communications  
• Helping select and design a series of ‘lighthouse’ projects with a high degree of external credibility.

Bayer is currently finalizing its climate strategy review and key elements are already being implemented. Since the start of the project, we are glad to have been able to help Bayer tackle climate change as an integral part of its corporate sustainability strategy.

For more information, please contact Jochen Harnisch

Ecofys creates a model for sustainable construction

Ecofys expertise was central to a study on improving construction that takes into account energy saving, energy efficiency and renewable energy. Together with engineering company INEL 2000 we explored a range of options for an international company that was seeking sustainable ways of building a large number of do-it-yourself outlets.

The study focused on energy use and the potential for energy optimization (energy saving, energy efficiency and the use of renewable sources). We tested options at a store in Ribas Vaciamadrid (Madrid) that could be applied worldwide to the client’s other establishments.

To quantify the potential yields of these improvements, our analysis and energy simulations combined proprietary Ecofys tools with state-of-the-art software (the Design Builder Energy Simulation Program).

Trias Energetica

The improvement options and alternatives were based on the so-called Trias Energetica: Reduce the building’s energy requirements, Integrate renewable technologies and Improve energy efficiency.

The improvement options enabled us to develop several concepts that helped identify the potential for reducing both energy input and CO2 emissions. The study also quantified the economic significance of these alternatives.

Implementation of these improvements would reduce CO2 emissions by up to 63%. The report also recommended energy-reduction measures, a 500-kWp PV installation, and the installation of an aquifer system.

For more information, please contact Asier Larretxea

Extending the scope of environmentally friendly fuels with Ecofys

Natural gas vehicles, when designed to run on natural gas alone, are among the cleanest vehicles in the world. They emit so few pollutants that in some large cities the emissions from the vehicle are cleaner than the air surrounding it! The province of Utrecht is one of the first provinces in the Netherlands to promote the widespread adoption of natural gas as a transport fuel.

Chicken and egg

However, if there are no natural gas filling stations, there will be no users and gas will never take off as a transport fuel. The province has commissioned a four-year project plan – written by Ecofys – which is designed to resolve this classic chicken-and-egg situation. The idea is to establish the basic infrastructure for gas-fuelled transport, thus considerably enhancing the opportunities for clean traffic.

Powering your fleet on natural gas
Ecofys is also coordinating all the activities necessary for building eight filling stations and achieving the target of 2,500 gas-fuelled vehicles, over the next four years. Our involvement covers everything from the choice of sites to construction and completion. We are also in the lead with regard to stimulating the purchase and or conversion of natural gas powered vehicles. With a fleet scan, fleet owners can see just how attractive gas will be for them. To encourage owners to explore all the options and the advantages, a special campaign has been developed: Aardgas in uw Wagenpark (Powering Your Fleet on Natural Gas; www.AardgasInUwWagenpark.nl).

For more information, please contact Menno Chang

New Ecofys offices

Terra Nova joins Ecofys France
Terra Nova has an established reputation in France for delivering high-quality studies on onshore wind and bio-energy. With this expansion Ecofys France has grown to 12 employees with offices in Paris, Soissons and Lyon. The former Terra Nova team brings competences in landscape architecture and EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) and will lead Ecofys’ expertise in sustainable power and fuels in the French market.

Italy

Ecofys has opened a second Italian office in Rome. The Rome office will enable Ecofys to deliver sustainable energy solutions directly to Italy’s national policy makers and large Rome-based companies and institutions.

Reports

Make CCS work: large-scale Carbon Capture and Storage in the Netherlands

Ecofys and Spinconsult wrote a report at the request of EnergieNed and the Dutch Ministries of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment and Economic Affairs. The study focused on the chances for Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) at coal power plants in the Netherlands

For the report, click here

CRIEPI: Comparison of efficiency fossil power generation  

For CRIEPI (Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry, Japan) Ecofys compared the energy efficiency of fossil-fired power generation for Australia, China, France, Germany, India, Japan, Nordic countries, South Korea, United Kingdom, Ireland, and the United States.
For the report, click here (this is an update of the 2006 report).