FedEx goes Solar - Is that Enough?

Federal Express announced that it broke ground on it's largest solar facility in Cologne, Germany. The 1.4 mW solar power facility is expected to be completed in 2010, and capable of generating 1.3 gW hours electricity/year and will cover a surface area of 16,000 sq meters.

FedEx has an excellent history of dedication to renewable energy investments. This site joins three existing solar facilities in California and a geothermal system in Geneva. The three California systems generate 1.5 mW of energy, preventing 2.9 million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions each year.

The company seems dedicated to principles of environmental conservation, such as clean technology vehicles, energy conservation in office lighting systems and renewable energy purchases, however there is no mention of purchasing carbon offsets or exploring alternative energy sources for the company's aircraft emissions, which must rival any major airline carrier's. This highlights a fundamental crisis of the company's business model - if the service provided inevitably emit greenhouses gases, is it FedEx's responsibility to factor that into the cost of shipping a package with them? As a major global conglomerate, the company has the potential to be a very effective lobbyist for new technologies and change, yet its primary interest is maintaining profitability. Should we applaud FedEx for it's energy saving initiatives, or demand that it raise the bar to offset the carbon emitted in shipping?