The Green Power strategy in the hotel's conference centre is a key component of the overall plan for more sustainable operations and carbon emission reductions at the hotel. Conference centre clients will be able to declare their event run on certified Green Power and reduced in carbon emissions associated with the energy consumption of the event, without having to resort to carbon offsetting.
The Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) approach is used in Europe and the US and the South African Department of Energy (DOE) is developing this approach for South Africa in association with the current Green Power suppliers and producers. The RECs provide a certified link between the conference centre and the renewable energy generator. One of the main renewable energy generators, which currently register and sells the Green Power certificates through GreenX Energy, is the Umzimkulu sugar mill in KwaZulu-Natal. The mill uses bagasse, the fibrous waste in the sugar industry, to generate renewable energy.
Every MWh of green power produced offsets and saves coal and water and prevents the emission of ash, air pollutants and carbon emissions that would otherwise be produced by South Africa's coal-powered power stations.
It is believed that the Vineyard Hotel is the first conference centre in Africa to run on certified ‘Green Power' as from 1 September 2009.
For more on RECs, go to: www.greenxenergy.com.
