Energy Ideas and Concepts

Green Credits
The North American market for "Green Credits" - that is, Green Certificates, Emission Reduction Credits, greenhouse gas allowances, and other methods of trading the environmentally beneficial attributes of renewable energy plants -- is not yet well established, and there is no generally accepted framework for the trading of such credits. Yet, this market is gradually emerging, and Green Credit transactions between buyers and sellers have occurred on a voluntary basis.  Source: Enel North America:

Clean and Green
In the past several years, a new financial system has been created to recognize the environmental value of clean energy vs. fossil-fuel generated energy. This value is quantified as "Renewable Energy Credits," (RECs) also known as "green tags." RECs support the economic viability of clean energy projects and help to drive the renewable energy industry.  Clean and Green Credits (or RECs) are thus created when the environmental benefits of renewable energy are separated from the electricity that is created by a clean, renewable energy resource. The electricity is added to the power grid, and the environmental benefits are sold separately.  Clean and Green Credits represent the pollutants — carbon dioxide, mercury, and other toxic emissions — that are not created by dirty energy resources, such as coal, nuclear or natural gas. When combined with the electricity you already purchase from your utility, buying Clean and Green Credits, is equivalent to purchasing renewable energy for your home.

The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI or "ReGGIe") is a cooperative effort by 9 Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states to discuss the design of a regional cap-and-trade program initially covering carbon dioxide emissions from power plants in the region. In April 2003, New York Governor George E. Pataki sent letters to the 11 governors from Maine to Maryland, inviting their states' participation in discussions to develop a regional cap-and-trade program covering carbon dioxide emissions from power plants within two years. By July 2003, the governor had received positive responses from eight of those governors, including those from Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Vermont. The first development phase focuses on the design of the core cap-and-trade program covering the power sector. The second development phase will focus on reliable offset mechanisms that would give credit for verifiable and surplus emissions reductions outside the electricity sector.

The Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX) is the world’s first and North America’s only voluntary, legally binding rules-based greenhouse gas emission reduction and trading system. Chicago Climate Futures Exchange (CCFE) offers cleared and standardized environmental Futures Products. Sulfur Dioxide Futures Contracts are currently being offered. European Climate Exchange (ECX) a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Chicago Climate Exchange, manages sales and marketing for European environmental products. Members include: Ford Motor Co, Rolls-Royce, Dow Corning, Green Mountain Power, Waste Management Inc., International Paper, IBM, Bayer Corporation, Interface Inc, City of Aspen, City of Berkeley, City of Boulder, City of Chicago, City of Oakland, City of Portland, Tufts University, University of Iowa, University of Minnesota, University of Oklahoma, Safeway, Amtrak, Cargill, Iowa Farm Bureau, Kentucky National Corn Growers Assn, Beijing Shenwu Thermal Energy Trading Co. Ltd., American Coal Ash Association, Jesuit Community of Santa Clara,

''Clean Coal'' is an oxymoron
Coal is an extremely polluting and carbon-intensive energy source. Burning coal for energy significantly contributes to acid rain and the emission of carbon dioxide, the main global warming pollutant. Clean coal plants pose serious environmental risks to communities. In the summer of 2001, American Electric Power's Gavin plant in Chesire, Ohio, using equipment funded through the DOE clean coal program, released sulfuric acid into the air. This poses a serious health hazard to the residents of Chesire.  Clean coal plants are no cleaner than older retrofitted coal plants. The operators of the Healy Clean Coal project, are pushing for federal loans to retrofit the current clean coal plant with traditional technologies. A nearby, retrofitted coal plant is more reliable and pollutes less than the Healy clean coal facility. Increased coal production and burning poses serious health threats. Burning coal is responsible for about 60 percent of soot-creating sulfur dioxide emissions in the United States and is also a major source of smog-forming nitrogen oxide pollution and mercury contamination.

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