25. 5. 2007

CEZ is going to invest into greenhouse gas emission reductions in Moldova

CEZ Power Company and the Moldovanian firm Biogas Inter have today entered into a tentative agreement about buyout of emissions reductions achieved through using methane gas from the Moldovanian capital´s (Kishinev) urban waste dump. The tentative agreement was signed on the occasion of the visit by the Moldovanian delegation to Visegrad Four´s meeting in the presence of Moldovanian president.

As well as the impacts of greenhouse gas emissions on the atmosphere respect no borders between countries, the pursuit of greenhouse gas emissions reductions should cross them. That is the one thing incorporated in the concept of allowances trading and allocation in the European Union prepared with respect to the Kyoto Protocol. 

„That is related to the achievement of our goal to invest into emissions reductions not only in the Czech Republic, but also abroad,“ said Martin Cmiral, head of environmental agenda of CEZ. „Implementation of CDM projects is a component part of our measures portfolio, which was specified by CEZ in the Action plan for CO2 emissions reductions. And the Moldovanian project is one of several projects CEZ is working  on at the moment, added Cmiral. Both sides are now preparing the final contract.

The project aimed at energetic use of methan gas, which is formed in a waste dump body, will generate ca 100,000 tonnes of CO2  equivalent savings per year. Methan is one of greenhouse gases regulated by the Kyoto Protocol. Purchases of emissions reductions are carried out under the CDM project (Clean Development Mechanism).

CDM is a project under which an investor from a country that is commited to reduce greenhouse gas emissons under the Kyoto Protocol carries out this reduction in another country which does not have such obligation (a country with „developing country status“). The country is entitled to put the achieved emissions reductions to its account. These so-called CDM projects are one of the flexible mechanisms of the Kyoto Protocol allowing the international emissions trading. The system of allowance trading now allows firms that belong to the allowance trading system to enter into projects as investors. CEZ can then use its gained emissions reductions to cover its emissions in the system the same way as allowances.

 Eva Novakova, Press Officer,  CEZ, a. s.