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Environment
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Filed with: Chevron Texaco
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Renewable Energy
WHEREAS:
Global mandates and goals for renewables are growing. Renewables are the
fastest growing segment of the energy market.
The annual global development of wind and solar resources exceeds 25%.
From 1992-2001 global wind capacity grew from nearly 2,300 MW to over
23,000 MW - a ten-fold increase, while solar photovoltaics capacity grew
nearly 400% from 370 MW to over 1,800 MW.
Several U.S. states including Texas (3%) and California (20%) have renewables
requirements for electricity production. The U.K. adopted a 20% requirement
for renewables by 2020; six other countries have proposed or implemented
mandates.
In addition, the E.U. has a goal of 22% renewables by 2010, and six European
and Middle Eastern countries have goals ranging from 3% to 100%. Recent
forecasts indicate clean energy markets will grow to $82 billion by 2010.
International energy companies will face unprecedented pressure to reduce
emissions and meet clean energy demands, since 178 countries have signed
the final emissions reductions rules for the Kyoto Protocol. Although
US operations will not be subject to these requirements, our company will
be subject to them in the countries that have ratified Kyoto. New laws
will require both reductions in operational emissions, and utilizing or
offering alternative low-carbon alternatives. Failure to do so may result
in expensive requirements to purchase carbon credits while competitors
with efficiencies such as renewables will generate a new revenue source
through the sale of excess credits.
Two of our main international competitors, Royal Dutch/Shell and BP, have
significantly increased their development of renewables.
In July 2002, BP announced its goal of being "a new company able
to offer global energy solutions" through gasoline and diesel producing
lower emissions and becoming "the world's leading producer of solar
power." BP stated in a March 11, 2002 press release that "BP
would continue to expand its solar business which is set to grow by 40%
this year and already has a 17% share of the world market."
Chevron Texaco's initial step into renewables is promising but is nowhere
near the scale of investment made by some of its competitors and we believe
is insufficient to meet the needs created by growing political mandates.
ChevronTexaco has not told shareholders how it intends to keep pace with
its competitors or how it intends to meet growing regulatory pressures
for renewable energy.
RESOLVED: Shareholders request the Board to prepare a report (at reasonable
cost and omitting proprietary information) by September 1, 2003 explaining
how the company will respond to rising regulatory, competitive and public
pressure to significantly develop renewable energy sources.
Supporting Statement
Chevron Texaco has partial ownership in a 22.4 MW wind farm, and appears
to have some other investments, although small in comparison to BP and
Shell. Supporting this resolution will indicate shareholder desire for
full disclosure of the company's strategy to meet growing demand for diversified
energy sources and to remain competitive in the new Kyoto Treaty-constrained
energy markets.
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