Mohawk purchases VER contracts for two projects

Mohawk Fine Papers aims to reduce its carbon emissions by investing in Verified Emissions Reduction contracts for alternative energy projects. Image sourced from Mohawk

Mohawk Fine Papers, Inc. the largest manufacturer of premium printing, writing, and digital paper in North America, has purchased Verified Emissions Reduction (VER) contracts for two alternative energy projects to offset its carbon emissions.

The company’s VER investments support the Greenville County (Enoree) Landfill Gas Utilization Project in South Carolina and the Irani Wastewater Methane Avoidance Project in Brazil. These projects equal a combined amount of 5,000 metric tons of carbon offsets, which will bring the total of Mohawk’s carbon offset commitments to over 29,000 metric tons.

The Enoree project, which is said to be the first landfill gas project in the United States to be verified to the Voluntary Carbon Standard, captures the gas collected from Greenville County’s landfill and uses two Caterpillar® G3520 engines to convert it into electricity. The project is expected to generate about 3.2 megawatts of electricity, enough to power about 2,000 homes.

The Irani project in Campina da Alegria district, Vargem Bonita City, Brazil aims to avoid the methane emissions generated from the current wastewater treatment and disposal practices. In order to do so, a new wastewater treatment scheme was implemented, which will stop anaerobic digestion of the organic wastewater in the ponds.

Since taking part in the US EPA Climate Leaders Program in 2007, Mohawk has worked to reduce its carbon emissions and make any remaining carbon emissions neutral. Investing in VERs, which support emission reduction projects or renewable energy projects, will aid the company in its efforts to offset any remaining carbon emissions.

Mohawk Fine Papers, Inc. is North America’s largest manufacturer of premium printing, writing, and digital paper. It is the first paper mill in the United States to offset 100% of its electricity with wind power renewable energy credits. The company is also the first premium paper mill to shift towards carbon neutral production. Its headquarters is located in Cohoes, New York.


-  Natassia Y. Laforteza

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¹ http://www.mohawkpaper.com/press?m=1475