Carbon Reporting

Carbon Reporting - U.S. Takes Major First Step

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed a carbon reporting plan that would require certain industries to submit annual reports detailing their greenhouse gas emissions. The proposal is in line with other measures the EPA has been putting into place to minimize the impact that harmful chemicals are having on climate change. The plan serves as a foundation towards regulating and eventually reducing greenhouse gases.

The U.S. government’s carbon reporting proposal would impact the chemical, auto, fossil fuel and steel industries, as well as any company that emits 25,000 metric tons or more of greenhouse gases a year. This could include many facilities, manufacturing plants and warehouses that have refrigerant gas running through their refrigeration and air-conditioning (RAC) systems and heating, ventilation or air conditioning (HVAC) systems.

Carbon reporting is aimed at addressing the massive amount of pollutants emitted by certain industries. The depletion of the ozone layer and the beginning affects of global warming on the environment are attributed to greenhouse gas emissions. Many of these emissions are caused by manmade chemicals used in certain processes and systems, such as refrigeration and air-conditioning (RAC) systems and heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. These emissions have taken a toll on the environment over the years.

Under the EPAs carbon reporting proposal, carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, among them hydrofluorocarbons, methane, perfluorocarbons, nitrous oxide and sulfur hexafluoride, must be tracked so the federal agency can determine how much of these chemicals are discharged into the environment each year. This type of reporting has become a global effort, with similar treaties established in other foreign countries.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Registry Will Help Calculate Carbon Emissions to the Atmosphere

Complementing the carbon reporting plan is funding approved by the U.S. Congress to establish a Greenhouse Gas Emissions Registry by June 2009. This registry is in addition to the already established Climate Registry for calculating the release of carbon into the environment. Although participation in the Climate Registry is voluntary, 41 U.S. states currently participate.

Carbon reporting is a multifaceted process that requires an account of daily use of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases companywide. The equation also has to project the potential for greenhouse gas emissions and include the actual identification of carbon emissions caused by a leak or faulty operation.

EPA Requires Organizations to Comply with Annual Carbon Reporting Starting 2011

The EPA estimates that 13,000 facilities would fall under the carbon reporting proposal. These enterprises account for up to 90 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. For facilities with refrigeration and air-conditioning (RAC) systems or heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems in use, the reporting requirement is best handled with a refrigeration management program. The program handles the tedious process of tracking and reporting greenhouse gas emissions.

The EPA expects the carbon reporting requirement to take effect in 2010. That would mean the first annual report would be required by 2011. To address these complex regulations, many industries are relying on refrigerant tracking software that automatically handles all the monitoring and reporting requirements. This ensures that the information is complete, accurate and submitted to the EPA on time.

About Verisae

Verisae helps measure, manage and reduce equipment and energy costs including the related business and environmental impacts of carbon emissions. The Sustainability Resource Planning (“SRP”) software platform improves operational efficiency, protects brand integrity and helps ensure regulatory compliance for distributed enterprises across many industries. Verisae delivers a broad range of sustainability solutions to dozens of clients globally with thousands of daily users including an extended network of third-party suppliers. Verisae’s integrated sustainability platform actively tracks millions of assets across thousands of sites worldwide.

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