Destinations and Climate Protection
TUI Enviromental Criteria for Destinations
ITER - Instituto Technológico y de Energias Renovables (ITER). The Institute for Renewable Energy (ITER) was founded in 1999 on Santa Cruz de Tenerife by the Tenerife government (Cabildo de Tenerife) to promote and carry out research on renewable energy sources.
Unspoilt nature is what beautiful holidays are all about. The annual environmental reports submitted to TUI Group Corporate Environmental Management by the TUI destinations are therefore a vital part of TUI environmental monitoring . Reporting is the responsibility of the head of TUI Service or the head of the agency in each destination. The reports comply with TUI environmental criteria for destinations and should deal with as many of the criteria as possible.
One of the priorities in destination reporting concerns “climate change and climate protection”.
“Climate change and climate protection” reporting criteria:
- Are there any signs or visible effects of climate change?
- Any unusual droughts, rainfall/heavy rainfall, heat waves/cold snaps, weather phenomena?
- Any adaptation measures to these phenomena? (Adaptation)
- Climate protection measures, emission avoidance? (Mitigation)
- Total CO2 figures? (Carbon footprint)
- Impact on the environment/air quality by emissions from industry, transport, waste incineration?
- Is regular air analysis carried out? What are the results (if available)? (Documentation)
- Measures for reducing traffic (traffic control, setting quotas, Park & Ride options, public transport)? Traffic calming/car-free zones? (Soft mobility concepts)
- Climate risks
-
Important contacts for climate protection? Information in the internet? Outlook? Environmental risks?
From analysis to climate policy
This environmental information has been analysed and documented for 15 years now by TUI Group Corporate Environmental Management / Sustainable Development, and made available via the intranet to TUI AG and central departments with strategic functions, as well as the environmental co-ordinators in the affiliated companies.
The reports provide a solid basis for consumer and customer information and raising their awareness. The information gained in this way is also used as a basis for dialogue with partners, policy makers and decision makers in the destinations to initiate or further develop climate protection measures.
Climate projects in TUI destinations
Extract from the TUI Destination Environmental Report 2006 Tenerife:
First bioclimatic self-sufficient eco-village on Tenerife
The building in which the ITER institute is located (Technological Institute for Renewable Energies) was built in the harsh volcanic landscape of Tenerife in accordance with bioclimatic guidelines. The success of this new architectural concept initiated a forward-looking project involving technicians, engineers and architects from around the world.
Close to the sea in the immediate vicinity of the institute, 25 different bioclimatic houses are being built in an ecological village. Inauguration is scheduled for the end of 2006. Many of the houses are already completed.
Each of these autark housing units uses wind and solar power to cover its own energy requirements. Every household is supplied by drinking water extracted from the sea, recycles its waste, produces humus-rich soil, and uses its treated household sewage for garden irrigation. They also generate no CO2 emissions whatsoever.
These bioclimatic houses, as well as the institute building, and the grounds of the technological institute, are all superb models which demonstrate in a pioneering way how to preserve the environment and conserve the earth’s energy resources.
Windmill project on Majorca to produce power
A wind power project was launched on Majorca in 2003: the pilot project was started in the Campos district in the south-east corner of the island.
The project involved the restoration of around 100 windmills which were built at the beginning of the 20th century to pump groundwater to the surface. These have now been equipped with generators to produce electricity. The first results from this pilot project reveal that the amounts of energy generated exceed the targets by up to a third. The windmills operate around 6 hours on average every day to generate approx. 60 kW/h of electricity. Following this success, the government of the Balearic Islands has decided to extend the project to other parts of the island.
Use of geothermal energy on La Palma?
The southernmost local authority on La Palma, Fuencaliente, is planning a geothermal power project. A company called Ingennio initiated the project which is currently still in the preliminary investigation stage. The aim is to build a geothermal plant to harness the geothermal energy which lies only a few metres below the surface.
The research carried out to date has not yet revealed whether electricity can be generated on the island from the magma sources. There is no doubt, however, about the presence of geothermal energy on the island. Ingennio requires six to ten megawatts for this project to succeed and is still dealing with the necessary formalities.
Biodiesel pilot project on Crete
ELINOIL is the name of a company promoting new environmentally-friendly energy sources. It was the first petroleum company to market biodiesel in Greece. Working together with the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) and I.M.U., an Austrian initiative which looks at topics including petroleum products and environmental studies, ELINOIL was able to make available a large quantity of biodiesel in Greece as part of a pilot project conducted in summer 1999 and 2000.
This project was funded by the ALTENER II programme of the European Union aimed at promoting the use of renewable energy sources. The EU supports the development and implementation of biodiesel as a high quality renewable energy source.