the climate registry: the registry & the protocol august 2008
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The Climate Registry: The Registry & The Protocol August 2008. Judy Collora, PE Senior Consultant. Outline. The Climate Registry (TCR) Overview Greenhouse Gas Basics TCR Protocol Example Calculation. The Climate Registry – Process. Registry Houses emissions, transactions Protocol - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
The Climate Registry:
The Registry & The Protocol
August 2008
Judy Collora, PESenior Consultant
Outline The Climate Registry (TCR)
Overview
Greenhouse Gas Basics
TCR Protocol
Example Calculation
The Climate Registry – Process
Registry Houses emissions, transactions
Protocol Guidance on how to perform
inventory 3rd party Verification Publish (public data)
The Climate Registry – Background (1) Created in 2007
Purpose Establish and endorse voluntary entity-
wide GHG registry that collects data consistently across jurisdictions
Encourage entities to join Incorporate quantification methodologies
into future mandatory programs Current membership covers 80% of
populations in the US and Canada (includes most of southeast)
The Climate Registry – Background (2)
www.theclimateregistry.org
The Climate Registry - Tools General Reporting Protocol V1.1 released
May 2008 Developed through a public stakeholder process Drawn from existing protocols
Developing industry-specific reporting protocols Power Oil & Gas Municipal
General Verification Protocol V1.0 released May 2008 Required to verify emissions Should be separate from company performing the inventory
(conflict of interest)
Climate Registry Information System (CRIS) launched in July 2008
On-line GHG calculation, reporting, and verification tool Will have ability to calculate emissions in CO2e and aggregate
emissions data by facility, state, county and entity Public access to The Climate Registry’s verified emission reports
Common Terms (1) TCR: The Climate Registry GHG: Greenhouse Gas GWP: Global Warming Potential CO2e: CO2 equivalents Direct Emissions: Company’s
stationary and mobile sources Indirect Emissions: Imported
steam and power Other Indirect Emissions: 3rd party
/tolling sources
Common Terms (2) Operational/Financial Control
Approach Equity Share Approach IPCC: Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change WBCSD: World Business Council
for Sustainable Development WRI: World Resources Institute
Overview of Scope and Type of GHGs
Source: WRI/WBCSD GHG Protocol Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard (Revised Edition), Chapter 4.
Sources of Greenhouse Gases
Greenhouse Gas
Source(s)
CO2 Combustion
CH4 Landfills, coal mines, oil and gas production, agriculture
N2O Combustion, fertilizers, nitric/adipic acid plants
Hydrofluorocarbons Semiconductor, refrigeration, fire protection
Perfluorocarbons Semiconductor, refrigeration, fire protection
Sulfur Hexafluoride Electric power - circuit breakers, gas-insulated
substations, and switchgear
Comparison of Global Warming Potentials from IPCC’s Second and
Third Assessment Reports
Source: California Climate Action Registry General Reporting Protocol, April 2008
Calculating CO2e
CO2e is carbon dioxide equivalent CO2e reflects the global warming
potential (GWP) of each greenhouse gas relative to carbon dioxide, which has a GWP of 1
Emission rate = 400 tpy CH4
CH4 GWP = 21
400 tpy CH4x 21=8,400 tpy CO2e
Control vs. Equity Approach
Control = you make the EHS decisions Equity = you have a financial stake only Example for company with financial
interest (equity), but no control:
Operations =8,400 tpy CO2e
No management control = 0 tpy CO2e
10% equity share = 840 tpy CO2e
TCR Protocol – Where to Find Ithttp://www.theclimateregistry.org/downloads/GR
P.pdf
TCR Protocol – What it Covers
Geographic Scope Must report emissions sources in all of Canada, Mexico, and United
States Must indicate if any facility is located on lands designated to Tribal
Nations (Registry members) Can report worldwide emissions
Organizational Scope Operational Control Approach Equity Approach Can report either or both Special Considerations for Lease Treatment (Capital vs.
Operational leases)
Emissions Scope Must report Direct (Scope 1) and Indirect (Scope 2)
All 6 GHGs Stationary and Mobile sources (combustion, process, and fugitives) Imported Steam, Heat, and Power
Can report Other Indirect (Scope 3) – e.g., captive tolling, employee commuting
TCR Protocol – Option for First 2 Years Scope is reduced
Transitional report CO2 emissions only Stationary combustion All operations in at least one state Typically based on operational
control approach
Must be Verified by 3rd party
TCR Protocol – Other Items Base Year Designation
First year of full reporting (not transitional years) Update if emission changes exceed 5% of base year emissions No adjustments for acquisition (or insourcing) or divestments
(or outsourcing) that were not in the base year
De minimis Emissions 5% of total emissions (Scope 1 and 2) All emission sources accounted for in base year report cannot
be deemed de minimis in future years (even if emissions drop below 5%) – ensures comparability to base year
Efficiency Metrics – optional (e.g., tonnes CO2e per widget produced)
Verification Required annually by third-party Five-year verification cycle
Reporting Timeline Emissions submitted by June 30 and verified by December 15
Locating Emission Factors IPCC Guidelines for national inventory
calculations and emission factors Database on Greenhouse Gas Emission
Factors (EFDB) Contains IPCC default emission factors Search by source/sink categories, fuel type, and
emission gases Other sector/general protocols
(California Climate Action Registry) EPA’s Air Pollutant Emission Factors,
AP-42
Example:Direct Emissions fromStationary Combustion
Step 1: Identify all types of fuels combusted Step 2: Determine annual consumption of each fuel Step 3: Select appropriate emission factor for each
fuel Step 4: Calculate each fuel’s CO2 emissions Step 5: Calculate each fuel’s CH4 and N2O emissions Step 6: Convert CH4 and N2O to CO2e and sum all
GHG emissionsNote: assumes operational control, i.e., 100% of CO2e
emissions
Example – Acme Widget Co.Stationary Combustion
Sources Step 1: Identify fuel – natural gas Step 2: Annual fuel consumption
Step 3: Select appropriate emission factors (Table 12.1 of TCR Protocol) CO2 = 52.91 kg/MMBtu CH4 = 0.0059 kg/MMBtu N2O = 0.0001 kg/MMBtu
MMBtu 78,840 90% yr
hr 8,760
hr
MMBtu 10
Example – Acme Widget Co.Stationary Combustion
Sources Step 4: Calculate CO2 emissions
Step 5: Calculate CH4 and N2O emissions
44 CH MT 0.47
kg 1,000
MT
MMBtu
CH kg 0.0059 MMBtu 78,840
22 CO MT 4,171
kg 1,000
MT
MMBtu
CO kg 52.91 MMBtu 78,840
ON MT 0.0079 kg 1,000
MT
MMBtu
ON kg 0.0001 MMBtu 78,840 2
2
Example – Acme Widget Co.Stationary Combustion
Sources Step 6: Convert to CO2e and sum all GHG emissions
eCO MT 9.77 )CH of (GWP 21 CH MT 0.47 244
eCO MT 4,183 eCO MT 2.44 eCO MT 9.77 CO MT 4,171 2222
ON MT 2.44 O)N of (GWP 310 ON MT 0.0079 222
Conclusions
If you’re not developing a climate change strategy that includes a GHG emission inventory, consider acting now to ready yourself for future mandatory requirements.
Leave yourself time to correct inconsistencies or recordkeeping issues (data gaps) before mandatory requirements are knocking at your door
Consider basing your emission inventory after TCR’s protocol – likely future transition will be more seamless and you will be better prepared.
Over the long term, GHG emissions are a business asset. Therefore, accurate carbon quantification and well-conceived carbon strategy are a must.
Questions?