ABOUT PURE
PURE the Clean Planet Trust is the first UK registered charity (No. 1112249) dedicated to combating climate change through carbon offsetting and is a simple way for individuals and businesses to directly support the Kyoto process.
PURE was launched on November 29th 2006 by UK Climate Change and Environment Minister Ian Pearson.
All of the projects from which PURE buys and cancels carbon credits meet the standards of the UK Government's Code of Best Practice for Carbon Offsetting. This means that all carbon credits must be authorised and issued through the United Nations Clean Development Mechanism and/or European Union Emissions Trading Scheme.
In light of the internationally recognised benefits of renewable energy and energy efficiency projects to reduce pollution, alleviate poverty and support sustainable development, PURE will only support projects of this type. PURE prefers small-scale projects with a strong element of local community control or participation.
PURE currently has four trustees and one patron:
Sir David Brewer, who was the 678th Lord Mayor of the City of London, is non-executive vice-chairman of Marsh, Britain's biggest insurance broker.
Jed Jones is the Export Advisor within the Climate Change Projects Office at the DTI, responsible for assisting UK business to meet the challenges of participation in climate change projects, and for identifying target countries.
Mike Rees is one of the founder members of Benfield, Lovick & Rees, now called Benfield, which is the world's leading independent reinsurance and risk intermediary.
Ed Atkinson is a partner in Climate Corporate Advisory Services Ltd, established to raise and manage funds to invest in environmental and renewable energy businesses.
Stephen Fry is PURE's first patron.
Donations to PURE have so far supported these UN emissions reduction projects
- India: Malavalli Power Plant
- China: Gansu Shimenping Hydropower Station, Zhouqu County
- Brazil: BK Energia Itacoatiara Power Plant
- China: Ningxia Tianjing Shenzhou Wind Farm
- India: Aleo Manali Small Hydroelectric Project
- Brazil: CAMIL Itaqui. Renewable energy from rice husks
India: Malavalli Power Plant
Crop waste power plant
Malavalli Power Plant is the World's first 'Gold Standard' project to have its CERs issued. The Plant generates clean, renewable electricity from crop waste such as coconut fronds and sugar cane residuals. It reduces CO2 emissions by around 20,000 tonnes per year. The project directly creates at least 500 local jobs in the power plant and in the collection of the agricultural waste that the Plant uses as fuel. Local farmers are now getting paid for crop waste that was previously burned or left to rot. The project directly contributes around US $1 million to the rural economy. Waste from the power plant is environmentally beneficial as an organic fertilizer. The Plant supplies reliable electricity for around 10,000 people in 47 villages. Reliable electricity further stimulates local economic activity.
China: Gansu Shimenping Hydropower Station, Zhouqu County
Run-of-river hydropower
The Gansu Shimenping Hydropower Station is located in Zhouqu County in North West China. Zhouqu County is a designated 'national poverty county' in which the local population lives in extreme poverty. Shimenping is a "run-of-river" power station. Instead of building a large dam which would flood valuable agricultural land and disturb wildlife, the project uses the natural flow of the river to generate clean electricity. A small amount of flood-prone land will be lost due to the project. However, protection barriers will be constructed to protect against landslides and flooding, creating an additional 100,000 square metres of protected farmland. Previously cut off for much of the flood season, a road has now been built into Shimenping village, thus improving access to education and healthcare for the local community. The project also provides employment in this remote part of China.
The project reduces emissions by avoiding the need for electricity from coal-fired power plants. Annual reductions are expected to be around 67,000 tonnes, equivalent to the domestic energy emissions (i.e. gas and electricity) of around 12,000 UK homes.
Brazil: BK Energia Itacoatiara Power Plant
Renewable energy and forest preservation
Itacoatiara is a power plant that uses waste wood from sustainably-managed forests as a fuel, replacing electricity generated from polluting diesel generators. Renewable energy is generated for an area in the Amazon with a population of around 80,000. Waste wood is used from about 450,000 hectares of sustainably-managed and FSC-certified Amazon forest. Sustainable harvesting means that no more than 5 trees are harvested per hectare every 25 years and that low-impact logging techniques are applied in order to preserve the wildlife and to protect the forest canopy. In addition, 25% of the forest is set aside for absolute preservation and access to the forest is controlled to prevent illegal deforestation and the hunting of endangered species. The project's other main environmental benefit is to protect an area of forest of around 1,800 square miles - roughly three times the size of Greater London. Carbon emissions are reduced by around 165,000 tonnes per year. This is equivalent to the domestic energy emissions of a UK town of 60,000 people such as Scarborough.
China: Ningxia Tianjing Shenzhou Wind Farm
Wind power
This wind farm is located in a dry, desert-like region of China. Though relatively poor, the region's economy is growing. Coal is cheap and plentiful in this area of China, and without the revenue from the sale of carbon credits, the wind farm would simply not be price-competitive with electricity from polluting coal-fired stations. The project, which began operating in 2004, consists of a total of 36 wind turbines generating 70.38 gigawatt-hours of clean electricity each year, reducing carbon emissions by around 50,000 tonnes per year - equivalent to removing about 17,000 average British cars off the road each year. As well as reducing carbon emissions, the project also avoids other forms of air pollution. It is estimated that the wind farm prevents emissions of 170 tonnes of sulphur dioxide - which causes acid rain - each year and around 280 tonnes of nitrogen oxide (NOx), which causes smog and respiratory disease. One of the additional benefits of the project is the stimulation of the growth of the wind power industry in Ningxia. Local engineers and technicians receive invaluable training through the implementation of the project. Likewise, the project uses "variable pitch" wind turbines which automatically adjust themselves depending on wind speed. The project also benefits local tourism by providing electricity to the famous historical site, Xi Xia Emperor's Tomb.
India: Aleo Manali
Small Hydroelectric Project
The Aleo Manali project generates renewable energy through a small hydropower plant sited in the foothills of the Himalayas in Northern India at an elevation of about 10,000 feet (3,000 metres). By using water, which is a clean source of electricity, instead of polluting fuels such as coal and diesel, the project reduces emissions by around 23,000 tonnes per year. This is equivalent to taking nearly 8,000 British cars off the road.
The plant was designed to have a minimal impact on its surrounding environment. The project caused no flooding of forest and farmland and not a single tree was felled during its construction. The company has also obtained ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certification of its environmental management system.
As a small-scale project, Aleo Manali faced several significant technical and financial barriers which registration in the Clean Development Mechanism helped to overcome. The project owners have made a considerable investment in a rural area, as well as creating local jobs in the construction and operation of the plant. Aleo Manali has contributed to the local community by providing solar lights, repairing a local irrigation channel and sponsoring local community events.
Brazil - CAMIL Itaqui.
Renewable energy from rice husks
The CAMIL Itaqui biomass electricity generation project is located at a rice mill in Brazil. It uses rice husks to generate electricity.
Before the project, 81% of the mill waste was disposed of through landfill. Today, 93% of the waste is burned to generate renewable energy, displacing the use of polluting diesel fuel. As well as powering the mill, the project also provides renewable power to its neighbours.
The project also avoids emissions of methane, a highly damaging greenhouse gas that causes climate change. By reducing the amount of rice husks rotting in a landfill, this project prevents those emissions.
The project reduces greenhouse gas emissions by around 57,000 tonnes per year, which is enough to offset the domestic emissions of around 10,000 UK households or a town the size of Dorchester in England. According to the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution, biomass energy projects – including those that use agricultural waste, could provide the UK with up to 10-15% of its total energy supply, which would make a major contribution to helping the UK reach its target of reducing emissions 50% by 2050.
Other benefits include increases in employment in the area where the plant is located.
