| Sourced From RGGI.Org |
May 15, 2009 — Draft model verifier Accreditation Applications, offset project Consistency Applications, and offset project Monitoring and Verification Report materials for offsets under the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) state CO2 Budget Trading Programs are now available at www.rggi.org. The draft model materials are intended to help potential project sponsors and project verifiers collect necessary documentation before state-specific applications and submittal materials are released later this month.
NOTE: Draft model materials are being released for information purposes only and should not be submitted to the RGGI participating states.
Model materials for accreditation of independent verifiers are available at: http://www.rggi.org/offsets/update/verifiers.
Model offset project Consistency Applications and Monitoring and Verification Reports are now available at http://www.rggi.org/offsets/update/sponsors. Model materials are available for the following offset project categories:
- reduction in emissions of sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) in the electricity transmission and distribution sector
- carbon sequestration due to afforestation
- landfill methane capture and destruction
Model application and submittal materials for the remaining offset categories (end-use energy efficiency in the building sector and avoided methane emissions from agricultural manure management operations) will be released within the next two weeks.
For more information please see the Status Update on RGGI Offset Application and Submittal Materials and Verifier Accreditation Process at: http://www.rggi.org/docs/offset_status_update_5_14_09.pdf
About RGGI offsets
RGGI provides for compliance flexibility through the use of emissions offsets. The emissions offset provisions of the participating states’ regulations allow for the award of CO2 offset allowances to projects outside the capped sector (the electric sector) that reduce or sequester emissions of greenhouse gases.
CO2 offset allowances may be used to satisfy a limited portion of a regulated power plant’s compliance obligation. The use of CO2 offset allowances is constrained to 3.3 percent of a power plant’s total compliance obligation during a control period, though this may be expanded to 5 percent and 10 percent if certain CO2 allowance price thresholds are reached.
The RGGI participating states have developed prescriptive standards for specific offset project categories to ensure that offsets are real, additional, verifiable, enforceable, and permanent. The following five offset project categories are eligible under the participating states’ regulations:
- Landfill methane capture and destruction
- Reduction in emissions of sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) in the electricity transmission and distribution sector
- Sequestration of carbon due to afforestation
- Reduction or avoidance of CO2 emissions from natural gas, oil, or propane end-use combustion due to end-use energy efficiency in the building sector
- Avoided methane emissions from agricultural manure management operation
