Entergy will meet its second voluntary greenhouse gas stabilization commitment by strengthening the company's clean energy portfolio, driving greater energy efficiency, purchasing energy from clean, efficient sources and actively participating in greenhouse gas offset markets using a $3.25 million Environmental Initiatives Fund.
To this end, Entergy purchased 150,000 metric tons of CO2 emission reduction credits from Anadarko Petroleum Corporation. The credits were verified by an independent third party and registered by Environmental Resources Trust.
The verified emission reduction credits were created by capturing CO2 vent gases from gas liquids production and injecting the CO2 into oil-bearing formations for geologic storage and enhanced oil recovery. Since Entergy buys natural gas from Anadarko and burns it to generate electricity, this transaction effectively made 270,000 megawatt hours of electricity produced by natural gas-fueled generating plants carbon neutral.
"Carbon neutral" is a term that describes the process where greenhouse gas emissions (including CO2) are "offset" by another action. The "offset" action is designed to neutralize emissions through direct greenhouse gas reductions or sequestration.
"This is Entergy's first foray into demonstrating the benefits of mitigating carbon footprint with a fuel provider," Entergy Director of Corporate Environmental Programs Brent Dorsey said. "We're pleased to be able to work on such an important project with an innovative company like Anadarko."
