It is an unfortunate reality that global warming continues to modify the surroundings and the quality of today’s world. Because of the downsides of scientific improvements and present day science, the chemical wastes and gases that happen to be produced from such things are increasingly being discharged into the surroundings. However, these become trapped in our atmosphere, thus raising the temperature of the earth. Greenhouse gases – which include methane and carbon dioxide – are likely to lock heat coming from the sun’s rays, which then contributes to the rise in heat. You could compare this devastation to staying inside a motor vehicle that’s parked in a parking lot and permitting the automobile to take in the blistering temperature!

Green investing doesn’t basically concentrate on the elimination of climate change. It also focuses on additional approaches that may help clear up specific problems that are affecting our all-natural assets, as well as the condition of our planet. Nonetheless, certain techniques have yet to be applied since the people who have created these will need considerable amounts of financial means to enable them to perform such ventures.

Off-site H20 remediation is one of those things that require funding. Even though it is now being executed by a number of countries, it is still a truth that this technique is expensive. Off-site H2O remediation primarily pertains to depositing water into containers and hauling it to some area where filtering methods are used, allowing it to be much easier to sanitize since it is away from ecological impurities. Then again, the fuel required to haul water and the other cleansing materials contained in such approach likewise need support. We simply cannot entirely count on our respective governments to keep allocating capital for the environment simply because they have different areas to fund as well in terms of education, athletics, medical help, and a whole lot more.

Choosing the right company wherein you could make a green investment is easy. Make sure that the company you are eyeing is using and selling renewable energy products. Knowing other essentials such as the supplier and the installer of such environment-friendly products will help you determine how you can profit from the company of your choice whilst allowing our planet to reap the benefits of your investment as well.

It is never too late to save Mother Nature and make a difference in our environment regardless of how big or small our contributions are; so, if you would like to witness beneficial changes in our world, it is important that you make green investments with the right companies and know all the mechanics that are included in such endeavor.

Green investing is not only a medium where you can earn money. You can also help save the world from deterioration while enjoying the benefits of this act.

The Guardian

The CBI’s call on the government to do more to promote a genuinely green recovery is welcome (Report, 6 April). But the CBI can only provide plausible leadership if it has coherent policies. Its climate change policies have instead a Jekyll and Hyde flavour to them – threatening to undermine the UK’s ability to meet ambitious emissions reductions.

The CBI rightly calls for stronger policies to promote investment in renewable electricity, to insulate homes and improve energy efficiency. But it also supports high-emissions projects, such as the third runway at Heathrow and new unabated coal-fired plants such as Kings-north in Kent. Accusing the government of not fulfilling its green rhetoric while failing to address its own contradictions undermines the CBI’s authority.

Oxfam’s experience working with vulnerable communities makes all too clear that short-term industry costs are trifling compared to the human price of failing to cut emissions, as a result of rising water shortages, crop failures, hunger and disease. If the CBI really wants to counter the threat of disastrous climate change it should be more ambitious. A good start would be increasing its emission reductions targets to 40% on 1990 levels by 2020 and backing large-scale financial and technological transfers to help poor countries go low-carbon and adapt to the damaging climate impacts which threaten us all.

Kirsty Hughes
Oxfam

Polly Toynbee (4 April) is right to say the government needs to spend to get us through the recession. But some spending policies will deliver more jobs than others. What Gordon Brown is offering isn’t green and it’s barely a new deal, if you mean creating jobs in large numbers now. The announcement of 400,000 “green” jobs stretched the definition of “environmental industries” to include nuclear. But even if it was green, renewable energy sources generate several times more jobs per megawatt than nuclear. And as it takes 15 years to build a new power station, nuclear will have no effect on the recession. Likewise, “clean coal”, even if viable, would create too few jobs, too late.

A recent Greenpeace report showed that Brown’s Green New Deal was only 0.6% green – that’s just just 0.0083% of UK GDP as a green “stimulus”. A real Green New Deal could almost double the number of jobs in the windpower industry, just by going ahead with the schemes that are clogged up in an unhelpful planning system. And if we could achieve the same rate of growth in wind energy as Denmark, we’d be looking at 200,000 jobs by 2020. Localising our food production could generate a similar number. And then there are hundreds of thousands more jobs to be created in energy saving and in green waste management, not to mention the public transport revolution we badly need.

Adrian Ramsay
Deputy leader, Green party

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By Evan Brown

You changed all your light bulbs to fluorescents. You bought a Prius. Everything you own is made from recyclable materials, and all of your produce is organic and locally grown. Yet when you go to check how your stocks are doing, you realize you’re portfolio is a who’s who of polluters and poor corporate citizens.

Fortunately, brokerage firms and financial consultants are increasingly feeling your pain. For those looking to extend the same eco-friendly standards to their stocks as they already do to their shopping, there are ever more financial products and services catering to people who no longer want to support companies they differ with philosophically, but still want a solid investment with healthy returns.

It’s called socially conscious or socially responsible investing – - SRI for short — and the practice has actually been around for more than 20 years. There are as many variations on SRI as there are investors, and it’s not limited to environmental issues.

Religious organizations and nonprofits often seek out investment opportunities in line with their views, and eschew those that aren’t, meaning that one institution could choose to dump a company’s stocks because of its support for pro-choice causes, while another might want to invest in that company for the same reason.

However, sustainability is “in” across all segments of society, and with an ever-growing portion of the investing class looking to support sustainable practices as much in the stock market as at the corner market, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of funds and firms moving to fill the need.

According to Investment News, SRI mutual funds, many of which are dedicated to the “green sector” contained more than $2.2 trillion in assets as of 2008, up from less than $500 billion in 1996. Despite the recent turmoil of the markets, the long-range trend is not likely to abate.

“(SRI) is important to the base we work with,” said Susan Ernsky, senior vice president and portfolio manager at Tucson-based Mission Management and Trust. “On the institutional side, we have a niche working with religious organizations. Some are very affirmative, where they want to vote their proxies, talk to the boards. Others aren’t quite as active.”

Ernsky said the demand for screening stocks based on socially responsible criteria remains stable at her company, with a small but growing percentage of Mission’s clients routinely requesting stocks be screened for ideological conflicts. As a sign of the times, Ernsky said there have been discussions at Mission about the possibility of offering funds or portfolios specifically geared to its clients interested in SRI, though that hasn’t happened yet.

Still, though, Ernsky said she has noticed that fund managers are starting to screen stocks more and more for compliance with their clients’ attitudes.

One Arizona company that provides the service exclusively is Invest Green, a firm based in Phoenix that was founded in 2006. Invest Green operates under the mission statement to “help socially conscious investors navigate the universe of stocks, bonds, mutual funds, ETFs and insurance products to custom design a financial strategy that reflects both personal values and financial goals.”

And, according to founder Paul Mosier, the strategy is working.

Mosier, who had been a financial consultant with ING and later AXA Advisors, said he left AXA in the beginning of 2006 to start Invest Green in response to what he saw as a niche that wasn’t adequately being filled. Mosier said that a number of his clients were “laughed at” by their previous advisers when they broached SRI, and were told they would never make money at it.

Three years on, Mosier has seen his business continue and expand.

That is the key question for many investors, though: “Can I go green and still stay in the black?”

“Honestly I think that any sort of green, socially-conscious venture will give you pretty good ROI (return on investment), especially energy,” said Martin Reed, managing partner at Green Giants Consulting, an outfit that helps Tucson-area companies adapt their business models to achieve sustainability. Reed, who holds an MBA from the University of Arizona’s Eller College of Management, has conducted extensive research into green investing, and said now might be the perfect time for investors to enter the SRI sector.

“Everything took such a hit last fall you can pick up equity or shares at a pretty discounted rate,” said Reed.

For instance, Winslow Green Growth, a mutual fund with an all- eco-conscious portfolio, was a market leader for much of the decade, growing at an average annual rate of more than 30 percent, until its value plummeted along with the rest of the stock market in the fall. It is now valued at less than it was when it debuted in 2004, but market analysts don’t expect it to stay depressed.

“This is the general direction everybody knows we need to move into,” Reed said. “If given a long enough timeframe, renewable energy and socially responsible investments are a sure bet in my opinion.”

Reed said investing one’s conscience is getting easier, as more and more corporations see the value of portraying themselves as responsible corporate citizens.

However, he cautioned, “It requires a little bit of due diligence, a little common sense. If a company donates

$1 million to preserve the rainforests and then spends $50 million on an ad campaign telling everyone about it, it’s easy to see where their heart is.”

“Everyone needs to do their own research and do what’s best for them, but there are lots of opportunities if you look,” said Reed.

Originally published by Evan Brown.

(c) 2009 Arizona Capitol Times. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved.

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CINTHIA RITCHIE

Going green doesn’t have to be expensive. It can be as simple as changing your light bulbs.

At least according to Sarah Leonard, board director for Adventure Green Alaska.

“By being more sustainable on the surface you’re also bringing benefits back to the community,” she said.

AGA recently awarded nine visitor-related businesses sustainable business practice certificates.

Businesses were evaluated on a point-value system and winners were awarded with gold, silver or bronze status.

Dean Rand, owner of Whittier based Discovery Voyages, is a gold-level recipient who recycles all plastic and cardboard used on his 65-foot tourist yacht “Discovery.”

Hauling it back to Anchorage is time consuming and uses more manpower, he admitted, but he sees it as well worth the effort.

“My philosophy has always been to do the right thing and you’ll get fed,” he said.

He adopted green practices at the onset of his business 15 years ago. One of the biggest measures he’s taken is reducing the speed of his boat, which saves him 20 percent on fuel.

“I could push my boat faster and cover more geographic area, but why do we have to go faster just to get there faster?” he said.

He understands the irony behind his business: By sharing his view of the Prince William Sound with others, he’s contributing to the pollution of the very waters he loves.

“Even eco-tourists have to pollute the environment to get here,” he said. “Even our propellers going through the water are going to have an impact.”

To help correct this discrepancy, Rand purchases carbon offsets, an exchange that calculates people’s carbon footprint, or how much damage their lifestyle contributes to the environment. A fee is then determined based on the amount of that hypothesized damage and correlating funds are used to support alternative energy projects.

“You can’t get away from leaving an imprint,” he said, “but you can keep that footprint as small as possible.”

Who goes green?
Leonard isn’t sure how many Alaska businesses have made the transition to more sustainable lifestyles but believes numbers are rising. While such practices are often viewed as customer relations perks, they also save money.

“I think the question isn’t ‘Is the cost (of the transition) too high,’ but ‘What are you investing in your business?’” she said.

Simple changes such as recycling, improving Web sites, mentoring within the community and changing to more energy-efficient light bulbs can add up to differences in profit margin but company image as well.

Kyle Kelley, general manager of the gold level award Alaska Wildland Adventures in Kenai, focuses a good part of his time on energy conservation. His backcountry lodge uses a hydro system that fuels the majority of their energy needs. They also buy fuel-efficient vehicles, and each room has a recycling container for guests’ convenience. Recyclables are later shipped up to Anchorage.

“The easiest thing for us to do would be to throw everything in the garbage,” Kelley said. “Economically it does consume more time and cost but we feel the long-term effect is cheaper by not filling a landfill with things that can be reused.”

They also purchase carbon offsets, support natural history programs and use local products and food as much as possible.

“We’ve been doing this long before the trend took off,” he said. “It’s our principle, and we try hard not to leave a footprint.”

AGA award recipients can use the logo labels on company Web sites and brochures.

According to Dan Oberlatz, owner of Alaska Alpine Adventures and winner of a silver award, the AGA program helped his business become more green and efficient.

“And in today‘s economy, any promotional edge helps,” he said.

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Earth Day encourages appreciation and awareness for the environment and allows people to reflect on how to make positive changes for the planet. As families become more conscious of how they spend their money, choosing to invest in long-lasting products that offer environmental benefits is more important than ever. EcoComfort™ by La-Z-Boy® offers a way to invest in earth-focused furniture without giving up comfort and quality.

Monroe, Mich. (PRWEB) March 16, 2009 — Earth Day encourages appreciation and awareness for the environment and allows people to reflect on how to make positive changes for the planet. As families become more conscious of how they spend their money, choosing to invest in long-lasting products that offer environmental benefits is more important than ever. EcoComfort by La-Z-Boy® offers a way to invest in earth-focused furniture without giving up comfort and quality.

“Today’s consumers are investing very carefully and looking for furniture with the most long-term benefits and the best overall value,” says Penny Eudy, product manager for La-Z-Boy. “The EcoComfort by La-Z-Boy selection offers pieces that are eco-conscious, easy to incorporate into the home and suitable for any décor, all backed by an all-American brand that people can trust.”

The EcoComfort by La-Z-Boy selection of popular sofas, recliners and chairs comes standard with soy-based foam cushions. Consumers can choose from hundreds of fabric options, including dozens of Oeko-Tex® Standard 100 certified fabrics.

“Reducing our environmental footprint means more to La-Z-Boy than just producing earth-friendly furniture,” says Doug Collier, chief marketing officer for La-Z-Boy. “We are very focused on managing our environmental impact as a company. Though we are still relatively early in our sustainability journey, we have already made strong progress, from transitioning to eco-friendly light bulbs, paint and flooring in our stores to significantly reducing our energy and water usage in our factories.”

Environmentally-conscious Cushions
Adding earth-friendly furnishings to the home is as easy as one-two-green with the EcoComfort “Talbot” sofa (suggested retail price starting at $1,049 USD). The “Talbot” collection also includes a loveseat, stationary chair and ottoman, all available in a variety of fabrics including EcoSuede, which utilizes the plastic of one recycled water bottle for each yard of fabric.

Eco-savvy Seating
With arms constructed of renewable rubberwood, the EcoComfort “Terra” recliner (suggested retail price starting at $599 USD) is available in a variety of eco-friendly fabrics for a look that won’t sacrifice style – or the environment.

Planet-friendly Plush
With its generously cushioned design, the EcoComfort “Larson” sofa (suggested retail price starting at $1,499 USD) offers full-body comfort with plush soy-based foam cushions, sure to make any furniture piece a favorite resting spot.

About La-Z-Boy
Headquartered in Monroe, Mich., La-Z-Boy is one of the world’s leading residential furniture producers. The company manufactures a full line of comfortable products for the living room and family room, including the company’s world-famous recliners, reclining sofas and love seats, sleep sofas, modular furniture and leather upholstery, as well as stationary sofas, love seats and chairs. It is a division of La-Z-Boy Incorporated (NYSE: LZB), one of the world’s leading residential furniture producers, marketing furniture for every room of the home. Comfort. It’s what we do.SM

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SEOUL, March 6 (Xinhua) — The South Korean government is enhancing its effort to attract overseas investment to green industry, contacting major green businesses in North America and Europe, South Korea’s Korea Herald reported Friday.

According to the Ministry of Knowledge and Economy, private companies and Gyeonggi Provincial government of South Korea are now having promotional events in Los Angeles and Toronto, to be held until March 7.

The government is now having talks with major green businesses in North America, including GE Wind, Hemlock Semiconductor, the world’s biggest poly-silicon manufacturer, and Ballard, the world’s leading developer of hydrogen fuel cells.

The ministry also plans to attract investors in Europe during the upcoming Hannover Expo to be held next month.
Editor: Xiong Tong

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Liliana Castillo: Freedom New Mexico

Harnessing the wind to be used as an energy source was the first step.

Now transporting and storing wind energy are the only two things holding back a possible slew of renewable energy projects in eastern New Mexico.

“This whole region has a tremendous resource in wind energy,” said Xcel Energy spokesperson Wes Reeves. “The winds we have here are considered the best wind for wind energy.”

But having perfect wind isn’t enough.

“Wind is a little different than other energy sources in that you can’t plan for it. You can kind of predict it, but it’s not a steady resource. Thus far, it can’t be stored or transported economically. If we developed economic ways to store it and transport it, it would really take off.”

Reeves said though there is a large amount of potential for renewable energy projects in eastern New Mexico, there isn’t that much need for it locally.

“There are a lot of efforts to move wind from here to there. We’re lacking in upgrades in transmission. We’re laying plans to send the wind where it needs to go,” he said.

Reeves said the same restrictions apply to solar power.

Some renewable energy projects have already come to eastern New Mexico and more are slated for the area.

An 80 megawatt power plant is located east of Tucumcari at San Jon.

The Fiscal Year 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Bill includes $951,000 for a 20-acre demonstration algae farm in Portales if the bill passes the Senate. Algae is used to create a “green crude” used to produce fuel for diesel, gas and jet engines known as “green fuels.”

“There is a specific benefit for renewable electricity in agricultural areas that exist on the eastern side of New Mexico. Farmers and rural land owners in windy areas can receive payments for turbines they put on their land,” said Senator Tom Udall’s press secretary Marissa Padilla. “That way they can earn money off the land while still working it.”

Sen. Udall’s first bill in the senate was one requiring renewable energy mandates, Padilla said.

“When we put a mandate in place, it spurs the development of these things like wind and solar,” she said. “I think we will see more in the future as we continue to ramp up on renewable energy.”

Udall is pushing for legislation that would require utilities to generate 25 percent of their electricity from wind, solar and other renewable energy sources by 2025. It would also set the first national threshold for utilities to provide six percent of their electricity from renewable resources by 2012 and gradually increases to meet the 25 percent by 2025 goal.

While increasing wind and solar energy options in eastern New Mexico is good for the environment, it is also good for the local economies, according to Rep. Ben Ray Lujan.

“I don’t think you have to mention to everyone the importance of renewable energy projects,” he said. “We are really looking to take advantage of the resources we have in the state. As wind and solar projects begin to grow, they will create jobs. People will realize they don’t have to leave our small towns and communities in New Mexico to support their families. It will contribute to a strong local economy.”

Lujan commended Mesalands Community College’s North American Wind Research and Training Center for bringing attention to eastern New Mexico in regards to renewable energy.

“They provide the training for a growing sector of science technology. In the future, I hope to see community colleges, universities and even high schools providing training for the field,” he said.

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US, Florida investing in alternative energy development

BY WAYNE T. PRICE • FLORIDA TODAY

With strong breezes coming off its coastlines ideal for powering wind turbines and an abundance of sunshine to aid in solar research and growing plants for biofuels, Florida has the potential to create thousands of new jobs in green technologies, many believe.

As the state moves forward with a program awarding millions in grant money to entrepreneurs and companies looking to develop clean technology and alternative energy sources, and with a proposed $150 billion, 10-year investment from the Obama administration for wind and solar energy and energy efficient transportation, momentum is growing.

Clean energy represents “a substantial opportunity for investment,” said Bracken Hendricks, a senior fellow with the Center for American Progress.

The Center, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank, said the U.S. could create 2 million jobs nationwide by investing $100 billion dollars in clean energy technologies through grants, direct government spending and tax incentives.

Florida’s share of that new employment pie would be nearly 124,000 jobs.

But the state is not waiting for the grand plan to materialize. Over the last two years, Florida has provided more than $52 million in grant funding to encourage investment in the state as well as promote and enhance the use of alternative and renewable energy technologies.

Florida’s Energy & Climate Commission recently released its list of recipients for a portion of that money, $15 million, for grants targeting efforts focused in two areas: renewable energy and energy efficiency, and bioenergy.

Sara Williams, a commission spokeswoman, said 205 companies submitted grant proposals. Using a scoring system, the number was whittled to 10 in each category.

“We had a lot of good applicants,” she said.

The top four finalists in the renewable energy and energy efficiency category will share $7 million. At No. 9 on that list is PetroAlgae, the Melbourne-based company that derives biodiesel fuels from algae.

The company in December raised $10 million through the sale of about 3.2 million in newly issued shares of common stock, and Jim McCreary, PetroAlgae’s chief operating officer, said it will apply next year for the state grant.

He said the job potential is strong given the company’s production system.

“We expect our systems are going to be more labor intensive than conventional farms,” McCreary said, adding that one employee would be needed for every 10 acres of production.

PetroAlgae was seeking $2.5 million from the state to build an algae oil farm and production facility in Polk County. In its grant application, the company said it identified 10 sites across Florida for similar operations. If all of those sites were up and running, it would mean 1,000 jobs, the company said.

The job potential is strong among grant recipients, as well.

For example, the commission awarded a $2.5 million grant to the Willard & Kelsey Solar Group Group LLC, based in Perrysburg, Ohio, to create a manufacturing headquarters to produce solar photovoltaic panels at a yet unnamed site in Florida. The company plant operating at full capacity could create 3,600 jobs in Florida.

ARI Green Energy Inc. in Manassas, Va., received a $2.5 million grant to make hybrid wind and solar renewable energy systems for small manufacturers and residential homes. ARI said it would create about 175 jobs in north central Florida in the first two years.

Gov. Charlie Crist and the Florida Legislature created the Florida Energy & Climate Commission in 2008. Responsibilities of the nine-member panel include administering financial incentive programs; completing annual assessments of Florida’s Energy and Climate Change Action Plan; and providing recommendations to the governor and the Legislature.

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John F. Kennedy once said, “When written in Chinese, the word crisis is composed of two characters. One represents danger and the other represents opportunity.” We’re all well aware of the dangers that many Americans are facing during the current economic crisis: unemployment, foreclosure, financial uncertainty. As the mayor of Los Angeles, I’m acutely aware of the challenges our city and the nation as a whole must confront, but I choose to view these challenges as opportunities to create a better tomorrow. Now is the time to take bold action to invest in programs that will create green, sustainable industries that will provide good jobs and provide long term economic and environmental benefits.

President Obama has made the creation of a green economy a top priority in his stimulus plan, and his commitment is reflected in the budget he submitted to Congress this week. Here in Los Angeles we have already started by creating the largest solar power program in the nation, which will not only reduce our city’s carbon emissions but will create thousands of good jobs for our citizens. By voting for Measure B on the city’s March 3rd ballot, the people of Los Angeles will be voting for green jobs, a stronger economy, and a stronger, cleaner and greener LA.

Measure B will require the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (DWP) to install 400 megawatts of solar power on buildings throughout the city. The measure will create thousands of new jobs and clean up our air for future generations. The DWP estimates they will hire 200-400 people immediately and up to 1000 over the next five years to implement the solar program. These are solid, well-paying jobs with health care benefits that so many workers in Los Angeles desperately need.

The measure will also require the DWP to create a job training academy that targets underserved communities in Los Angeles, those communities hardest hit by the current economy with the highest unemployment rates. The academy will give those new workers the skills they need to pursue a career in a new green industry.

But that’s only the beginning. We will welcome solar manufacturers moving to LA to take advantage of a significant bid preference for local manufacturers, creating thousands of good paying jobs in manufacturing, engineering, compliance, administration and so on.

Solar Integrated, a Los Angeles based solar manufacturer, has already predicted it will hire 750 people if Measure B passes Tuesday.

We can do this. We can turn our economy around and build a cleaner, greener Los Angeles. It’s time for this change.

Already we see how green job creation works in our city today. The Los Angeles Community College District, the largest community college district in the nation, recently announced hiring another 6000 workers to help them complete the next phase of their green building program – the largest sustainable building project in the nation. LAUSD is hiring to install solar panels on their rooftops. The IBEW, our city’s experts in energy installation have been training their members and installing panels on homes, libraries, and other buildings across the area.

A broad coalition of environmental, labor, public health, and community organizations including the Coalition for Clean Air, American Lung Association, Natural Resources Defense Council, Los Angeles County Federation of Labor AFL-CIO, Sierra Club, California League of Conservation Voters, and the Apollo Alliance have endorsed Measure B. Solar companies supporting Measure B, including First Solar, announced this week it reduced its manufacturing cost for solar modules to 98 cents per watt, breaking the $1 per watt price barrier.

Measure B comes at the right time, as the cost for solar is going down and the Obama Administration is planning to invest in green public works projects. Today, we estimate Measure B will cost ratepayers a small investment of $1 per month to implement. That figure could go down, and ratepayers will be in control with an unprecedented level of transparency to hold the LADWP accountable for spending this investment wisely.

Measure B requires the DWP take several steps — for the first time ever — to ensure transparency and accountability to its ratepayers. First, the policy has gone before the voters of Los Angeles rather than designed and implemented behind the scenes. Second, it must go before the City Council after Tuesday’s vote for a final ratification. The City Controller will be required to complete an annual public audit to root out inefficiencies and ineffective practices. Finally, a new Citizen Advisory Committee will be created to advocate on behalf of the ratepayers to ensure Measure B is completed on time and on budget.

I believe that our efforts have resulted in the best, lowest cost program to significantly, quickly increase the amount of renewable energy we generate in LA. By passing Measure B, Los Angeles can lead the nation in the new green economy. We can serve as an example to other cities across the country. And perhaps most importantly, we can turn this economic crisis into a more secure, prosperous and green future for the people of Los Angeles.

Antonio Villaraigosa is the Mayor of the City of Los Angeles.

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Big firms ‘investing only £30 per customer a year’

Terry Macalister
The Observer

The big six energy companies in Britain are investing on average only £30 per year from each customer in renewable energy projects. If this continues, the UK may miss its 2020 green targets by 50%.

The findings, compiled for independent green power group Ecotricity, will be published ahead of the government’s biggest test yet on commercial confidence about wind power, the Tuesday deadline for bids on the third offshore licensing round.

Ecotricity claims that British Gas parent Centrica has spent £397.3m on renewables over the last five years, only £13.28 per customer per year. E.ON, the German-owned group at the centre of the Kingsnorth coal-fired power station controversy, spent just £210.5m, £5.37 per customer.

“It is a scandal that the average investment in new build by the big six over the past five years does not even amount to £30 per customer. This £30 is roughly what it would take for each company to meet the bare minimum legal obligation to grow renewables by about 1% per year,” said Dale Vince, Ecotricity founder.

“While the big six are performing badly, more surprising perhaps is the lack of investment by two green independent companies. With a zero investment in the last five years, they are contributing nothing to the urgent need for new build. By contrast, Ecotricity has invested an average of over £450 per customer a year over the last five years,” he added.

The Ecotricity figures show the worst performing of the big six suppliers was EDF Energy, the French group, which is leading the charge to build nuclear reactors in Britain. It is estimated to have invested £89.6m on renewables in this country, or £14.14 per customer. Green Energy and Good Energy have invested nothing, according to Ecotricity, but are purely supply companies which do not generate power, instead buying it on the open market.

Centrica hit back at the findings, saying the Ecotricity figures gave no indication about the level of future spending. “If all the projects we are currently working on come to completion we could spend £3.5bn building 1,500 megawatts of wind power over the next few years,” said a spokesman for the group.

The government’s renewables advisory board suggests that wind should provide us with a minimum of 31,000MW by 2020, yet 2008 investment levels will generate less than half of the target, 13,849MW, or a 55% shortfall.

Ecotricity says the energy regulator’s new green tariffs, issued earlier this month, are likely to make matters worse. Ecotricity will not sign up to Ofgem’s guidelines as it predicts they will make green tariffs more confusing and expensive for consumers and will do nothing to encourage energy companies to build new renewable energy.

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