CLIMATE POSITIVE
Ecotricity is Toitū climate positive certified
Ecotricity is New Zealand’s first and only Toitū climate positive certified electricity product. Energy purchased from wind, hydro and solar, matched to your consumption on an annualised basis.
WHAT IS CLIMATE POSITIVE
Climate positive goes above and beyond
Climate positive energy
Electricity is supplied from certified renewable wind and hydro generation sites, with additional Toitū climate positive certified energy contributed by a substantial base of solar generators.
Why certified climate positive
Energy use is accurately accounted for and matched with purchases from Toitū climate positive certified resources on an annualised basis.
Internationally recognised
The Toitū climate positive certification follows strict Greenhouse Gas protocols and is internationally recognised. The certification has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of ISO14067:2018 for product and ISO14064-1:2018 for organisation.
THE WHY
Why certified climate positive
Despite many New Zealander's well-placed intentions to act against climate change, their ability to take action is increasingly being put under pressure by more immediate personal socioeconomic challenges.
This coincides with a misunderstanding of how accessible the more impactful climate actions are, often leaving people feeling unempowered to take meaningful action. The climate positive electricity certification is market leading and is achieved through a rigorous process with Toitū.
Switching to a renewable electricity provider is one of the 10 recommended actions we can take for a healthy planet, according to the United Nations.
THE HOW
The certification process
Climate positive goes beyond carbon neutrality to make a positive impact on society.
Measure
Reduce
Offset
Verify
Improve
Toitū Envirocare are a team of scientists and business experts that lead positive change through a system of robust environmental programmes that are internationally recognised.
Offsetting 125% of emissions, with an additional 75% contribution, requires support for local and international decarbonisation projects. Supported initiatives include the Million Meters Stream Project in NZ, Gyapa Cookstoves project in Ghana, the Orb Household Project in India, and the Solar Energy Project Emami Power Project in India.
SUSTAINABLE LIVING
What can you do to help?
Help reduce carbon emissions.
With the average Kiwi emitting over 6 tonnes of Co2 per year, of which about 1.4 tonnes comes from electricity usage, by choosing Ecotricity’s Toitū climate positive certified electricity product, you have a simple and easy solution to substantially reduce your carbon footprint. Make the switch to a cleaner and greener future today, at affordable prices.
Carbon savings are based on your monthly energy consumption multiplied by the average emissions intensity for the month across NZ. Your Toitū climate positive certified electricity product is provided on an annualised basis.
FAQ's
Got a question
The Toitū climate positive programme is founded on the latest science and international standards with verifiable and comparable results. To earn certification, an organisation or product must measure and report in annual audits, all operational and value chain emissions in accordance with the ISO 14064-1:2018 for organisations and ISO 14067:2018 for product lifecycle emissions.
The programme requires the setting and achievement of science-aligned reduction targets, as well as a clear decarbonisation strategy. From an accounting perspective, the carbon balance sheet for members will show a negative balance as all unavoidable emissions are offset through the cancellation of verified carbon credits, going beyond net zero to have a positive impact. Members are required to go beyond carbon neutral to have a positive impact through additional carbon credits (25% of the organisation or product footprint) and contributing to wider environmental and social outcomes (equivalent to the cost of offsetting 75% of the organisation or product footprint). The programme not only focuses on reducing emissions, but also requires engagement and broader social and environmental outcomes, aligning with science for a sustainable future.
When we talk about the electricity from Ecotricity being Toitū climate positive certified, Ecotricity purchases power sourced only from hydro, wind or solar. Because electricity is an interchangeable commodity throughout New Zealand, we are very accurately able to account for how much energy our customers are using and conversely how much we need to purchase from climate positive certified, renewable resources on an annualised basis. The net effect is that Ecotricity is only supplying from certified renewable sources.
The short answer is ‘no’, Ecotricity can’t guarantee that customers only receive the Toitū climate positive certified energy product. For this to be achieved, New Zealand would need to have a separate green energy grid, connecting renewable sources directly to households. The environmental and financial costs of building this would be significant.
However, the company believes it’s more important to focus on the generation side to help get the NZ electricity grid to 100% renewable. Our certification is based on international protocols and United Nations Product Specifications for supplying electricity from renewable sources. The reason it is important to support climate positive certified electricity is so that new renewable electricity is developed, in particular wind and solar, so by choosing Ecotricity you are encouraging more electricity generation through sustainable means.
Creating a green energy grid is a United Nations protocol. Ecotricity is leading the industry and the sector by going above and beyond to map out sustainable processes up the value chain and down the value chain and within our organisation as well. You can’t manage what you can’t measure and the company is leading the way in terms of showing how to be accountable for carbon and transparent about not only reduction but off-setting.
Ecotricity only purchases from certified wind farms, solar farms and hydro dams across the country, as well as having significant proportion of solar customers who supply Ecotricity with their excess generation.
Ecotricity's proportion of solar customers is 100 times higher than other retailers and in the summer when solar generation is high, the excess generation can provide electricity for 25% of our customers energy needs.
We see large solar farms as playing an important role to further grow our renewable generation. We have some operating already and many more to come.
In NZ, around 65% of our electricity generation comes from renewable sources. The remaining comes from thermal sources (coal, gas and geothermal) and this accounts for a large portion of NZ’s total emissions.
To be able to offset 125% of all emissions Ecotricity must support local and international decarbonising projects. Ecotricity currently support the Owenga Reserve in the Chatham Islands, as well as the Gyapa Cookstoves project in Ghana, and the Orb Household Project in India. For more information on these projects please view our Climate Positive webpage.