The Gold Standard CERs, also known as carbon credits, were generated in the first half of 2008 by a 45 MW wind power project built by the China Datang Corporation in the Fujian province of the country. Registered as the Gold Standard 375 project, it is the first Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) project in China to reach the Gold Standard registration phase.

Deal of the year

Essent Trading and China Datang Corporation concluded the initial CER purchase deal in January 2008, which was recognized by Energy Risk magazine as a “deal of the year.” The first 25,443 CERs were issued by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) on 22 August 2008. These were then forwarded to Essent Trading’s buyer account. The Gold Standard premium label was issued today by the Gold Standard Foundation, a Swiss-based non-profit organization which offers quality labels to CDM/JI and voluntary offset projects.

Breakthrough

“We are proud to have bought and received the first Gold Standard CERs ever issued in China. It is a breakthrough event that enhances our position in both the voluntary and mandatory carbon market as a wholesaler and end-user of high quality offsets. Our company is an official Supporting Sponsor of Gold Standard Version 2 and we will continue to support the development of the premium segment of the carbon market,” Nyame de Groot, Vice President of Emissions at Essent Trading, commented.

“This is the last step for the creation of real, verifiable and fully tradable Gold Standard
CERs,” Michael Schlup, Director of the Gold Standard, remarked. “The high quality of the emissions reductions of the Fujian Wind Farm is assured as it was checked by a
designated operational entity, the CDM Executive Board and the Gold Standard Technical Advisory Committee.”

Gold Standard

The Gold Standard is a quality label for CDM (Clean Development Mechanism), JI (Joint Implementation) and voluntary offset projects generating renewable energy, and energy efficiency projects, all with high sustainable development benefits. The Gold Standard is endorsed by over 52 non-governmental organisations worldwide and Gold Standard projects are preferred by a range of government and private buyers. Initiated by WWF, SSN and Helio International, the Gold Standard for CDM projects was launched in 2003.

About Essent Trading

Essent Trading (www.essenttrading.com), located in Geneva, Switzerland is a highly
prestigious asset backed merchant trading business with its roots in the Netherlands.
Essent Trading is recognised as a market leader in Energy trading in Continental Europe and voted as a top tier trading house by Risk Magazine since 2004. The parent company of Essent Trading, Essent N.V. (www.essent.eu) is the largest energy company in the Netherlands with approximately 11,000 employees, more than 5500 MW of diverse generation portfolio and over 2.7 million customers across the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. Essent is ranked among Europe's leading companies in Renewable and Sustainable energy generation.

For further information, please contact:

Essent Media Relations: Jeroen Brouwers, spokesman Essent.
Tel.: +31 73 853 4939 E-mail: mediarelaties@essent.nl