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A B C s of Carbon Emissions Accounting

A B C s of Carbon Emissions Accounting. Climate Change Information Center November 6, 2003. What is carbon emissions accounting?.

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A B C s of Carbon Emissions Accounting

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  1. ABCs of Carbon Emissions Accounting Climate Change Information Center November 6, 2003

  2. Whatis carbon emissions accounting? Carbon accounting records, summarizes and reports the quantity of carbon emissions by sources and removals by sinks as a direct result of human activities or natural processes that have been affected by human activities

  3. Whyconduct an accounting of carbon emissions? • provide information on which to build an effective strategy to manage GHG emissions • prerequisite for participation in GHG trading markets • demonstrate compliance with government regulations, if any are already in place

  4. UNFCCC Article 4 (a) • Develop, periodically update, publish and make available to the Conference of Parties national inventories of anthropogenic emissions by sources and removals by sinks of all greenhouse gases not controlled by the Montreal Protocol, using comparable methodologies to be agreed upon by the Conference of Parties

  5. Why is there a need to use a standard methodology? • allows comparability across all countries • ensures consistency, transparency and verifiability of the inventory

  6. Development of the methodology guidelines for national GHG inventories: • OECD Report on Estimation of GHG Emissions and Sinks (1991) • IPCC Guidelines for National GHG Inventories (1995) • Revised IPCC Guidelines for National GHG Inventories (1996) • *Good Practice Guidance and Uncertainty Management (2000)

  7. Good GHG accounting/inventory and reporting must be... • comparable • verifiable • relevant • complete • consistent • transparent • accurate

  8. GHG emissions • Carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) • Equivalent CO2 units Global Warming Potential • CO2 = 1 CO2 equivalent • CH4 = 21 CO2 equivalents • N2O = 310 CO2 equivalents • Other gases: HFCs, PFCs, and SF6 = 600 to 23,900 CO2equivalents

  9. Steps in carbon accounting: Identify boundary/ies Identify emission sources to be covered Select an emissions calculation approach Collect activity data and choose emission factors Apply calculation tool to estimate emissions

  10. global national community/ project Levels/boundaries of accounting • organizational • operational (companies) • geographical • project - based

  11. Emission Categories Direct emissions emissions within project control, as a direct result of project intervention, e.g. waste heat utilization Indirect emissions outside project control, from changes in secondary energy carriers and materials as a result of project intervention, e.g. reduced import of heat supplied by an outside heating plant On-site and Off-site emissions In and out of project boundary

  12. Emission Categories Upstream emissions material impacts of activities that relate to the project activity but occur before it Downstream emissions material impacts of activities that relate to the project but occur after the project activity Full cycle accounting a comprehensive accounting of all the significant emissions related to a project

  13. Direct emissions

  14. Indirect emissions

  15. Who can do the accounting? • acquainted with the basics of climate change • proficient in basic mathematical operations • computer literate (i.e. Excel) • familiar with activity or project process that results in carbon emissions

  16. GHG = A x EF Accounting Equation where, GHG = emissions (amount of CO2 or CH4, etc) A = activity data (liters of fuel, bag of cement) EF = emission factor (kg CO2/liter of fuel, kg CO2/bag cement)

  17. GHG = A x EF A (activity data) - data on the magnitude of human activity resulting in emissions or removals taking place during a given period of time (e.g. liters of fuel consumed, etc) EF (emission factor) - a coefficient that relates the activity data to the amount of chemical compound which is the source of eventual emissions. Emission factors are often based on a sample of measurement data, averaged to develop a representative rate of emission for a given activity level under a given set of operating conditions (e.g. amount of carbon/unit activity)

  18. GHG = A x EF tons CO2 = tons of cement produced x 0.4985 tons CO2/ton of cement produced Sample Emissions Calculation: Emissions from Cement Production

  19. Emissions Reduction GHG = A x EF To reduce GHG emissions: • lower A = decreasing frequency or magnitude of activity • lower EF = shifting to more efficient, less carbon intensive technology • lower both at the same time

  20. Emissions Reduction Business as usual: baseline CO2 emission Reduced emissions (CER) Project implemented Start of project End of project year

  21. Other terms used for Scenarios: Baseline = Business as Usual (BAU scenario) = Reference Scenario = Without Project Scenario Project = Alternative Project scenario = With Project Scenario

  22. Emissions Reduction Calculations - objective is to define reference and project scenarios and determine the net difference in GHG emissions between these two scenarios GHGredn = GHGbase – GHGproj = emissions reduction due to existence of the project GHGbase = an estimation of emissions assuming that no alternative project was implemented GHGproj = measures the GHG emissions following project implementation

  23. GHGredn = GHGbase– GHGproj = (A*EF)base – (A*EF)proj *In renewable energy projects where EFs of the project are considered zero: zero GHGredn = (A*EF)base– (A*0)proj = (A*EF)base GHGredn = GHGbase * hydro, solar, wind - excludes leakage and other direct and indirect emissions

  24. CDM Eligible Projects • Renewable energy • Fuel switching • End-use energy efficiency improvements • Supply-side energy efficiency improvement • Agriculture (reduction of CH4 & NO2 emissions) • Industrial processes (CO2 from cement, HFCs, etc) • Sink projects (only afforestation & reforestation) Energy Industries

  25. Sample CDM Projects and Emissions Reduction 1. Renewable Energy Projects (Hydro, Wind, Biomass) - lower emission factor --> CO2 savings 2. Landfill Gas to Energy Projects - capture and utilize methane from landfill; and displace fossil fuel used to generate electricity --> CO2 and CH4 savings 3. Energy Efficiency Projects - lower electricity consumption due to more efficient equipment or appliance --> CO2 savings

  26. Sample CDM Projects and Emissions Reduction Calculation Renewable Energy Projects Hydro: Aquarius Hydrothermal Project Wind: Burgos Wind Energy Project Hands-on Exercises: Wind: Wigton Wind Farm Project

  27. Some References for estimating CO2 emissions and emissions reduction: • Revised IPCC Guidelines for National GHG Inventories (1996) • GHG Assessment Handbook, 1998 – World Bank • GHG Protocol – www.ghgprotocol.org • IPCC Database on Greenhouse Gas Emission Factors (EFDB) - http://www.ipcc-nggip.iges.or.jp/EFDB/main.php • USEPA Emission Inventory Improvement Program http://www.epa.gov/ttn/chief/eiip/techreport/volume08/index.html • PROBASE(forestry)http://e-serem.epu.ntua.gr/

  28. Thank you! Climate Change Information Center Manila Observatory Ateneo de Manila Campus Loyola Heights, Quezon City Tel. No. 426-5921 Email: pccic@observatory.ph Website: http://www.klima.ph

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