Integral Energy sets 2020 target

 

12 June 2008

 

Integral Energy has announced its goal to be carbon neutral for direct emissions by 2020.

 

A leading new entrant electricity retailer in Queensland, Integral Energy is showing leadership by setting a carbon neutral greenhouse gas reduction target and is taking immediate action to achieve its goal, Integral Energy’s Chief Executive Officer, Vince Graham, said.

 

“We’re making a public commitment which will significantly reduce Integral Energy’s overall carbon footprint by June 2020,” Mr Graham said.

 

“We want to lead by example and eliminate or reduce the direct greenhouse gas emissions currently generated by Integral Energy’s operations and processes, including our fleet vehicles, electricity consumption and waste generation.

 

“We estimate our corporation’s direct emissions are approximately 27,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per annum.

 

“We forecast that between now and June 2020, Integral Energy will abate over 180,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide to achieve our target, equivalent to removing around 45,000 cars from Queensland roads.

 

“At the same time, we want to learn from our own experience so we can better understand the actions and behaviours that our customers will need to implement.

 

“Reflecting community expectations, our development of a strong greenhouse reduction target will also strengthen Integral Energy’s reputation and align with our current initiatives to influence customer behaviour, such as Blacktown Solar City,’ Mr Graham said.

 

The direct, in-house action to be undertaken to achieve Integral Energy’s target includes:

 

• Reducing electricity consumption at the corporation’s offices and depots through measures such as sensor lighting, replacing inefficient plant, hot water tank timers and solar panels;
• Increasing waste recycling rates by working in partnership with suppliers and waste contractors;
• Progressively increasing the proportion of GreenPower purchased from the current 10% of our needs to 100%, and
• Eliminating any remaining emissions through the purchase of accredited offsets.
  

Mr Graham said reducing the corporation’s broader network losses will be the next step.

 

“Our network losses result from the design and operation of our ‘poles and wires’ network and the power consumption of more than 2.1 million people, and vary substantially from year to year as a result of changing customer usage and weather patterns.

 

“Given the long lead times involved in asset planning and construction, we’re considering actions to reduce network losses with a focus on those aspects of network losses that are within Integral Energy’s control,” Mr Graham said.