A German power utility now offers “vegan power” and “vegan gas” to consumers who wish to buy energy that is green, sustainable and whose production and use are gentle to animals.
German energy company now offering vegan energy to consumers. Credit: www.pixabay.com. CC0 Public Domain.
Many of us are familiar with the strict aspects of the vegan diet, which calls on humans to refrain from eating any type of animal-based products such as meat, eggs, dairy and so on.
Also vegans are careful not to buy or use any type of product made from animals, such as leather.
The protection and welfare of animals are the top priorities of veganism. Many claim health benefits as well, but this is hotly disputed, e.g. see here and here.
Free of “bird strikes”
According German DLF public radio, a power provider in Ludwigshafen Germany now offers electric power to vegans that does not cause harm to animals in any way.
Hat-tip: EIKE here.
Vegawatt offers the so-called vegan energy to consumers nationwide and is a subsidiary of the Technische Werke Ludwigshafen AG a German energy utility. According to the Vegawatt’s website, the power is: “100% solar electricity: environmentally friendly, sustainable and free of bird strikes.”
Wind power not acceptable
Naturally vegan power from Vegawatt is not allowed to be generated by wind turbines because of bird and bat strikes. Moreover the destruction of forests to allow the construction of wind parks destroy homes for animals.
According to the DLF, nuclear power, coal power and electricity from biogas plants are unacceptable to vegans. Also hydroelectric power is not okay because of fish-kill. The DLF asks: “Are there enough fish ladders?”
Only certain sources of solar power
The only thing that remaining that can qualify as vegan power is solar generated electricity. But here not all solar generation systems are certifiable as “vegan”, writes the DLF. For example solar parks built on fields do not qualify because they adversely impact habitats for animals.
Solar energy from panels installed on barns are acceptable, but only if the housed animals are “free range” and not kept on an industrial scale of any kind. It’s probably safe to assume that these free-range pasture animals must also later never be slaughtered or milked for the purpose of satiating the appetites of the carnivorous humans.
Moreover the solar panels probably also need to be installed on buildings that are built to be sustainable, and are not connected to any non-sustainable activity. This needs to be doublechecked.
Broad market acceptance
According to DLF broadcasting, Vegawatt power has found broad acceptance, especially among the vegan culture, which “can take on partially sectarian characteristics”, says a spokesperson for parent company, TWL Energie Deutschland GmbH.
Vegan gas in short supply
Vegawatt also offers “vegan gas”, the DLF reports. But the gas also must be of strictly controlled origins. For example, biogas produced through the fermentation of corn grown as industrial monoculture is not permitted to be given the “vegan” label.
Real vegan gas is currently made from sugar beet residue from sugar beets presses. The sugar beet residue cannot be used as fertilizer or as feed for animals.
DLF reports: “Since the raw materials for biogas production must also be completely free of animal raw materials, Vegawatt can currently only offer small amounts of vegan gas.”
via NoTricksZone
September 2, 2018 at 05:32AM
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