Our Projects
Offset the Rest chooses to support projects that fulfil our commitment to promote a fundamental change from a fossil fuel based economy to one based on renewable energy.
Our projects must comply with the following criteria:
- Keep C02 in the ground by using renewable energy and therefore prevent greenhouse gas emissions.
- Assist in building a long term solution to global warming.
- Be independently verified for environmental integrity by a validated third party.
- Be additional in that they go beyond ‘business as usual'. The reductions from the project need to be additional to what would have happened if the project had not been carried out.
- Provide a real time impact by reducing carbon emissions at the time you choose to offset.
In order to meet these requirements, Offset the Rest prefers to invest in projects issuing carbon credits that adhere to the Gold Standard The Gold Standard is the world's only quality standard for generating verified carbon emission reductions for the voluntary carbon market.
Gold Standard projects adhere to best practices methodology: they employ renewable energy or energy efficiency technologies, actively seek local participation in project design, and result in demonstrable sustainable development benefits with guaranteed environmental integrity. All Gold Standard projects must undergo a rigorous and independent certification process, which ensures Gold Standard carbon credits are beyond reproach.
Read more about Gold Standard here. Details of our current projects are set out below.
Project Profile - Te Apiti (A Gold Standard Project)
Te Apiti is a wind farm located north of the Manawatu Gorge on 1,150 hectares of farmland, and importantly is the first wind farm in New Zealand to supply electricity directly into the National Grid. Te Apiti consists of 55 turbines, each capable of generating 1.65 MW, or enough power for 900 average homes. Total capacity of the wind farm is 90.75 MW, providing clean, renewable energy to 45,000 average homes per year. Te Apiti is expected to continue generating at this level for the next 20 years.
Wind generation provides welcome diversity to New Zealand's energy mix, and assists in reducing our reliance on fossil fuels.
Further information on this Gold Standard project can be found at:
http://www.meridianenergy.co.nz/NR/rdonlyres/2E5CB3A3-C339-4823-8986-9AF1785A7C30/0/TeApitiFactSheet.pdf
Project Profile - Sri Balaji (A Gold Standard Project)
Sri Balaji is a 7.5 MW grid connected biomass power plant in Andhra, India, using agricultural waste as its fuel.
India's existing power production is almost exclusively fossil fuel based, and by contributing non-fossil power to the grid, this project contributes to carbon emission reductions of 29,000 tonnes annually.
By creating a market for agricultural waste that would otherwise be left to rot or burn on the fields, this project creates an additional source of income for the local landless labourers.
Further information on this Gold Standard project can be found at: http://cdm.unfccc.int/Projects/DB/DNV-CUK1144412972.08/view.html
