Our environmental footprint

Publication date: 30 November 2004

Summary
We accept that we will be judged in part on our own environmental performance. When we moved into our current office in 1991 we ensured that it was energy efficient. We installed a combined heat and power system and solar panels on the roof of the warehouse. We made sure that timber from sustainable sources was used for the windows, rather than toxic PVC windows. We use 100% post-consumer recycled paper, and have several composters in the garden. And as evidence of the impact of flying on the climate has mounted, we have been tightening rules about when and where we fly. First we banned any flights within the UK mainland or to Brussels or Paris. Then we extended this to Amsterdam, where our international headquarters are.

Until now, however, we have not had a formal, consolidated statement of our environmental policies, nor any external validation. In 2003 we decided that we needed this, and have been working with the consultants BRE to draw up a statement, to record our policies and to set targets. These are now available here. The targets will not be changed - unless we decide they are too easy and that we can set more stringent ones. The policies will be kept under constant review, in line with our commitment to continuously reduce negative environmental impacts of our work.

Overall, we are committed to minimising the negative impact on the environment from our direct operations, while maximising the positive impact of our campaigning!

wind turbines at sunset

The UK wind industry had a massive boost today when the Crown Estate gave the green light to 18 new offshore wind farms around the coast of England and Wales, with the combined potential to supply one million homes.

The 18 new sites could generate 1,620 MegaWatts of green electricity, which would quadruple the UK's total current wind energy output. They will cut emissions of carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas, by 4.27 million tonnes each year, and create at least 8,000 jobs in the UK, with the potential to create a further 28,000 jobs if turbine factories are established in Britain.

The UK is one of the windiest countries in Europe. Offshore wind alone could supply all our electricity needs three times over. Wind energy is clean and green - and crucially doesn't threaten the world's climate.

Matthew Spencer, Head of Greenpeace's Climate Campaign, said, "After thirty years of opposing industrial abuse of our seas, Greenpeace can at last welcome a move to exploit the fantastic renewable energy resources off our coastline. After the grim news of Bush's climate climbdown, we finally have some good news for the environment."

"Let's hope this signals a new commitment to developing Britain's renewable energy industry. Britain has always lagged behind other European countries in renewable energy, but now we've got a real hope of being up with the leaders. Today's announcement will show Bush and his oil cronies that Britain is serious about tackling climate change - and about lessening our dependence on fossil fuels."

Notes to Editors:

• A map showing the locations of the new windfarms is available from the Crown Estate.
• Photos and footage of offshore wind farms are available from the Greenpeace Press Office: tel. 020 7865 8294.
• You can download a background briefing on offshore wind by clicking on 'full report' at the top of this page. The file is prepared as a PDF. The briefing covers wind power potential globally and for the UK, industrial and employment opportunities, other countries' plans and targets for wind energy, and obstacles to fulfilling the UK's potential.
• A square sea area with sides 77 miles long could provide as much electricity as the current UK supply.
• Greenpeace, with RSPB, WWF, CPRE, The Wildlife Trusts, Friends of the Earth and Green Alliance, jointly called on the Government to adopt a General Election manifesto pledge to allocate £00 million per year to support offshore wind power.
• Greenpeace launched a major campaign to promote offshore wind power. 'The Wind' a short film by Director Julien Temple, with voiceovers by Rachel Wise and John Hurt, was shown at over a hundred cinemas around the UK as a trailer to Universal's blockbuster Bridget Jones's Diary, which was launched in April.

Solution - solar energy at Homerton playgroup

A children's adventure playground in East London is making solar-power history by becoming the first electricity customer in the UK to receive solar justice - thanks to Solarnet - a breakthrough deal offered by energy company TXU Europe with the support of Greenpeace.

The TXU Europe-Greenpeace collaboration means that, for the first time in the UK, people with solar panels can be paid the same price for surplus electricity they export to the national grid during daylight hours, as they pay for any conventional electricity imported at night. This ends the electricity "daylight robbery" that left some customers paying three times as much for dirty electricity from fossil fuels as they were paid for the excess clean solar electricity they generated. (1)

Homerton Adventure Playground became London's first solar electric building in 1996. Since then, the East London playgroup have not been paid a single penny by its previous utility for surplus solar electricity. From today, Eastern Energy, TXU's retail arm in the UK will pay the playground 5.51p a unit for its clean solar excess - the same price as charged for conventional electricity. The playground will also receive £50 to compensate for money lost to the previous supplier.

Homerton Playground Manager, Simon Rix said,
"We started generating our own solar electricity at the Playground because we wanted to set a shining example of the energy that the future generations will rely on. Now, thanks to Eastern and Greenpeace, hundreds of children will also benefit from the money our solar panels make us."

TXU Europe's Chief Executive, Phil Turberville said,
"We are delighted that the children at Homerton will be the first to benefit from our solar fair deal. We hope now that electricity customers across the UK will seize this opportunity to switch to Eastern Energy and install solar panels on their roofs. This latest venture, supported by Greenpeace, underlines our commitment to the environment as a responsible energy company."

Solar can supply two-thirds of Britain's electricity needs and if the building is suitable, all an average family's electricity needs can be met by solar power. Solar panels will work all year round in the British climate and will still generate some electricity on a cloudy day.

Greenpeace Executive Director, Peter Melchett said,
"Our climate cannot stand the burning of much more fossil fuels. Throughout the world people are already bearing the brunt of freak weather caused by climate change. Solar panels give homeowners a chance to produce clean electricity that doesn't damage the climate - for this customers should be rewarded not ripped off."

Greenpeace began negotiations over solar "net metering" in May 1997 after the organisation mounted 30 solar electric panels on the roofs of three Peabody Trust terraced homes in Silvertown, Docklands. Overnight it doubled the number of solar homes in Britain and became the first application of solar power on social housing in this country. The Solarnet deal will also be on offer to the Silvertown residents.

The TXU offer breaks one barrier to making solar affordable to all. The cost of solar panels has dropped fivefold over the last 15 years and will plummet once a mass market for solar is established. Studies by both global business analysts, KPMG and the oil company BP Amoco, have shown that if just one large solar factory was built in Europe the price of panels will come crashing down making them cost effective. Other countries with similar climates to the UK have ambitious programmes to develop solar electric power. Net metering or even better net metering with a premium is already law in many US states and in Germany. These countries want to capture a share of the global solar market, which grew by a dramatic 32 per cent last year.

Greenpeace is campaigning for the UK Government to make net metering law and for real support for the solar industry.

Solar homes across the UK can take advantage of Solarnet by calling 0845 604 8888.

Notes for editors:
1. Electricity customers currently around seven pence a unit for electricity, nearly all of which is generated by fossil fuels which damage the climate. Solar electric users can usually sell their surplus electricity back to the utility company. Until now, most utilities paid a miserly 2 p - 4 p for each unit of power bought from solar homes, while still charging seven pence a unit to solar users needing to import additional electricity.

Media briefing

Publication date: September 1999

Summary
Greenpeace believes that given the environmental imperatives now facing all countries the stage is set for explosive growth in the market for solar electric power. Why is it still not happening?

Neither government nor industry have made meaningful progress towards creating a mass market for photovoltaic power. Given this failure, Greenpeace commissioned global financial advisors KPMG to analyse whether a competitive mass PV energy market could be achieved today, and if so, what barriers are holding back its development.

The results of the KPMG report conclude that grid-connected PV power can be made competitive with standard domestic electricity by simply using economies of scale applied to today's standard PV technology. The outcome would be a four-fold drop in the price of solar energy and the opening up of the enormous grid-connected electricity markets of the developed world.

wind power at work

The Government has announced its policy on renewable energy after a review that started in June 1997. It puts an on obligation on electricity suppliers to provide power from renewable sources at the cheapest price. This will encourage the use of cheap, dirty "renewable" technologies like waste incineration and excludes offshore wind, wave and solar power.

Peter Melchett, Executive Director Greenpeace responded,
"It seems that forces of conservatism within 10 Downing Street have blocked support for the budding industries of offshore wind, wave and solar power. In doing this the Government have broken a promise to the offshore wind industry to give them backing.''

Further information:
Contact:
Greenpeace press office on 020 7865 8255/6/7/8