WindMade, the first global consumer label for companies using wind energy, launched the proposed WindMade Standard for Products and Services, setting out the technical requirements for the label to be used on individual products. This draft will now enter a one-month public consultation period.
The introduction of the WindMade Product Label has been eagerly awaited by market participants, and it completes the portfolio of WindMade labels for companies and organizations, as well as events.
“With introducing the Product Label, WindMade has reached another milestone, and interest in the market indicates that the uptake of this label will be considerable,” said Steve Sawyer, Chairman of the WindMade Board and Secretary General of the Global Wind Energy Council. “We hope to see widespread participation in the public consultation and strongly encourage interested parties to review and comment on the standard.”
The proposed standard requires participating companies to source a minimum of 75 per cent of the electricity used for manufacturing a product (or producing a service) from wind power and other renewable energy sources. A cradle-to-gate approach was adopted, which means that the label will cover the entire power consumption for all product components, from the extraction of the raw materials all the way to the product leaving the factory gate.
“The 75% level and the cradle-to-gate approach are set to strike a balance between an ambitious target and an achievable goal for progressive companies striving to make a tangible difference. This approach ensures that the label is meaningful, and it makes it robust and credible to consumers,” explained Mieke Langie, WindMade’s Director, Standards & Labeling. “In addition, the renewable power can be sourced through a variety of methods, such as own-generation projects, power purchase agreements, recognised green credentials or approved green power tariffs provided by power suppliers, granting a great deal of flexibility for companies.”
The proposed WindMade standard was developed by a Technical Committee, consisting of experts from WWF International, Becton, Dickinson & Co., the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), Climate Friendly, the Gold Standard Foundation, and Vestas. In addition, the first draft of the standard was reviewed by a Sounding Board, which is comprised of representatives from international companies and organisations including
e3light, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Greenpeace International.
“The product standard will allow companies to credibly use renewable power that makes more of a difference in cutting carbon emissions while consumers can transparently choose products made with renewable energy. WWF fully supports this label as a way to recognize companies for their efforts while empowering consumer choice,” said Susanne Fratzscher, Senior Advisor on Renewable Energy of WWF’s Global Climate and Energy Initiative.
Following contributions from the public consultation, which will close on 2 June 2013, the final WindMade Standard for Products and Services is expected to be presented just before the summer. This will mark the starting point for companies to officially begin applying for WindMade membership and to undergo the certification process for their products and services.
The full Draft Product Standard is available on the WindMade website, and the public consultation can be accessed on
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/WindMade_Public_consultation_Product_Standard.
For more information, please visit www.windmade.org.
About WindMadeTM
WindMade is the first global label for enterprises, events and products that use windpower. The label is managed and awarded by an independent non-profit organisation.
The aim of the WindMade label is to give enterprises the opportunity to communicate their commitment to wind power, and thus reinforce the use of renewable energysources. The transparency of the label makes it possible for consumers to favour businesses that make a direct contribution to promoting renewable energy.
For more information about WindMade, see www.windmade.org.
