Carbon Offsets



Energy Works Michigan offset 134 metric tons of CO2 in carbon offsets to balance our office CO2 emissions in 2011 by purchasing carbon offsets that support carbon reduction projects. This is equivalent to CO2 emissions caused from consuming 13,628 gallons of gasoline, electricity use from 14.8 homes in one year, and greenhouse gas emissions avoided by recycling 42.4 tons of waste. The project types we support are listed below: 

NativeEnergy - Farm Methane - Composting

Energy Works Michigan purchased renewable energy carbon offsets from NativeEnergy to support a farm compost project in Connecticut. Methane is generated by farm animals, landfills and industrial waste. Methane has more than 20 times the effects as an equivalent amount of carbon dioxide. Carbon offset projects consist of combustion or containment of methane.

Laurelbrook Farm Compost Project  - East Canaan, CT is financed by NativeEnergy carbon credits to support 100% Farm Methane - Composting.  After the third generation dairy farms separator for manure broke down, they decided to use a more efficient multi-stage, solids-separating system. This system is helping the Laurelbrook farm to be good stewards of their land.

TerraPass - Methane Abatement and Renewable Energy
Energy Works Michigan purchased landfill gas capture and renewable energy carbon offsets from TerraPass. The landfill gas projects benefit the environment by reducing the amount of greenhouse gases that are emitted to the atmosphere and provide a source of renewable energy. 
Renewable energy is energy generated from natural resources, including biofuel, biomass, geothermal, hydroelectricity, solar energy, tidal power, wave power and wind power. 

Dorchester County New Beulah Landfill - Dorchester County, MD is a small project that benefits climate change strategies by reducing the amount of greenhouse gases (methane) that would otherwise be released from the landfill.

Red Hills Wind Farm - Elk City, OK was a project completed in March 2009, which includes 82 turbines that began delivering power to the Southwest Power Pool in October 2008.

Delta Institute - Land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF) Energy Works Michigan purchased carbon offsets from the Delta Institute in support of projects in Sustainably Managed Forests, Agricultural Soil Sequestration and Afforestation/Reforestation. Farmers and landowners in Michigan earn greenhouse gas emission credits for avoided deforestation, reforestation, afforestation and soil management. Learn more...

LULUCF projects include:  

  • Avoided deforestation to protect existing forests.
  • Reforestation to restore forests on previously forested land.
  • Afforestation to create forests on land that was previously not forested.
  • Soil management to preserve or increase the amount of carbon sequestered in soil.