Standard for first consumer label ready for companies to buy clean power

The technical standard for the first global consumer label for companies to buy wind power and other clean renewable energy has been launched today.

The label is backed by companies including WWF and effective immediately, the WindMade standard allows interested entities to apply for use of the label to communicate the share of wind power and other renewable sources in their overall power consumption demand.

“WindMade is the first eco-label supported by the UN Global Compact,” said Georg Kell, Executive Director of UN Global Compact. ”It is fully aligned with our mission to promote greater corporate sustainability as the critical business contribution to sustainable development. As a tangible and meaningful consumer label, WindMade can go a long way in advancing the use of renewable energy around the globe.”

Driving the development of new wind power generation

The WindMade standard specifies the requirements for the use of the WindMade label, requiring participating companies to source a minimum of 25 per cent of their electricity consumption from wind power. The wind energy share can be procured through a company-owned wind power generation facility, a long-term Power Purchase Agreement for wind power, or the purchase of high quality Renewable Energy Certificates approved by WindMade. The exact percentage of the wind energy share will be stated on the label.

“The criteria set out by the standard will ensure that companies using the WindMade label will contribute to more investment in renewables over and above what would be built anyway and hence boost clean power,” said Samantha Smith, Director of the WWF Global Energy and Climate Network Initiative, who were closely involved in formulating the standard. “We believe that the industrial take-up of the ambitious WindMade standard is a perfect market contribution to the needed strong governmental renewable energy targets for 2030. This will drive the development of new wind power generation.”

Giving consumers transparency to make informed choices

“The interest in the WindMade label has been considerable,” said Henrik Kuffner, WindMade’s CEO. “Already now, many companies are committed to switching to green power, driven by strong consumer demand for sustainable and responsible corporations. However, to date, these forward-looking companies did not have the possibility of receiving an independent global certification for their power procurement. WindMade will now fill this gap, and provide consumers with the transparency they require to make informed choices.”

The UN Global Compact will host a global launch event in New York on 18 November where WindMade will unveil the first companies and brands to become WindMade certified.