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What's New
Indirect Emissions from Purchased Electricity Calculation Tool has Been Posted
November 2009
The Energy Information Administration (EIA) is pleased to announce that the Indirect Emissions from Purchased Electricity calculation tool is now available on the “Reporting Tools” page under “Reporting Quick Links” of the Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Program homepage at http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/1605/index.html.
The Indirect Emissions from Purchased Electricity tool is a spreadsheet-based tool, developed by EIA, designed to determine indirect carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from Electricity Purchases based on default and source-specific emission factors.
The Program’s General Guidelines provide that reporters must report indirect emissions arising from the consumption of electricity, steam, and hot and chilled water generated by and purchased from other entities separately from direct emissions in their Emissions Inventories. This worksheet applies the methods and standards for estimating emissions from the electricity component of these energy purchases, as laid out in the Program’s Technical Guidelines, Part F.
If you have any questions concerning this calculation tool, or any general questions about the Program, please do not hesitate to contact the Communications Center at InfoGHG@eia.doe.gov or call toll free at 1-800-803-5182.
Version 2.0 of the Simplified Emissions Inventory Tool (SEIT) has been finalized and posted
October 2009
The Energy Information Administration (EIA) is pleased to announce that version 2.0 of the Simplified Emissions Inventory Tool (SEIT) is now available on the “Reporting Tools” page under “Reporting Quick Links” of the Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Program homepage at http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/1605/index.html.
SEIT is a spreadsheet-based tool, developed by EIA, for translating common physical indicators into a preliminary estimate of greenhouse gas emissions. According to the Program’s General Guidelines, SEIT should be used for the following purposes:
- To estimate emissions for purposes of determining whether the entity is a small or large emitter;
- For estimating the quantity of emissions excluded as de minimis; and
- For developing preliminary estimates of an entity’s greenhouse gas emissions.
Please note that the preliminary estimates developed using SEIT should not be used to prepare, in whole or in part, entity-wide emission inventories required for the registration of emissions reductions (see General Guidelines, §300.2). In the case of registering emission reductions, methods outlined in the Program’s Technical Guidelines should be employed.
If you have any questions concerning the SEIT tool, or any general questions about the Program, please do not hesitate to contact the Communications Center at InfoGHG@eia.doe.gov or call toll free at 1-800-803-5182.
Revised Launch Schedule Posted On Web Site
September 2009
The Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Program has posted the current schedule for the 2009 launch of the enhanced Program, which can be viewed here. Please note that this schedule is subject to change. If you have any questions, contact the Communications Center at InfoGHG@eia.doe.gov or 1-800-803-5182.
Greenhouse Gases Program Comaparison Chart Updated
July 2009
The Energy Information Administration (EIA) has developed a chart illuminating some of the key differences among the various greenhouse gas reporting programs, which included: The Climate Registry, California Climate Action Registry, EPA Climate Leaders, and Chicago Climate Exchange. The chart has been recently updated to include the proposed EPA Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Program.
Frequently Asked Questions have been Posted
May 2009
The Energy Information Administration (EIA) is pleased to announce that the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) section of the enhanced Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gases or 1605(b) Program website has been posted. The FAQ pages include over 100 questions and answers pertaining to 1605(b) basics, reporting essentials, industry-specific topics, and climate science terminology.
The FAQs are available at http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/1605/FAQ_Index.htm and a link to the FAQs can be found in the right hand “Reporting Quick Links” of the Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Program website homepage.
Currently Available in the FAQ Index Section
The FAQs cover the 14 topics below.
Thank you for your patience as we work to improve the 1605(b) Program. Please do not hesitate to contact the Program’s Communications Center at 1-800-803-5182 or infoghg@eia.doe.gov if you have any questions about the revised 1605(b) Program.
Revised Propane Emission Factors Posted On Web Site
April 2009
The Energy Information Administration (EIA) has revised the emission factors that are to be used by participants in EIA’s Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Program to calculate emissions of carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide resulting from the use of propane in stationary and mobile combustion sources. The revision is meant to correct for a minor error in the density of propane upon which the factors are based. A link to the revised factors can be found by clicking on “Emissions Factors” on the Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Program Web site homepage (http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/1605/index.html) and then choosing “Fuel Emissions Factors”.
Please do not hesitate to contact the Program’s Communications Center at 1-800-803-5182 or infoghg@eia.doe.gov if you have any questions about the revised 1605(b) Program.
What Can You Report in 2009?
April 2009
We have been working to re-launch the Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gases (“1605(b)”) Program since the guidelines were revised in April 2007. Software development and testing delays pushed the Program re-launch, originally scheduled for fall 2008, to summer 2009. See the revised schedule.
Since no data have been collected since 2006 (for data year 2005), we have received several questions as to whether you will be able to submit data for 2006, 2007, and 2008 when reporting resumes.
Yes, EIA will be accepting data for 2006, 2007, and 2008 into your Start Year reports, provided they are included in your Base Period. The data years you submit in 2009 will depend on what Base Period you select.
Here is a summary of what you can report in 2009:
- If you intend to “register” emission reductions, you may submit a Start Year report for 2002 or later, i.e., with a Base Period ending no earlier than 2002 and no later than 2008. (If your entity participates in the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Climate Leaders Program or the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Climate VISION Program and has made an emission reduction commitment using a base year earlier than 2002, you may use that earlier year as the last year of your Base Period for the purposes of registering reductions provided it is no earlier than 2000.)
- If you intend to “report but not register” emission reductions, you may submit a Start Year report for 1990 or later, i.e., with a Base Period ending no earlier than 1990.
Once EIA has approved your Start Year report, you will be able to submit reports for all years following your Base Period through 2009. If you intend to register emission reductions, you must submit reports for all intervening years since gaps in reporting are not permitted.
If you have any questions concerning what you can report to the Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Program in 2009, or any general questions about the Program, please do not hesitate to contact the Communications Center at InfoGHG@eia.doe.gov or call toll free at 800-803-5182.
1605(b) Web Site Redesigned for Enhanced Program
February 2009
The Energy Information Administration (EIA) is pleased to announce the launch of the enhanced Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gases or 1605(b) Program Web site. The site has been redesigned in anticipation of the launch of revised 1605(b) Program. It provides online access to all 1605(b) information and materials, including new reporting forms conforming to the revised guidelines that were finalized in March 2006 (General Guidelines) and January 2007 (Technical Guidelines). As the reporting cycle for data through 2008 nears, we will continue to add updated content to support the preparation of reports under the revised guidelines.
The lists below describe the resources currently available on—and coming soon to—this web site.
Thank you for your patience as we work to improve the 1605(b) Program. Please do not hesitate to contact the Program’s Communications Center at 1-800-803-5182 or infoghg@eia.doe.gov if you have any questions about the revised 1605(b) Program.
Currently Available
Original 1605(b) Program: Archive of all legacy VRGG Program information, including links to the original guidelines, forms, software, reports, and data.
Getting Started: Useful conceptual questions to help entities begin preparing their reports. Also available is the Getting Started Tool, an interactive Excel workbook used to determine what parts of Form EIA-1605 reporters need to complete.
Reporting Guidelines: Links to the Revised General and Technical Guidelines, available in PDF form.
Emission Factors and GWPs: The instructions, tables, and factors needed to prepare emission inventories, calculate emission reductions, and convert emissions from native units to carbon dioxide equivalents.
Coming Soon
Reporting Schedule: Details about this year's reporting cycle schedule.
Reporting Tools: Spreadsheet-based tools created to guide reporters in the calculations of their emissions and emission reductions.
Forms and Instructions: EIA currently offers access to the paper version of Form EIA—1605(b) and its instructions. By the fall, EIA expects this page to provide a gateway to the Web-based, electronic reporting system.
Data and Reports: Data and reports for each reporting cycle under the revised Program as they are produced. Legacy program data and reports will also be available.
FAQs: Questions and answers pertaining to 1605(b) basics, reporting essentials, industry-specific topics, and climate science terminology for potential reporters.
Revised Fuel Emission Factors Posted On Web Site
May 2008
The Energy Information Administration (EIA) has revised the fuel emission factors that may be used to calculate emissions of carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide resulting from the use of fossil and other fuels in stationary and mobile combustion sources. A link to these emission factors can be found under “Emissions Factors and GWPs” on the Technical Assistance page on the Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Program Web site. These emission factors will be included as Appendix H in revised instructions to Form EIA-1605, which will be posted on EIA’s Web site shortly.
In addition to correcting errors in the emission factors included in the Technical Guidelines, emission factors for all fuels, with the exception of municipal solid waste (MSW), have been revised to reflect 100 percent oxidation, which is the default oxidation factor specified by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories (Revised April 2007). The emission factor for MSW assumes 98 percent oxidation.
EIA is currently overhauling the Web site for the Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Program and will send an e-mail announcement when the updated site is ready.
Please do not hesitate to contact the Program’s Communications Center at 1-800-803-5182 or infoghg@eia.doe.gov if you have any questions about the revised 1605(b) Program.
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