Just before Christmas 2011, we have completed a Carbon Footprint job for a leading Transmission System Operator (TSO). The work included the calculation of the CO2 emissions equivalents resulting from the company's activities, for example consisting of road transport, real estate energy consumption, air transport and others.
Calculation of a Carbon Footprint is part of the strategy of many corporation today. It contributes to the development of corporate strategy for sustainability, responsible care, climate neutrality and related issues.

Last Friday the Empresa pública Municipal de Aseo Cuenca (EMAC) and BGP Engineers have signed an agreement for cooperation. EMAC is the public waste management company of the third largest city of Ecuador, Cuenca, beautifully located in the Andes mountains at a height of 2,500 meters above sea level and known for it's large indigenous population.
The cooperation agreement envisages the reduction of methane emission from the Pichacay landfill and the generation electricity. BGP Engineers will develop the emissions reduction project under the Clean Development Mechanism.
The project will contribute to the vision of the City of Cuenca to become a green city and an example for the region. The project is supported by organisations from Ecuador and The Nethelands.
 

The Department Climate, Energy, Environment and Water (DME) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has installed the Support Facility (“Steungroep DME”) for the deployment of expertise in the areas of climate, energy, environment and water. BGP Engineers takes part as the consortium leader of the Support Facility with partners VNG International, Eco-Job and Kema.
 

Due to the success of the Support Facility, it has been prolonged by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for an additional year. This means that more projects will be developed in 2012 by BGP Engineers and partners. To get an impression of the projects that already have been completed, see the project overview 2009-2011, which is included.    
 

Middelburg, South Africa - the bio-digester at Kanhym , one of South Africa's largest pig farms (http://www.kanhym.co.za/pages/pigproduction.htm), has become operational in the beginning of 2011, so reported Martin Kruse, the project manager of Biotherm Energy, BGP's partner for this project. Although winter is nearing, the temperature of the digester is gradually increasing and biogas is used for heating of the biological process.

The project is one of South-Africa's first projects under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)

Note: from 28 November to 9 December 2011 South Africa will host the world climate summit COP17 at Durban (www.cop17durban.com)