Calgary, AB — Suncor Energy Inc. joins the Pembina Institute's wind power program, reducing the company's greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 4,500 tonnes and significantly boosting the Pembina Institute's goal of having 20,000 computers powered by the wind by the end of 2005.
Suncor is participating in the Wind Power by Pembina program by allocating 5,000 megawatt hours (MWh) of wind power generated by the company's Magrath Wind Power Project to the institute's program over the next three years. This allocation offsets 100% of the greenhouse gas emissions generated by Suncor's 4,500 personal computers and laptops at facilities in Alberta, Ontario and the U.S., and supports the Pembina Institute's renewable energy programs.
"As a partner in two Canadian wind farms, we have long known the benefits of wind energy. Now, thanks to the Pembina Institute's innovative program, we are able to introduce some of those environmental benefits into every Suncor facility in Canada and the U.S.," said Jim Provias, Suncor's Vice President, Renewable Energy and Business Development.
The 20,000 computers campaign was initiated by the Pembina Institute to give Canadian businesses and individuals an easy way to support renewable energy and in the process contribute to cleaner air and decreased climate change impacts.
The wind power certificates purchased through Pembina's wind power program ensure that wind power is fed into the electricity grid, offsetting conventionally produced electricity, which in many Canadian provinces is produced at least partially by burning fossil fuels such as coal. Burning fossil fuels contributes to climate change and other air quality issues.
"Suncor is the first oil and gas company to participate in our wind power certificates program. It's significant because this demonstrates its leadership and support for renewable energy in Canada. We believe that it's a smart business move, and it demonstrates corporate responsibility for a more sustainable energy future," said Marlo Raynolds, the executive director of the Pembina Institute.
Suncor and Pembina have partnered in the past on the renewable energy front as the original founders of the Clean Air Renewable Energy Coalition (www.cleanairrenewableenergycoalition.com).
The Pembina Institute is a non-profit environmental organization working to advance sustainable energy in Canada. Its wind power program provides a mechanism to bolster the market for low-impact renewable energy like wind power through the sale of wind power certificates. These certificates can be purchased on-line atwww.pembina.org.
Suncor Energy Inc. is an integrated energy company headquartered in Calgary, Alberta. Suncor's oilsands business, located near Fort McMurray, Alberta, extracts and upgrades oilsands and markets refinery feedstock and diesel fuel, while operations throughout western Canada produce natural gas. Suncor operates a refining and marketing business in Ontario with retail distribution under the Sunoco brand. U.S.A. downstream assets include pipeline and refining operations in Colorado and Wyoming and retail sales in the Denver area under the Phillips 66 brand. Suncor, along with partners Enbridge Inc. and EHN Wind Power Canada Inc., built the 30-megawatt Magrath Wind Power Project in 2004 which received funding under the federal government's Wind Power Production Incentive program. Suncor and Enbridge also own and operate the 11-megawatt SunBridge Wind Power Project near Gull Lake, Saskatchewan. Suncor's common shares (symbol: SU) are listed on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges. Sunoco in Canada is separate and unrelated to Sunoco in the United States, which is owned by Sunoco, Inc. of Philadelphia. Visit www.suncor.com
for more information.
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Contacts:
Marlo Raynolds, Executive Director
The Pembina Institute
Tel: (403) 269-3344 x 113
www.pembina.org
Darcie Park
Suncor Energy
Tel: (403) 205-7959