The Reserve uses an internal screening process to identify candidate project types with good potential for offset protocol development. The Reserve takes into consideration a number of issues when assessing a project type for further development, including but not limited to:

• Does the project type create direct or indirect emission reductions?
• What is the likelihood that the sector where the project activity occurs will be covered under a future cap-and-trade system?
• What are the total potential GHG reductions that could result from this type of project?
• Are there potential positive or negative environmental impacts from this type of project activity?
• Are there existing methodologies or protocols that could serve as a starting point?
• Are there high quality datasets to evaluate “business as usual” activities for the sector in which the project activity occurs?

This page provides information on project types that the Reserve is assessing and/or has assessed for protocol development. Please see the Protocols in Progress page for information on protocols currently under development.

Share Your Ideas

Have an idea for a new emission reduction project? We want to hear from you! Please fill out the form below and email to policy@climateactionreserve.org.

• Project Concept Submission Form

Issue Papers

In March 2009, the Reserve issued a request for proposals (RFP) to develop issue papers for four prospective project types:

• Operations and Maintenance of Natural Gas Transmission and Distribution Systems
• Methane Avoidance from Composting
• Soil Carbon Sequestration – Biochar
• Truck Stop Electrification

These issue papers will be completed this fall and will then be made available on this webpage for download. The issue papers will assist the Reserve in determining whether to move forward with protocol development for these project types.

A previous RFP for issue papers was released in June 2008 which resulted in the development of five issue papers. Please see below for the Reserve’s conclusions about whether to pursue protocol development on each project type and links to download the issue papers.

• Blended Cement Production
• Boiler Efficiency Improvements
• Bus Fleet Upgrades
• Bus Rapid Transit
• Soil Sequestration – Cropland & Rangeland
• Tidal Wetland Restoration

Project Type: Blended Cement Production
Issue Paper: Completed — Download PDF
Assessment: Limited U.S. potential
Remarks: Although there is significant potential for emission reductions from using blended cement in the United States, most or all of the emissions from cement plants and/or concrete batch plants are likely to be capped in the near future (e.g., 2012 in California, 2015 under federal proposals). Furthermore, higher-blend cement is often a cheaper alternative than standard blends; as the issue paper makes clear, institutional, contractual, market-structure, and regulatory barriers stand in the way of greater use of blended cement. It is not clear that voluntary offset credits would be sufficient to overcome these barriers in the limited time available for crediting before the likely onset of cap-and-trade regulation.

Project Type: Boiler Efficiency Improvements
Issue Paper: Completed — Download PDF
Assessment: Promising
Remarks: Boiler efficiency projects are amenable to standardized baselines and additionality determinations, and standardized protocols for U.S. projects have already been developed (RGGI, Climate Leaders). There is significant technical potential for reductions, especially for industrial and commercial boilers (> 75 million tons CO2/year). Although GHG emissions from boilers are likely to be capped (as early as 2012 for large industrial boilers; 2015 for others), there may be cost-effective potential for accelerating improvements in boiler efficiency through offset crediting prior to cap-and-trade. The Reserve is conducting further examination into project costs before making a final decision on protocol development.

Project Type: Bus Fleet Upgrades
Issue Paper: Completed — Download PDF
Assessment: Standardized protocol would be difficult; possible limited potential
Remarks: Although this is otherwise a promising project type, the issue paper indicates that limitations in national-level data point to the need to develop fleet-specific performance standards for baseline and additionality determination. Furthermore, bus fleet emissions would be capped under some U.S. policy proposals as early as 2015; it is not clear given the potential cost and time required for implementation of bus fleet upgrade projects whether offset credits would significantly accelerate their development prior to the onset of cap-and-trade regulation.

Project Type: Bus Rapid Transit
Issue Paper: Completed — Download PDF
Assessment: Not promising in U.S.
Remarks: Based on the issue paper, Reserve staff believe there is limited cost-effective potential for this type of project in the United States (without subsidy, the typical cost would be on the order of thousands of dollars per ton of CO2 reduced). In addition, this type of project is not clearly amenable to standardized baselines or additionality tests. Finally, as the paper indicates, bus fleet emissions would be capped under some U.S. policy proposals as early as 2015; it is not clear given the cost hurdles and lead times for development of BRT projects whether offset credits would significantly accelerate development of these kinds of projects prior to the onset of cap-and-trade regulation.

Project Type: Soil Sequestration – Cropland & Rangeland
Issue Paper: Not completed
Assessment: N/A
Remarks: While issue papers were not completed on these project types, the Reserve continues to explore the viability of these project types and others in the agricultural sector. The Reserve is aware of ongoing independent efforts to assess the application of standardized protocols to soil carbon projects, including a study now being undertaken by the Nicholas Institute at Duke University. We plan to assess the potential for agriculture protocol development in parallel with this study, which will launch in Fall 2009. The need for further issue papers on specific agriculture offset options will be evaluated on an ongoing basis. Please check this webpage for updates and new issue paper RFPs..

Project Type: Tidal Wetland Restoration
Issue Paper: Completed — Download PDF
Assessment: Not ready for protocol development
Remarks: As indicated in the issue paper, significant further research is required to develop accurate quantification and baseline estimation methods for this type of project. Also, developing standardized baselines and additionality tests would probably be difficult. The Reserve may re-evaluate this type of project in the future as research progresses.