04-05-2012, 10:49 AM
CLIMATE LEADERS GREENHOUSE GAS INVENTORY PROTOCOL
OFFSET PROJECT METHODOLOGY
industrial_boiler_protocol.pdf (Size: 323.52 KB / Downloads: 51)
Introduction
An important objective of the Climate Leaders program is to focus corporate attention on
achieving cost-effective greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions within the boundary of the
organization (i.e., internal projects and reductions). Partners may also use reductions
and/or removals which occur outside their organizational boundary (i.e., external
reductions or “offsets”) to help them achieve their goals. To ensure that the GHG emission
reductions from offsets are credible, Partners must ensure that the reductions meet four
key accounting principles:
• Real: The quantified GHG reductions must represent actual emission reductions that
have already occurred.
• Additional: The GHG reductions must be surplus to regulation and beyond what
would have happened in the absence of the project or in a business-as-usual
scenario based on a performance standard methodology.
• Permanent: The GHG reductions must be permanent or have guarantees to ensure
that any losses are replaced in the future.
• Verifiable: The GHG reductions must result from projects whose performance can
be readily and accurately quantified, monitored and verified.
This guidance provides a performance standard (accounting methodology) for greenhouse
gas (GHG) offset projects that introduce more efficient (i.e., lower GHG emitting) boiler
technology for industrial process applications.1 The accounting methodology presented in
this paper addresses the eligibility of industrial boiler efficiency projects as GHG offset
projects and provides measurement and monitoring guidance. Program design issues (e.g.,
project lifetime, project start date) are not within the scope of this guidance and are
addressed in the Climate Leaders offset program overview document: Using Offsets to Help
Climate Leaders Achieve Their GHG Reduction Goals.2
Description of Project Type
Industrial boiler systems are used for heating with hot water or steam in industrial process
applications. There are approximately 43,000 industrial boilers in the United States.3 A
majority of these (71%) are located at facilities in the food, paper, chemicals, refining, and
1 There is no precise regulatory definition for an industrial boiler. An industrial boiler is typically defined by its common
function – a boiler that provides heat in the form of hot water or steam for co-located industrial process applications. The
industrial boiler category does not include utility boilers or commercial boilers as these do not provide the same service
as industrial boilers and are separately defined in Federal regulations.
2 Please visit http://www.epa.gov/climateleaders/resour...odule.html to download the overview document.
3 Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Characterization of the U.S. Industrial Commercial Boiler Population, May 2005
Climate Leaders August 2008
Industrial Boiler Efficiency - 4 -
primary metals industries. The major source of GHG emissions from a boiler system is
carbon dioxide (CO2) from the combustion of fossil fuels in the boiler. Other minor sources
of GHGs can include methane (CH4) from leaks in the natural gas distribution system and
CH4 and nitrous oxide (N2O) as byproducts of combustion processes.
This section provides information on the general parameters that the proposed boiler
project must match to use this performance standard.
Technology/Practice Introduced. This guidance document addresses the improved
efficiency of industrial boilers used for heat for industrial process applications by adding
advanced technologies (such as advanced heat recovery, controls and burners) to the
boiler system. These technology-based efficiency improvements can be achieved when
retrofitting or replacing an existing boiler with new technology, when purchasing a natural
gas boiler to meet new demand, and/or when switching from a fuel oil, coal or electricitybased
boiler to a natural gas boiler.