Geneva, 16 March 2011

Chinese Wind power ‘first up’ as electronic link goes live: In December, one of the most notable carbon market deals was done on the sidelines of COP-16. Carbon Trade Exchange ( CTX), the world’s first web-based electronic platform for spot trading of voluntary carbon credits, and The Gold Standard Foundation, which manages the benchmark certification programme for premium quality carbon offsets, signed an agreement that paved the way for Gold Standard credits to be transacted on the Carbon Trade Exchange.

Now Camco, one of the world’s leading project developers and carbon credit originators; as well as one of Carbon Trade Exchange’s ‘founding’ members, has been the first to list the prestigious Gold Standard credits on the CTX trading platform, choosing Chinese Wind Power offset credits.

The Anxi Jiuquan project consists of a 100 MW grid-connected wind farm in Gansu Province, China. The project has installed 134 Chinese-made Goldwind turbines, which will generate 237 GWh per year; the total electricity generation will feed into the North West China Power Grid. The project assists China in developing its significant wind power generation potential, facilitating growth of the emergent market for grid-connected renewable energy in a region dominated by fossil-fuel fired power.  It has also created 38 employment opportunities and facilitated financial assistance to a local children’s “Hope School” in Anxi County.

After three months of technical development between Gold Standard and CTX, CEO and Founder of Carbon Trade Exchange, Wayne Sharpe, said, “It is with immense pleasure that we are able to start the process of ‘Electronic Trading’ for Gold Standard using Chinese wind credits developed by Camco. China is one of the world leaders in renewable energy; shaming many western nations including Australia, my homeland. Camco is a global leader in projects of all types and we are proud to support the commercialisation of credits from their many quality emission reduction projects”.

Gold Standard credits of all types will soon be listed on CTX. Carbon buyers, sellers and brokers from around the world will be able to trade most major, internationally recognised, voluntary carbon standards online, in a simple and efficient end-to-end electronic process. CTX provides one easy interface to buy credits and track prices. This enables developers to have a clearer price signal when making investment decisions and buyers have greater confidence and choice.The relationship demonstrates that the voluntary market is prepared to lead the way in demonstrating best practice through increased transparency, and encourage more corporate buyers to offset their emissions and /or become carbon neutral.

Caitlin Sparks, Associate Director, North American Commercialization for Camco said, “Carbon Trade Exchange provides a much needed and long-awaited electronic platform for the sale of carbon credits – facilitating liquidity in the market and lowering transaction costs. It allows us to focus on project development and carbon credit origination, and have a greater impact on global warming”.

Wayne Sharpe, CEO of CTX said, “Businesses must take the lead to act and educate on this issue and lead by example, through action in offsetting and reduction of their CO2 emissions. We chose to develop the technology and tools needed to solve this global problem. The agreement with The Gold Standard Foundation gives companies of all sizes access to the most internationally recognised and highest quality carbon credits. Business leaders cannot sit idly by or wait for Government regulation. There is so much that can be done to deal with these issues and many opportunities presented by climate change. Genuine leaders in the business community have chosen to become carbon neutral, despite no requirement to do so. Every business should follow their lead.”

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The Gold Standard applies strict technical rigor, and sustainable development requirements, to ensure that all projects positively impact.  They deliver environmental, economic and social benefits to the local host community. The Gold Standard is endorsed by more than 65 Non-Government organisations worldwide including WWF (World Wildlife Fund), Greenpeace and REEEP (the Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Partnership).