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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
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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 • 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.
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 It http://www.theclimateregistry.org/downloads/GRP.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 emissions Note: 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
Example – Acme Widget Co.Stationary Combustion Sources • Step 4: Calculate CO2 emissions • Step 5: Calculate CH4 and N2O emissions
Example – Acme Widget Co.Stationary Combustion Sources • Step 6: Convert to CO2e and sum all GHG emissions
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.