Background
In December 2007[1], the California Air Resources Board (ARB) finalized its Mandatory GHG Emissions Reporting Regulation. This regulation requires annual reporting and periodic verification of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from cement plants; petroleum refineries; hydrogen plants; electricity generating facilities, retail providers, and marketers; cogeneration facilities; and facilities with stationary combustion emissions totaling 25,000 metric tons of CO2 per year and greater. Initial GHG inventory submittals for the 2008 reporting year (due June 1, 2009) were allowed to utilize “best available data and methods.” Submittals for 2009 (due to ARB by April 1 or June 1, 2010, depending on the facility type) and later reporting years will be required to comply with all data collection, analysis, calculation, and verification provisions of the regulation.
In September 2009, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized its own mandatory GHG reporting rule[2]. EPA’s rule requires annual reporting by specified sources (including petroleum refineries and electricity generating facilities subject to the federal acid rain program), specified sources emitting 25,000 or more metric tons of GHGs per year (including electricity generating facilities not subject to the federal acid rain program, ethanol plants, hydrogen plants, oil and gas production, and industrial wastewater systems), stationary fuel combustion producing 25,000 or more metric tons of GHGs per year (reporting limited to combustion sources), and fossil fuel suppliers. The regulation would require data collection beginning January 1, 2010, with the first report due on March 31, 2011 (for the reporting year 2010).
ALG’s GHG Reporting Services
ALG is uniquely positioned to provide the following GHG reporting services:
GHG Verification Services
ALG is an Accredited Verification Body[3] with an experienced, well-qualified team of Accredited Lead Verifiers and other technical experts to provide independent verification services for California GHG Emissions Data Reports, including:
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- Fully accredited to address all sectors, including cement, refinery, and electricity transaction sectors
- Verification and Sampling Plans
- Site visits to verify equipment, review data collection, and collect other required information
- Source prioritization based on emissions and uncertainty
- Data checks/completeness reviews
- GHG factor/protocol verification
- Verification findings review with the facility operator
- Verification Opinion preparation and submittal
ALG maintains a system to identify, track, report, and mitigate potential conflicts of interest to ensure that conflicts can be timely identified and resolved with minimal delay.
GHG Inventory Services
ALG’s team of engineers and technical specialists, many of whom have over 20 years of experience, is well-qualified to provide the following services to satisfy GHG emissions inventory services:
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- Data collection/retrieval
- Data completeness review
- GHG factor/protocol identification
- Maintaining change logs on changes to methods/procedures for compiling data and estimating emissions
- Emission calculations
- Quality control checks of data and emission calculations
- Quality assurance review of facility emissions inventories
- Emissions inventory preparation and submittal
- Advise on preparing for GHG inventory verification and resolving deficiencies identified by the verifier
GHG Reduction Services
ALG can also assist in identifying, evaluating, and prioritizing GHG emission reduction opportunities:
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- Existing GHG emissions/facility review
- Identification of available technologies to reduce GHGs
- Technical feasibility assessment
- GHG/other pollutant reductions, retrofit/operating costs, and monetary/ancillary benefits
- Prioritization of opportunities
- GHG emissions reduction plans
To download a copy of our GHG Brochure click here:
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