First it was “organic,” then it was “fair trade.” Now it may be”windmade.”
A new effort by the wind power industry is intended to make products and companies fueled by wind power the newest beneficiaries of a global branding push.
“We believe that the label will build a bridge between consumers and companies committed to clean energy,” said Chairman of WindMade Steve Sawyer, who is also the board and secretary general of Global Wind Energy Council that has taken over management of the WindMade standards.
Voting With Their Wallets
In order to qualify for the label, participating companies are required to derive at least 25% of their electricity from wind power. The label-makers hope that in return, consumers will be more willing to buy products bearing the “WindMade” label.
“Market-driven solutions like WindMade will increase voluntary purchasing of renewable energy, and complement the national and state standards that create the market,” said American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) Chief Economist, Elizabeth Solerno.
The label was first introduced at the World Economic Forum in Davos this January, but was officially presented via a set of recommended standards to the US market this morning. After final revisions are submitted in August, WindMade will present its final standards for businesses in September and the logo could show up on products as early as 2012, although the timeline remains flexible depending on feedback, representatives of involved organizations said in presenting the standards at a breakfast in New York this morning.
“I firmly believe that today’s launch is the beginning of a movement that will make a real difference to investments in wind power around the world, said WindMade’s newly appointed Brussels-based CEO, Henrik Kuffner.
The global wind energy company Vestas has taken a major role in funding awareness for the new label and the affiliated foundations, and has been joined by partners from the World Wildlife Fund, the AWEA , LEGO, Climate Friendly, and The Gold Standard. WindMade is the first logo of its kind to be recognized by the United Nations, Kuffner said.
