Business travelers often find themselves without alternatives, and flights become a necessity. Unfortunately, there is currently no carbon-free fuel available, so airlines resort to offset programs to compensate for CO2 emissions. However, these offset programs lack transparency regarding project selection, monitoring, and verification.
Furthermore, it is worth noting that certain offset projects, such as waste-to-energy initiatives in Turkey, forest degradation programs in Cambodia, and cooking stove projects in India, may not align with the preferences of Nordic customers. This misalignment raises doubts regarding the legitimacy and effectiveness of the generated offsets, emphasizing the need for more transparent and customer-centric offsetting solutions.
A year ago, when we embarked on our Finnshield project, we pondered the question: Could Finnshield offer an innovative solution for airlines seeking to offset their carbon footprint? Our exploration led us to consider two significant factors:
- The utilization of wood that would otherwise be burned: By storing this wood in our product for decades, we not only prevent its immediate carbon emissions but also ensure its recyclability for many more decades to come. It’s a sustainable approach, considering that burning 1 kg of wood would typically release approximately 1.8 kg of CO2 into the atmosphere.
- The potential for Finnshield to optimize electricity consumption: Our technology can facilitate a shift in energy demand from peak hours, which are predominantly powered by fossil fuels (resulting in approximately 550-850 g of CO2 emissions per kWh), to renewable sources such as wind, solar, hydro, and nuclear power (with emissions as low as 30 g of CO2 per kWh). By enabling this transition, Finnshield has the capacity to contribute further to carbon reduction efforts.
I will gladly share the old, detailed calculations or provide a revised version tomorrow when I have access to my computer again.