There is an incredible amount of news this week coming from Paris during COP21. Much of the focus this week is getting commitments from 143 countries to significantly reduce their carbon emissions, and many key attendees are practicing what they are preaching – traveling carbon free to and from the events. This week a network of carbon-free trains arrived in Paris from Asia and across Europe and many of these trains are also contributing to producing new renewable energy due to an agreement between ECOHZ and the International Union of Railways.

“We are delighted to support carbon-free travel to a United Nations COP meeting. The use of renewable energy is a key issues for our future. The UIC strategy for 2030 and 2050 aims at carbon-free railway operation in Europe and very-low carbon rail transport worldwide,” said Nick Craven from the International Union of Railways.

ECOHZ has provided Guarantees of Origin (GO) to the Train to Paris project and provided certificates to the International Union Railways. In addition, ECOHZ has delivered a GO2 solution that will unleash financing of new renewable energy production.

“We know that many people traveling to Paris really care about their carbon footprint. Choosing to travel by train is clearly more environmentally friendly than by air or private cars. Unfortunately a significant share of the electricity on the European grid comes from fossil fuels. So traveling by electric trains or electric cars is not clean unless you have a guarantee of origin,” explained ECOHZ CEO Tom Lindberg.

“Our solution GO2 has the additional benefit of contributing to unleashing financing of new renewable energy sources,” continued Lindberg. “Hundreds of renewable energy projects are not realized because they lack top-financing, and we have established a mechanism to funnel funds through to new renewable energy production. Our vision of the future is that individuals will demand to consume products and services that are clean from fossil fuels. The tools exist today and more and more leading companies adopt renewable energy solutions as part of their business strategy.”

Renewable Energy has been, in fact, a key focus to reducing carbon emissions with two major initiatives launched leading up to the official start of COP21: Mission Innovation and Breakthrough Energy Coalition.