Offsetters announces first BC Clean Technology projects for the 2010 Legacy Portfolio

Vancouver, BC – As part of BC Clean Energy Day today at the BC International Media Centre, Offsetters announced their first BC clean technology projects that will produce high quality carbon credits for the 2010 Legacy Portfolio to offset the emissions from the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

The projects contributing carbon credits and in consideration for the 2010 Legacy Portfolio are being created by Offsetters and working with their team of BC-based Clean Tech Partners who have designed some of the province's most advanced clean energy technologies in conjunction with the Clean Tech Partners project customers. These Clean Tech Partners include Ballard Power Systems, IMW Industries, Lignol, Nexterra Systems and Sempa Power.

 “British Columbia is demonstrating their leadership within Canada and internationally in the fast growing clean technology sector, said James Tansey, CEO and co-founder of Offsetters. “The projects we implement with our partners will not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions, they will also showcase made in BC climate change solutions.”

The projects announced today are the first of many that will be underway by the end of 2012. The first project is Sempa Power’s Hybrid Heating System which has been installed in eight project sites in British Columbia as well as in Manitoba. The technology allows closely monitored fuel switching between electricity and fossil fuels to create the most cost effective and energy efficient heating and hot water for large scale operations such as resorts and public facilities.

“We are proud to showcase Sempa Power’s technology as the first BC-based projects of the 2010 Legacy Portfolio,” said Tansey. “This is the first of many great projects that the Clean Tech Consortium Partners will create to leave a lasting legacy of clean energy projects from BC technologies.”

The 2010 Legacy Portfolio of carbon offsets also includes International Gold Standard projects which represent the global nature of the Games. The Vancouver Organizing Committee of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC), together with Offsetters is working to offset the estimated 118,000 tonnes of direct carbon emissions from the Games. They are also working together to encourage spectators, guests, sponsors and partners to offset the estimated 150,000 tonnes of indirect carbon emissions generated by attending the 2010 Winter Games.

This is the first time that a Games Organizing Committee will be carbon neutral for the entire organizing period, dating back from the bid process through to the end of the Games.
“We have set an ambitious goal around the carbon management of the Games,” said Linda Coady, VP of Sustainability at VANOC. “We hope that what we accomplish here in Vancouver will leave a lasting legacy for the Olympic and Paralympic Games of the future.”

 There are currently 42 sponsors and partners who have chosen to become Carbon Partners under the voluntary program, offsetting some or all of their carbon emissions.
Spectators who choose to offset can use Offsetters’ 2010 Travel and Accommodation Carbon Calculator to calculate and offset their Games-related carbon footprint with just a few mouse clicks online.  Anyone can purchase one tonne of carbon offsets from the 2010 Legacy Portfolio for $25 that includes an Offsetters 2010 collector’s pin.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for us to reach a lot of people to talk about climate change,” said Tansey. “Our mission during the Games is to help people truly understand the impact that our everyday lives have on the environment and the opportunities available to us to reduce that impact.”


About Offsetters:
As Canada’s first and leading carbon management provider, Offsetters helps individuals and companies understand, reduce, track and offset their climate impact – in that order. Headquartered in Vancouver, BC, Offsetters is the first ever Official Supplier of Carbon Offsets to an Olympic Games and will be providing the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) with carbon credits sourced from clean technologies developed in BC’s Lower Mainland. In 2009, Offsetters was also selected by the Pacific Carbon Trust as the largest initial supplier of carbon offsets to the BC Crown Corporation. For more information go to www.offsetters.ca

Media Contact:
Melanie Wong, Offsetters, (604) 699-2652 or (cell) (604) 838-6248 mela...@offsetters.ca.