Contact to help cut one million tonnes of carbon

15 March 2007

Contact to help customers cut one million tonnes of carbon by 2014

Contact Energy plans to help its more than 580,000 electricity and gas customers across New Zealand to reduce their own carbon emissions by one million tonnes within the next seven years, Contact Chief Executive David Baldwin said today.

“This target can be achieved through practical, affordable action on energy efficiency and carbon abatement,” he said.

“We understand our customers are concerned about climate change and we are committed not only to reflecting that concern in our own business activities, but also in helping our customers to make a difference,” he said.

“Substantially reducing household emissions is very achievable, and Contact will shortly be announcing plans that will equip Contact’s customers to take meaningful personal action on climate change – at home, at work, and in their communities.

“Our target is to help our customers reduce and offset a total of one million tonnes of carbon emissions by 2014. We will start today, by setting a target of 50,000 tonnes of carbon emission reductions in the financial year starting 1 July.”

As a first step, Contact today launched the Contact Energy Carbon Calculator, in association with one of the country’s leading climate change specialists, Landcare Research.

“By answering a few simple questions, anyone can now calculate their household carbon footprint on the Contact Energy website,” said Mr Baldwin. “From there, we’re encouraging people to take action to reduce emissions and, at the same time, to reduce their energy bills.

“These actions can range from no-cost changes in daily habits through to investments in home insulation and energy efficient heating choices.

“For the third winter running, Contact will be offering its customers special deals to allow them to take that action more easily. We remain committed to our Healthy Homes programme that has already helped to fully insulate more than 3,000 homes.

Mr Baldwin said Contact was also encouraging all of its staff to reduce and offset their own household’s emissions through the Landcare carboNZero programme, with Contact matching staff contributions dollar-for-dollar.

“I am also delighted to announce that Contact has become a certified member of the Landcare Research carboNZero programme and has undertaken to reduce emissions from all of its non-generation activities as far as possible, and then pay to offset the remainder through Landcare Research’s carbon abatement schemes.

“The end result of this process is that all of the carbon emissions generated through Contact’s offices (including the 10 generation site offices), and all staff land and air travel, have been reduced as far as possible, and the remainder offset and neutralised.

“We are also planning to provide the ability to offset customers’ remaining emissions using accredited carbon abatement sources,” said Mr Baldwin.

“All electricity companies have a role to play in helping reduce the impact of climate change. Even those companies with only renewable power stations rely on thermal generation, without which they could not currently deliver a reliable supply of electricity to customers.

“Contact is committed to playing its part in the development of a cleaner, climate-friendly future. The launch of Contact’s carbon calculator and customer action plan are the first of what will be a number of steps down this path.”

ENDS

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