How valuable will carbon credits become? This is a good question, a question that has a very optimistic implication. Thorsten Ansorg is often asked this question in his capacity as the Frankfurt-based managing director of Noble Carbon Credits Ltd. Mr. Ansorg’s company is the emissions trading market arm of the Hong Kong trading firm Noble Group. Emission trading is an administrative approach used to control pollution by providing economic incentives in return for the reducing emissions of pollutants. This practice is more commonly known as cap and trade, because a government or ruling body sets a limit, or “cap”, to the amount of pollutants allowed to be emitted, and companies or groups that emit under this cap earn credits which can be traded to companies that have the potential to emit over the set limit. Carbon credits work by providing money to develop projects that provide clean sources of power or remove carbon from the air. When Noble buys carbon credits, the credits are then permanently retired, meaning that they cannot be resold in the future. Thus all the money from the credits goes towards the development and continued operation of “green” projects around the world.

The Noble Credits Ltd. has bought millions of tons of credits from developing countries. Currently, credits cost up to 70% less than allowances because if a project falls through and the developing-country partner doesn’t clean up its act, the company that bought the credits is held responsible. “We must do a hell of a lot of due diligence,” says Thorsten Ansorg, “We have no desire to buy something that never materializes.” But as the market gets more efficient at separating smart projects from wishful thinking — and as companies in the West struggle to meet their Kyoto targets — prices are likely to rise. Noble Carbon Credits is expanding global markets for GHG emission reduction certificates or “carbon credits,” and is one of the world’s largest suppliers of CERs (Certified Emission Reductions) under the supervision of the United Nations. With the issuance of more than 40 million CERs under the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) process, Noble Carbon Credits has received over a quarter of all CERs issued to the middle of 2008, making it the global leader in the world market for CERs. Noble Carbon Credits targets its key customers: utility companies, large-scale industrials, financial institutions and hedge funds.

Mr. Ansorg considers his dynamic thinking and his commitment to the customer among his strongest attributes. His steadfast nature makes him a credit to his profession, excuse the pun. On his way to his current position, Mr. Ansorg studied at the Universität des Saarlandes, (University of the Saarland) where he earned his M.B.A. This university was the first one established in Germany after World War II; it was started with help from the French government. It has maintained a combination of German and French educational traditions as well as dual languages of instruction.

A year after Thorsten received his M.B.A. he married his wife Rosemarie and they have a lovely daughter, Alicia. Along with spending time with his family other of his enjoyments are soccer, tennis, and fitness training.

Thorsten Ansorg can be found on the Madison Who’s Who Directory where he is looking forward to networking with you.

www.noblecarbon.com