David Twoomey
EcoNews, 13 June 2013
Using a piggery in the south east of New South Wales, Greenbank Environmental has announced the first successful trade of Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) under Australia’s Carbon Farming Initiative.
Blantyre Farm in in the NSW town of Young is the first piggery to turn manure into ACCUs.
It does so by capturing methane at the point of release and turning it into renewable electricity, destroying the methane in the process.
“I am as happy as a pig in mud to make carbon farming history,” Fiona O’Hehir, Chief Executive of Greenbank Environmental said today.
“We believe in carbon farming. It’s good for farmers and it’s good for our climate.
“This project will reduce the farm’s power bills, cut greenhouse emissions from methane and create ongoing revenue streams for these hardworking farmers.”
“Greenbank is already Australia’s leading creator and trader of renewable energy certificates and other environmental credits,” said Ms O’Hehir.
“Now we’re joining others in developing carbon farming.”
Edwina Beveridge of Blantyre Farms said: “I am thrilled to finally have our carbon credits created and ready for sale.”
The destruction of methane is significant as methane gas has about 20 times the heat-trapping potency of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
The resulting ACCUs have been sold to Greenbank, creating an important income stream for Blantyre Farm and assisting with their return on investment for their on-farm generator.
“Greenbank has a reputation built on trust, delivery and more than ten years’ experience.
“We want to use that experience and trust to work with farmers and project developers to create innovative new projects,” said Ms O’Hehir.
“My aim is to establish Greenbank as one of Australia’s largest facilitators of low carbon projects, encouraging projects through design, build, financing, operation and trading of environmental certificates,” said Ms O’Hehir.
“The establishment of the Carbon Farming Initiative provides tremendous opportunities to establish new income streams for farmers, whilst protecting our precious environment.”