With market uncertainty on the rise, many renewable natural gas (RNG) players are looking to diversify their credit pools. This EcoEngineers webinar introduces the audience to the Midwest Renewable Energy Tracking System (M-RETS) and its third-party verification process. We examine the similarities and differences between audits under M-RETS, the California Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS), and the U.S. Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Current and prospective renewable thermal certificate (RTC) generators will receive new insight into the process from one of the industry’s top verification bodies and learn how it could apply to their business. This comparative approach guides generators through the process by using familiar programs to build their understanding in an easy-to-digest manner.
There has been a growing focus on Scope 1, 2, and 3 carbon emissions, both in governmental body legislation and individual company climate goals. But what do they really mean? And how does a company search up and down its supply chain to account for its emissions? The carbon experts at EcoEngineers will describe these scopes and how to measure and report them, with an emphasis on Scope 3 demands. Through the lens of a plastic bottle manufacturer, we will discuss the reporting options, potential uses of the data, next steps for companies facing greenhouse gas reporting requirements, and how these measurements can put your company at a competitive advantage above other firms. We hope you can join us!
In late June, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) released the long-awaited Set Rule final language for its Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Although the pathway for the generation of Renewable Identification Number (RIN) credits associated with renewable electricity and vehicle charging (eRINs) was removed, other highly significant changes impacting the biogas and renewable natural gas (RNG) industry were retained. One of those important changes includes RIN apportionment between D3 and D5 RINs whereby digesters can now continue to generate D3 RINs through biogas or RNG from wastewater or manure, and further generate D5 RINs through any additional biogas or RNG produced from accepting and co-digesting food waste. This effectively allows digesters to capture D3 RIN revenue that was not previously possible.
Learn more from the technical and regulatory experts at EcoEngineers on how your biogas and RNG projects can benefit from this newly implemented change.
This webinar originally aired on December 6, 2023.
The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) signed into law August 2022 contains potentially more than $100 billion of tax incentives over its lifetime. Project developers have the opportunity to seize on and set in motion a rapid-growth pathway for the clean hydrogen economy. This 10-year tax credit is extremely valuable and represents a substantial share of the economic proposition for clean hydrogen production. Specifically, the IRA’s 45V tax credit requires emissions from hydrogen production to meet a low-carbon threshold on a well-to-gate life-cycle basis. To determine eligibility, project developers need a carbon intensity (CI) score.
In this webinar, EcoEngineers will speak about carbon Life-Cycle Analysis (LCA), including factors that affect CI, project eligibility and compliance, and delve into strategies for project developers to navigate regulatory uncertainty effectively and share practical guidance on technology selection.
This webinar originally aired on November 16, 2023.
With several state, federal, and voluntary carbon market (VCM) incentives available, the ethanol industry has a unique opportunity to reinvent itself. The range of clean fuel regulations across the U.S. and Canada, along with the IRA and bipartisan Infrastructure Law, provide new opportunities to decarbonize ethanol.
In this webinar, we discuss how ethanol producers can incorporate technologies such as carbon capture and sequestration (CCS), hydrogen, renewable natural gas (RNG), biomass based heat, renewable electricity, and sustainable agriculture to significantly lower the carbon intensity (CI) of their products in order to access future compliance, voluntary and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) markets.
In addition, we will discuss why partnerships with supply chains that embrace sustainable farming practices create a holistic approach to reducing the CI score of an ethanol plant’s products and overall carbon footprint. Our expert panelists will dissect the potential benefits, challenges, the regulatory landscape shaping this transformative journey, and provide recommendations on how ethanol producers can successfully chart a path toward a greener, more sustainable future.
This webinar originally aired on October 24, 2023.
In 2019, the European Union (EU) proposed the most advanced climate and energy package in the world: the Green Deal. Its strategic ideas were then incorporated in a number of legislative proposals in the Fit for 55 package. Most of these proposals have become laws in 2023 that introduce new low-carbon and environmental obligations for energy-intensive industries so that the EU could fulfill its pledge of carbon neutrality by 2050.
In this webinar, EcoEngineers presents key elements of the EU strategy for climate neutrality and energy transition such as the upcoming reform of the Emission Trading Scheme (ETS, a cap-and-trade system) and Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) that will put a carbon price on certain goods imported to the EU We speak about the new approach toward decarbonization of transportation fuels and certain limiting rules pertaining to biofuels. We also discuss the EU’s approach to maintain the competitiveness of the domestic industry investing in low-carbon solutions.
This webinar originally aired on September 13, 2023.
In the ever-dynamic carbon markets the half-life of innovation is brief. Both the ability to raise capital for initial deployment and to generate credits to sustain operations depend on the legitimacy of the climate-related claims being made by a company. With hundreds of new entrants into the voluntary carbon markets this year in response to climate change and a new generation of buyers, we need to find every efficiency in moving projects forward at a rapid clip.
This webinar intends to provide an overview of the process and terminology involved with credit generation for project developers who find themselves without an easy, well-trodden path to follow. One of these terms is CDR, or Carbon Dioxide Removal. We present the stages in developing a high-integrity monitoring, reporting, and verification plan in the modern marketplace.
EcoEngineers’ Carbon Literacy training is designed to bring together internal stakeholders, from the CEO, CFO and Chief Sustainability Officer to operations managers and frontline staff, to develop a shared vocabulary and speak the same language related to the energy transition.
Hundreds of attendees joined us for a sneak peek of this training and learned the basics of the new carbon world, and came away with ideas on how to educate your staff, investors, and stakeholders on these topics. The panelists also answered a number of questions at the end of the program.
This webinar originally aired on January 25, 2023.
We answer questions from our most recent webinar on credit stacking
Decarbonization has become a priority across every industry, and state and federal regulatory legislations cannot accommodate them all at once. This is where the voluntary carbon market shines. But what is the voluntary carbon market? Does your business qualify? And can your efforts be rewarded in both regulatory and voluntary markets? Experts at EcoEngineers answered these questions and more in our webinar on Dec. 20, 2022. Climate Risk Director Roxby Hartley, Ph.D., and Senior Carbon Consultant David LaGreca were the webinar experts. Together they have answered some of the more popular questions from the webinar below. Keep in mind without proper due diligence and knowledge gathering required to answer on specific projects, we are speaking mostly in industry generalities. Watch the full webinar here.
If carbon credits are sold (emissions have been reduced in the creation of such credits), can the project owner claim those reductions in addition to selling the credits?
DL: Short answer is no. There are claims that can be made, but not ones that directly apply the emissions reduction to the project owner.
How does one learn about the Voluntary Carbon Market?
DL: EcoEngineers has a whole suite of training and educational workshops including Carbon Literacy, Voluntary Markets 101, and more. Contact clientservices@ecoengineers.us to learn more. Another good resource is carboncredits.com. News media can be somewhat unreliable due to politicking.
Are removal credits and offset credits worth the same?
DL: Not at this moment. Nature-based removals credits (soils, afforestation, blue carbon) are presently commanding a premium over nature-based offset credits (avoided deforestation, avoided emissions, renewable energy, etc). Biochar, direct air capture, and other novel removal technologies are presently being offered at 10-100 times traditional offset credits.
Can companies operating outside of the US take advantage of credit stacking, too?
DL: Yes, however, 45Q and some other incentives are specifically for US-based operations. Credit stacking is a specialized approach to project finance that must be tailored to the particular geography and policy structure where the activity is taking place.
Beyond California, Oregon, and Washington — and now all of Canada — what do you see as the next state(s) to implement an LCFS program, and when?
RH: New Mexico and New York are the current front runners.
What is the impact of eRINs on credit stacking? ?
DL: RECs generation will likely be impacted, and it may impact the additionality of voluntary carbon credit projects. The program will likely be parallel to RINs as far as how it effects credit stacking with LCFS, voluntary markets, and tax incentives.
How do direct air capture CO2 (DAC), biogenic CO2, and post-combustion credits?
DL: The measurement, review, and verify (MRV) process is different for each crediting approach. Under 45Q of the IRA, the maximum credit value is the same. For voluntary crediting schemes, the various registries treat each one differently (ACR vs VCS). The value of each credit is different as well, with DAC commanding the highest price today, with carbon capture next, and post-combustion being of lower relative value.
Has the EPA approved woody biomass RINs for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF)?
RH: No – but there are multiple projects interested in using lignocellulosic feedstocks for many different fuel.
If your RNG is used to make Hydrogen, can you earn carbon credits also?
DL: Most likely you could earn IRA tax incentives, but the methodology for offset credits using hydrogen requires particular feedstocks and monitoring. It is possible, on a case-by-case basis.
Do you know how long it takes for CARB to approve Sequestration Sites required to be counted for LCFS? Has this successfully been done?
RH: It took CARB about 2 1/2 years, but it has been done.
We hope you enjoyed both the webinar and the extra information provided in this follow up. For more information about carbon credit stacking opportunities, contact Roxby at rhartley@ecoengineers.us or David at dlagreca@ecoengineers.us.
Decarbonization has become a priority across every industry, and state and federal regulatory legislations cannot accommodate them all at once. This is where the voluntary carbon market shines.
But what is the voluntary carbon market? Does your business qualify? And can your efforts be rewarded in both regulatory and voluntary markets? Experts at EcoEngineers answered these questions and more in our webinar on Dec. 20, 2022.
The panelists also answered a number of questions at the end of the program. Check back for our 10 Questions feature from the webinar panelists on our blog in the next couple of weeks!
