Greenwash of the Week is BACK!
Every week, RAN hosts Brianna and Nick investigate cases of corporate and political greenwash, designed to deceive the public into believing that something is “green” when it’s not.
This week’s episode explores Chevron’s recent solar announcement. Chevron, the 4th largest oil corporation on the planet, announced “Project Brightfield”, a solar panel beauty pageant in California’s central valley.
Why has Greenwash of the Week nicknamed ‘Project Brightfield’ Project Bull$#!^?
The energy produced from ‘Project Brightfield’ goes directly to power Chevron’s Kern River Heavy Oil Extraction Facility. Meaning it is one of the most expensive, polluting, and energy intensive type of oil extraction out there.
And, Chevron’s operations there have gifted the residents of Bakersfield with some of the highest air pollution rates in the country.
Powering one of the dirtiest oil facilities with solar DOES NOT make it clean.
And there’s more!
To put Chevrons project into context. “Clean energy” accounts for less than 2% of the multi-billion dollar oil giant’s budget. And that figure is dropping every year.
So, Chevron invests over 98% in oil, coal, tar sands, offshore drilling. Yet, we don’t see big PR blitzes about those dirty projects. Chevron uses small efforts like Project Brightfield to deceive the public into believing they are a different kind of “human energy” company, when in fact they are the same old dirty oil company they’ve always been.
If you see an example of corporate green washing this week send it: Via Twitter @ChangeChevron or email greewash@ran.org
You made some good points but also had some flaws in your analysis which would change your conclusion that this solar installation is greenwash.
Yes, renewable energy expenditures are a small percentage of Chevron’s overall expenditures. It’s good to keep advertisements in check with reality. However, the press releases on this solar installation seem to be matter of fact and don’t make claims that Chevron is predominantly a renewable energy company.
Yes, heavy oils are generally more carbon-intensive to produce than light oils. You can assume that the oil facility being powered by the solar panels will continue to operate REGARDLESS of the solar installation. The press releases indicate that this project is net-metered. The oil facility using the solar energy was already buying electricity from the grid. Therefore, the solar power offsets the power from the grid. This means that this project is resulting in a reduction of CO2 emissions.
Yes, oil, coal, etc. use should be reduced to reduce climate change. Yes, you should keep keep Chevron, California’s largest greenhouse house gas emitter, in check. There are plenty of things to criticize about Chevron and plenty of things within the company that should be reformed.
Even though this project is a “drop in the bucket” compared to Chevron’s oil operations, the project helps the solar industry grow by testing new solar technologies in a real world environment. This is a boon for solar startups trying to survive in the ultra-competitive PV manufacturing industry. Chevron is not a solar manufacturer but they are one of the largest solar installers in California so it makes sense that they are testing out new solar technologies. I imagine that manufacturing new solar technology is a lot more difficult that being a “youtube” commentator. You should be careful to separate the wheat from the chaff – do your part to reform the dirty parts of Chevron’s business but be careful not to criticize things that help the solar industry.
Black Oil and Green Energy do not mix or make sense.
Chevron the oil polluter wins; here’s why.
1.Chevron manipulates the solar tax credits to pay for the building and installation of the solar panels on real estate so polluted there is no other use for it.
2.Chevron uses the solar energy produced for their own free use and benefit at the polluting source.
3.Chevron will buy the right to continue to pollute through the possible future carbon tax and trade program using the solar energy as their trading chip.
Chevron one of the world’s worst oil polluters,through the use of Green Energy Chevron is manipulating the right to continue to be one of the world’s largest POLLUTERS.