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Projects
Power the Fleet Center with Renewable Energy
To power the Fleet Center with renewable energy during the convention
CERC has worked with the DNC, Fleet Center and NStar to estimate
the amount of energy needed to power the convention. Based on
that estimate, CERC has now purchased 500 Megawatt hours of renewable
energy certificates (RECs) from new local and out of state wind
facilities.
By purchasing RECs for the Fleet Center, the electricity used
during the convention will be associated with the generation of
renewable energy from wind power—reducing the impact on
the environment from fossil fuels. This purchase will keep approximately
700,000 lbs of CO2, 4,200 lbs of SO2 and 1,400 lbs of NOX out
of the atmosphere.
For more information on CERC's project to "green" the
power for the Convention in July, and for an explanation of Renewable
Energy Credits purchased for the Convention, see CERCs Energy
Fact Sheet.
Offset Greenhouse Gas Emissions
CERC's Energy Committee has now succeeded in
offsetting the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions associated with
all delegate, media and other attendee travel to and from the
Democratic National Convention.
Coupled with the Renewable Energy Credits purchased by and donated
to CERC, these offsets enable CERC to legitimately anticipate
that the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the Democratic
National Convention will, over time, be offset and that we may
declare the four days of the convention "Climate Neutral."
CERC estimated the CO2 emissions generated from transporting
35,000 delegates and attendees from around the country to Boston
and back home. We estimate that this travel will approximately
produced 27,000 tons of CO2 emissions. Next, CERC acquired CO2
reduction credits, which will now be permanently retired. These
credits were created from a variety of on-going CO2 reduction
projects around the globe. To be accepted by CERC, these credits
were reviewed by consultant members of CERC after first being
approved by qualified third parties with the exception of the
smallest donated portfolio of credits accepted..
Among others, the following provided
support and assistance in this project:
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For more on Carbon Offsets and CERC's achievement of climate
neutrality for the Democratic National Convention see the CERC
Climate Neutral flier for delegates.
New:
Voluntary Carbon Offsets - How
to choose the right company. A 2007 study & website by the
Tufts
Climate Initiative.
Also, for a schematic on the Certified Tradable Credits Process
as rendered by Boston Carbon Corporation click
here. And for a thorough resource on carbon offsets, developing
international market standards for carbon offset credit and projects,
see references in the box below.
Fuel Cell generated auxilliary power for DNC microgrid.
CERC along with the Mayor's office and the DNC planning committee
have successfully ensured the placement of a Fuel Cell power plant
for the Democratic National Convention.
FuelCell Energy Inc. is providing
a 250 KW Fuel Cell generator as part of the temporary distributed
generation micro-grid power supply required for the DNC event.
The power plant will provide up to 20% of the power necessary
to serve the major network communications, media pavilion and
other convention operations. The pavilion is located immediately
in front of the Fleet Center
The Direct FuelCell power plant produces 99.9% less harmful
air pollution and produces 59% less carbon dioxide as compared
to the traditional fossil fuel cell. For further details, please
read CERC Energy Committee's Fuel
Cell Fact Sheet.
Also see FuelCell Enegy's July
8th press release describing their fuel cell system, its technolgy
and advantages.
The majority of power necessary for the microgrid will come from
a deployment of auxillary oil-burning electric generators which
by contract with the DNC are required to burn ultra-low sulfur
fuel. This requirement will significantly limit noxious emissions
of sulfur dioxide from these units.
Fuel Cell Fact Sheet - screen
version ; print
version
CERC encourages all citizens, businesses, governmental entities
and organizations to promote and adopt "carbon-neutral"
lifestyles and best practices.
For more information on offsetting CO2 emissions and reducing
our collective environmental footprint, click
here.
For detailed information on international efforts
regarding carbon offsets, the Clean Development Mechanism,
and the creation of a market for carbon trading as means
to reduce greenhouse gas emssions, aid development and curb
climate change, see the website of UNCTAD
/ Earth Council Institute Carbon Market Programme.
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"Wind & Waves"
- Hull Wind Turbine & Harbor Islands Cruise.
CERC hosted a special Boston to Hull Harbor Cruise for Delegates,
Media and invited guests, to visit the Hull wind turbine during
the Democratic Convention.
The Hull Wind Turbine provided
a portion of the wind certificates used to power the Fleet Center
during the Convenion, and is currently the only large-scale wind
turbine in Massachusetts.
The cruise proved to be a wonderful sight-seeing jaunt and an
excellent opportunity to tell delegates about renewable energy,
and to witness first hand the magnificence of a modern wind power
turbine.
"Wind & Waves" was the second of CERC's four
multi-sponsored convention week events. The carbon emissions
associated with the catamaran Voyager III's fuel use for the harbor
cruise was inself "offset" by a purchase of emissions'
matching Renewable Energy Credits.
Climate Neutrality for human activiities is a major benchmark
towards stabilizing the direct human contribution to global
warming.
Global warming is primarily due to modern civilization's
unfortunate and excessive dependence upon fossil fuels for
energy.
Fossil fuel use, together with other impacts we humans have
imposed upon the global ecosystem -- pollution
and toxic releases, deforestation and other extensive land
use changes including urbanization and rice paddies, human
over-population and over-consumption by first world citizenry
-- has created the looming crisis of climate change
which we neglect at our and our children's peril.
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