Taking the challenge
In 1994, FirstEnergy Corp., working through the Edison Electric Institute, joined other electric companies and the Department of Energy (DOE) to form the Climate Challenge Program. This joint government-industry partnership eliminated 237 million metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the year 2000 alone. Those electric power sector actions comprised about 70 percent of the total reductions and offsets reported to the government that year.
The Climate Challenge accord demonstrates the benefits of a voluntary approach to climate change initiatives that are based on flexible programs and the use of emerging technology and good practices. The Climate Challenge Program included five industry-wide initiatives, including the UtiliTree Carbon Company/Utility Forest Carbon Management Program, in which FirstEnergy participates.
UtiliTree
UtiliTree is a non-profit organization involving 41 utility companies that sponsor projects through the Utility Forest Carbon Management Program - FirstEnergy Corp. is involved in sponsoring nine projects. Through the UtiliTree program, more than $2.5 million has been committed to such projects as forest restoration, carbon sequestration and logging reduction. One major goal of the program is to have two million tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) either be controlled or sequestered.
Why is FirstEnergy involved in carbon management?
- Forestry initiatives are an effective and economical way to reduce CO2 emissions.
- Environmental and social benefits include restoration of degraded land and protection of biodiversity in forests. International projects help demonstrate the effectiveness of joint projects between nations - which is critical to greenhouse gas issues.
Taking the next step
In 2002, the electric power industry partnered with the Department of Energy to create Power Partners. This was in support of the President's climate policy to reduce the greenhouse gas intensity of the U.S. by 18 percent over 10 years through voluntary climate actions. Power Partners climate actions are guided by the principles of improved energy efficiency, increased investments in research and development, technology innovations, market based initiatives, and carbon dioxide emissions reductions.
Power Partner initiatives
FirstEnergy is participating in several initiatives coordinated by the Edison Electric Institute to reduce, avoid, and/or sequester greenhouse gas emissions, including:
- Power Tree Carbon Company, LLC is an initiative to acquire land and plant trees in critical habitats in the Lower Mississippi River Valley. It is estimated that the six projects scheduled to be undertaken will remove from the atmosphere and store over two million tons of CO2 (450 tons per acre) over the project's 100-year life.
- Coal Combustion Products Partnership (C2P2), is a joint effort with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency aimed at diverting coal combustion by-products from land disposal and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by increasing the beneficial use of coal combustion by-products. These by-products include fly ash, bottom ash, boiler slag, and flue gas desulfurization materials.
- Abandoned Mine Land Restoration is an initiative to reforest, reduce acid mine drainage, improve water quality, and develop wildlife habitats at abandoned mine land sites.
Back to New Initiatives
(07/08/08)
