CERC in the News - July 12, 2004
SOLARACCESS.com
Democratic National Convention Goes Green
|
It is great to see the Democratic National Convention
planners showcasing environmental solutions by incorporating
simple measures that can protect the earth and provide a
quality convention experience."
- Bruce Hamilton, National Conservation Director for the
Sierra Club
|
Boston, Massachusetts - July 12, 2004
To reach this goal, the Democratic National Convention Committee
(DNCC) and Boston 2004, Inc., the host committee for the 2004 Democratic
National Convention have conducted all-department meetings focused
on environmental issues, have worked extensively with the Coalition
for Environmentally Responsible Conventions (CERC), and have
collaborated with other organizations to design a multi-faceted
plan to ensure an environmentally friendly Convention.
Renewable Energy Certificates
Working with CERC and Constellation NewEnergy, the supplier
of electricity at the FleetCenter, Convention organizers obtained
Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) to match the electricity needed
for the FleetCenter and the media work stations during the four
days of the Convention.
A variety of renewable sources including wind, hydroelectric power,
biomass, and solar energy will be used. The purchase of these renewable
energy certificates and green electricity are Green-e certified
to meet the stringent consumer and environmental protection standards
of the non-profit Center for Resource Solutions.
On-Site Fuel Cell Power
The Convention will also utilize a 250-kilowatt fuel cell power
plant, supplied by Connecticut-based FuelCell Energy to power Convention
events at the FleetCenter. FuelCell Energy's DFC300A power plant,
a unit with enough power to provide the base load electricity requirements
of a 300-room hotel, will directly convert natural gas, supplied
by Keyspan Energy, through a patented internal reforming process
into the hydrogen needed to electrochemically produce electricity.
FuelCell Energy's DFC power plants generate power without combustion
and, due to their favorable emissions profile, are an ultra-clean
product since they meet the most stringent air quality standards
in the nation. FuelCell Energy's DFC300A power plant will produce
99.9% less harmful air pollution and 59% less carbon dioxide than
traditional combustion-based fossil fuel power plants, and will
use half as much fuel per kilowatt hour of electricity than conventional
power plants.
The use of the fuel cell not only contributes to promoting the
use of clean and efficient energy generation, it will also limit
harmful emissions in the area around the FleetCenter during the
Convention. To date, FuelCell Energy has generated over 40 million
kilowatt-hours of electricity from 30 global installations at customer
sites.
"It is great to see the Democratic National Convention planners
showcasing environmental solutions by incorporating simple measures
that can protect the earth and provide a quality convention experience,"
said Bruce Hamilton, National Conservation Director for the Sierra
Club. "Democrats have regularly promoted renewable energy, recycling,
mass transportation, and reducing pollution that leads to global
warming. It is encouraging to see a major national convention that
reflects these environmental values."
Carbon Emissions Offset Program
Using the 2002 Winter Olympics as a model, the DNCC and Boston
2004 have worked with CERC to offset the greenhouse gas (carbon
dioxide or CO2) emissions attributable to the Convention. This was
accomplished by acquiring greenhouse gas reduction credits, generated
from a variety of CO2 reduction projects. The greenhouse gas emissions
attributable to the Convention were estimated by CERC and include
fossil-fuel combustion emissions from all forms of transportation
used to bring delegates to and from the Convention (buses, cars,
and trains). The greenhouse gas credits, which are quantified reductions
generated from renewable energy projects, reforestation efforts,
and other projects, will be retired on behalf of the delegates,
compensating for the CO2 emissions attributable to their travel.
Encouraging Environmentally-Friendly Transportation
The DNCC and Boston 2004, Inc., have adopted a number of initiatives
to promote environmentally-friendly transportation during the Convention.
General Motors will provide the DNCC with hybrid pickup trucks and
buses, which increase fuel efficiency by combining conventional
internal combustion engines with an electric battery and motor.
The hybrid buses provide 60% greater fuel economy and 90% fewer
emissions than regular transit buses. The pickups are 10-15% more
fuel-efficient and provide ultra-clean generator power by using
the hybrid power train for electricity production. To limit emissions
during the Convention, the Convention's bus contractor has held
trainings for drivers on Massachusetts' anti-idling law. Also, CERC
and WalkBoston have adopted an initiative to encourage delegates
to walk from their hotels to the FleetCenter during the Convention.
The DNCC and Boston 2004 Inc.'s efforts also included a number
of other environmentally-friendly measures such as a comprehensive
recycling plan, green construction practices, making sure unused
food from the convention is provided to hunger-relief agencies,
and other efforts.
For Further Information: Go to Boston 2004
Please Note: SolarAccess.com does not endorse the sites behind
these links. We offer them for your additional research.
Following these links will open a new browser window.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SolarAccess.com
Democratic
Convention Goes Green
[The follow at SolarAccess.com only:
Register for our FREE Weekly Edition email newsletter!
READER COMMENTS
Post
a comment!
Democratic National Convention Goes Green
From erikamorgan@ime.net
on 2004-07-14
Looks like there will be a fuel cell at the Demo Convention/ Fleet
Ctr. Now, if we could just get them to think about how to make
it a "renewable" fuel cell....
|
