Carbon Offsetting with ev.energy

April 21, 2020
Sandy Neill
Blog

ev.energy are teaming up with Carbon Footprint to offer our users the chance to offset their EV charging emissions. As part of the changes we’re making to our rewards scheme from May 1st, rewards points accrued in the app can be redeemed to offset the CO2 emissions emitted when charging your EV.

What is Carbon Offsetting?

Carbon offsetting is an internationally recognised way to take responsibility for the carbon you emit. Carbon offset projects allow people or companies to invest in carbon reduction projects around the world to balance out their own carbon emissions. Carbon emissions are measured in tonnes, offsetting one tonne of carbon means there will be one less tonne of carbon in the atmosphere than there otherwise would have been.

There are two main methods of carbon offsetting:

  1. Removing CO2 from the atmosphere through schemes such as planting trees to soak up carbon from the atmosphere, or conserving and reforesting carbon sinks.
  2. Supporting renewable energy projects, which makes the world less reliant on fossil fuels and reduces the amount of CO2 emissions from being produced.

How did we decide who to partner with?

After conducting research into the various carbon offsetting schemes, ev.energy has chosen to partner with Carbon Footprint’s UK Tree Planting Scheme.

Carbon Footprint has a range of tree planting projects around the UK and uses local knowledge and expertise of tree planting partners to ensure the right trees are planted in the appropriate places. The trees are predominantly planted in school grounds, reserves and managed woodland where they will live their natural lifespan and meet their biodiversity targets.

Each tree planted helps to offset your environmental impact by “breathing” in CO2 emissions as it grows. The trees also provide a sustainable habitat for wildlife and will enhance the natural landscape with native broad-leaved trees.

Carbon Footprint’s Tree Planting Scheme also incorporates a ‘tree buddy’ system, whereby for every tree that is pledged and planted, Carbon Footprint will also offset one-tonne CO2 emissions through a Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) project.

VCS certification makes sure there is a robust audit trail, ensuring the carbon savings are additional to what would have happened without the project and sustained over time. Carbon Footprint’s Tree Planting Scheme has also been approved under the Quality Assurance Standard (QAS) for Carbon Offsetting, which means that the carbon emissions calculation methodology being used has been independently verified and approved by an external party.

How can you get involved?

We’re proud to take positive action to reduce our members’ emissions wherever we can, and we hope that you will take part in this scheme to help offset your carbon emissions. Simply follow these steps;

  • Gain Smart points in the app by conducting qualifying Smart charges (sessions must be excess of 10kWh)
  • Once you’ve accrued 20 Smart points, navigate to the rewards tab and claim your carbon credits reward
  • ev.energy will offset your months CO2 emissions and send you a report summarising your usage

If your EV charging is already zero-carbon, please don’t hesitate to get involved.  Why be satisfied with zero-carbon charging, when you can aim for carbon negative!

To find out more please check out our FAQs.

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