Organisers of the SXSW music convention in Austin, Texas, have announced they have bought 'renewable energy credits' off Austin Energy to negate the carbon footprint the festival will create this year.

Organisers of the SXSW music convention in Austin, Texas, have announced they have bought 'renewable energy credits' off Austin Energy to negate the carbon footprint the festival will create this year.

SXSW MD Roland Swenson said the festival was "delighted to be able to partner with Austin Energy to pioneer this innovative renewable energy development especially since it is important to us that we support locally
based projects. We appreciate that purchasing RECs not only reduces CO2 and other greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change, but also other toxic pollutants. RECS also meet the key criteria of an offset - namely that the CO2 removal is additional to business as usual activity." SXSW won an international Greener Festival Award in 2007.