UWebHosting goes Green!

Carbon Negative Web Hosting!

UWebHosting Hosting has taken the initiative of going green by offsetting our carbon footprint by 110%. We were not satisfied with only going carbon neutral, we wanted to do some good. With the help of dcarbon8 we have calculated the footprint of our servers and offices and invested in more carbon credits than we need.

Why did we do it?

IT equipment accounts for 4% of the worlds carbon emissions, and 10% of the UK's energy bills. With our servers running 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, we decided it was about time we did something about it and helped out.

How we help?

With the help of dcarbon8 we are supporting the following projects -

• India: Wind Power Project in Karnataka

The objective of the project is to replace fossil fuel electricity generation by the installation of wind power turbines.

The project comprises the installation of four wind electric generators of 750 KW capacity each. The electricity generated from this clean energy source will be exported to the local grid. In view of the steep increase of energy costs to the consumers in the region, the project contributes not only to the conservation of the environment and the reduction of GHG, but also to sustainable economic growth in the region.

• Brazil: Small Hydroelectric Installation Paraiso

The objective of the Paraíso project is to yield the power potential of the Paraíso river to generate electricity. This is realized by a small Hydropower Plant of 21 MW installed capacity, located in the city of Costa Rica in the State of Mato Grosso do Sul.

The project employs a technology, where a low-level diversion dam raises the water level in the river sufficiently to enable an intake structure to be located on the side of the river. Water from the intake is normally taken through a pipe downhill to a power station constructed downstream of the intake and at as low a level as possible to gain the maximum head on the turbine.

This renewable source of electricity generation has an important contribution to the overall reduction of CO2 emissions. Although most of the electricity generated in Brazil is by Hydropower Plants, the country’s electricity matrix expansion is moving towards a larger participation of thermo power generation. Furthermore, the government has the intention to increase thermo power generation installed capacity by 15%. In the absence of this project, it is likely that fossil fuel intensive energy generation sources would be used instead.

• India: Energy Efficiency Project of Farmers Cooperative

The purpose of the project is to upgrade the existing plant technology with energy efficient technologies and to reduce the Specific Steam Consumption Ratio (SSCR) of the attached fertilizer plant. The activity consists in various projects which fall into the category of new technology alternatives, retrofits, new design and waste heat recovery. Since the energy efficiency projects are being implemented in various sections of the plant, the performance of one project is linked to other project. Therefore these projects are implemented in all plants in an integrated manner to achieve maximum energy savings.

The main target is the reduction of steam consumption in the plant, which in turn results in the reduction in fuel fired in the boilers (coal, natural gas, naphtha, Low Sulphur Heavy Stock (LSHS)) and in the reduction of CO2emissions.

• Phakama Project - Solar Panels for Schools

The Link Charity Developments (LCD) Phakama Project works with 150 schools in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It aims to improve the quality of rural education and how districts work and support their schools.

The Eastern Cape in South Africa, the second largest and one of the poorest provinces in the country, is home to 6,300,000 people, 15.5% of the total population. The 150 project schools are located in the districts of Mount Fletcher, Qumbu and Libode. The remote, rural positioning of these schools impedes their ability to communicate effectively with the Eastern Cape Department of Education, other schools and LCD staff. This often leaves schools feeling isolated and unsupported, and means that teachers are often absent during teaching time in order to conduct official provincial business, leaving the schools short of staff and overstretched.

This project aims to install solar panels into schools in the Eastern Cape, providing them with a reliable, cost effective and sustainable energy supply. The further installation of internet and printing facilities and the provision of training to school staff in the use of solar technology and the internet facilitates essential communication with the provincial education staff, LCD staff and other schools. As a result, teacher absenteeism, transport and mobile telephone costs are reduced.