NEWS FROM NPOWER

NPOWER IN POLE POSITION TO FIND TOMORROW’S FUTURE LEADERS
UK WIDE SEARCH FOR YOUNG ANTARCTIC EXPLORERS


LONDON February 19th, 2009 – As energy company npower sets out on its latest mission to explore the potential of renewable power in Antarctica, it launches a recruitment drive to find a team of intrepid youngsters who’ll set out on a mission to save the last great wilderness on earth.

The expedition, in winter 2010, will be lead by polar explorer Robert Swan OBE. As he embarks upon this year’s two week mission to Bellinghausen, Antarctica, Swan is joined by ten npower employees who, having completed a rigorous selection process, will leave their company call centres, power stations and offices across Britain for the trip of a life time.

Swan, aged 52, is a seasoned explorer having first docked on the Earth’s southernmost continent in 1984, and becoming the first man to walk to both the North and South poles in 1989. npower joined Swan’s Antarctic mission in 2008 when it equipped him with a wind turbine and solar panels, helping him also become the first person to live powered solely by renewable energy in the harshest environment on earth. Renewables experiments in Antarctica aim to prove the possibility of harnessing the elements to power homes and work places in more clement conditions.

Future Leaders has been developed by 2041 and npower to find the next generation of Robert Swans; young people with drive and passion, committed to learning about climate change and discovering new solutions to tackle its harmful effects. All 18-23 year olds nationwide are invited to put themselves forward as a potential Future Leader. Robert Swan and npower will select Future Leaders who will visit Antarctica in 2010 to see the effects of climate change at its raw edge and understand the potential of renewable power. Each Future Leader will be inspired to instigate climate awareness among their peers upon their return to the UK.

Robert Swan says, “Our aim is to find a group of passionate environmental advocates whose experiences in Antarctica will spur them to ignite climate change awareness among their peers. We’re looking for passionate young people who want to make a difference and who are excited by the potential of renewable energy to power our futures. Nowhere is environmental damage more evident than in Antarctica so by taking npower employees there in 2009, and the Future Leaders in 2010, I’m confident we can start to make a real change to the public perception of climate change and eventually see widespread use of renewable energy.”

To learn more about the 2041 – Future Leaders programme, and Robert’s latest visit to Antarctica, log on to www.npower.com/2041. Robert Swan and the npower team will host regular updates from his expedition from the e-base which is going live 365 this year, completely powered by renewable energy. The 2009 expedition departs Great Britain on February 24.

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About Future Leaders
Future Leaders is a programme within npower Brighter Futures that is aimed at 18 to 23 year olds. The aim is to find young people with drive and passion, committed to learning about climate change and discovering new solutions to tackle its harmful effects. All 18-23 year olds nationwide are invited to put themselves forward as a potential Future Leader. Through visiting Antarctica with Robert Swan in March 2010 and seeing the effects of climate change at its raw edge and understanding the potential of renewable power, each Future Leader will be inspired to instigate climate awareness among their peers upon their return to the UK.

About Brighter Futures
npower Brighter Futures, our education programme, aims to inspire young people from their first day at school to their first day at work.
We achieve this by:
• helping them to develop their skills and knowledge to make their own choices
• empowering them to achieve their vision of a ‘brighter future’ for themselves and for the environment

Npower Brighter Futures brings under one umbrella npower’s education programmes – from primary schools through to universities.
Our programmes focus on either:
• environmental education – energy generation, energy efficiency, climate change and sustainability
• our commitment to increase the pool of STEM talent; or
• meeting the recruitment challenges we face in the energy industry

About 2041
• 2041 is the year of the review of the Environmental Protocol of the Antarctic Treaty. Our aim is to work towards the protection of this treaty, so there is never a need to exploit the last great continent on Earth for minerals and fossil fuel.

About Robert Swan
• The 'English Al Gore', Robert Swan is a prominent environmental campaigner and polar explorer who has spent his life working towards preservation of the Antarctic wilderness and promoting recycling, renewable energy and sustainability to combat the effects of global warming
• In 1992, Robert spent 8 years in the Antarctic cleaning up over 1,500 tonnes of scrap metal on the Russian base. With the current Antarctic mining treaty terminating in 2041, Robert is calling for people to investigate renewable energy so that they can find alternatives so that the fragile polar environment is left unharmed
• Robert Swan has campaigned tirelessly to raise awareness about climate change, the future of Antarctica and the importance of renewable energy. From UN activities, Climate Summits, working with businesses like npower and even in primary schools, Robert takes every opportunity to build awareness and commitment to change

About npower
• npower is one of the UK's largest electricity suppliers and has 6.6 million customer accounts across the UK
• npower sponsors the Test Match Series in England, Women's Test Series, the Twenty20 Cup and Village Cup.
• npower was recently awarded platinum status in Business in the Community’s CR Index.