Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) for Industry. Industrial installations covered by the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) are required to have an approved monitoring plan, according to which they monitor and report their emissions during the year. The data in the annual emissions report must be verified before 31 March each year by an accredited verifier.
The range of our services within the Regulatory European Framework are as follows:
GHG Verification
The EU emissions trading system (EU ETS) is the most important policy instrument introduced by the European Union to combat climate change and its key tool for reducing industrial greenhouse gas emissions cost-effectively. EU ETS is the first and yet biggest international system for trading greenhouse gas emission allowances, covering and involving more than 11.000 power stations and industrial plants in 31 countries, as well as airlines.
EU ETS is based on the «cap and trade» principle. This means there is a «cap», or limit, on the total amount of certain greenhouse gases that can be emitted by the factories, power plants and other installations in the system. Within this cap, companies receive emission allowances which they can sell to or buy from one another as needed. The limit on the total number of allowances available ensures that they have a value.
At the end of each year each company must surrender enough allowances to cover all its emissions, otherwise heavy fines are imposed. If a company reduces its emissions, it can keep the spare allowances to cover its future needs or else sell them to another company that is short of allowances. The flexibility that trading brings ensures that emissions are cut where it costs least to do so.
Industrial installations covered by the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) are required to have an approved monitoring plan, according to which they monitor and report their emissions during the year. In the case of industrial installations, the monitoring plan forms part of the approved permit that is also required.
The data in the annual emissions report must be verified before 31 March each year by an accredited verifier, like Swiss Approval International affiliate network. Once verified, operators must surrender the equivalent number of allowances by 30 April of the same year. Common rules for monitoring and reporting, as well as the accreditation of verifiers and the verification of annual emissions reports are important for ensuring the quality of the annually reported emissions and the credibility of the data.
This annual procedure of monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV), as well as all processes connected to these activities are known as the “compliance cycle” of the EU ETS.
EU ETS is now in Phase III, running from 2013 to 2020. A major revision approved in 2009 in order to strengthen the system means the third phase is significantly different from the two previous phases and is based on rules which are far more harmonised than before.
Baseline Data
For period 2013-2020 the system for allocating emission allowances will have many change compared to the two previous trading periods.Firstly, emission allowances will be distributed according to fully harmonised and EU-wide rules, meaning that the same rules will apply across all EU Member States. Secondly, auctioning will be the rule for the power sector, which means that the majority of allowances under the EU Emissions Trading System will not anymore be allocated for free.
According to Decision 2011/278/EU determining transitional Union-wide rules for harmonised free allocation of emission allowances the allocation is calculated more or less based on the following formula:
Allocation = Benchmark X Historical activity level X Carbon leakage exposure factor X Cross-sectoral correction factor OR linear factor
A benchmark does not represent an emission limit or even an emission reduction target but merely a threshold for the level of free allocation of an individual installation. Generally speaking a product benchmark is based on a value reflecting the average greenhouse gas performance of the 10 % best performing installations in the EU producing that product.
In 2013, the free allocation is 80% of the quantity determined via these rules, going down to 30% in 2020. An exception is made for activities that are deemed to be exposed to a significant risk of carbon leakage.
Conducting the verification of baseline historical data falls under the same general regulatory framework as the verification of stationary installations according to 2003/87/EC and 2007/589/EC.
Emission Monitoring
Through our accredited ISO/IEC 17025:2005 affiliate partners, Swiss Approval International offers full coverage of periodic monitoring permit requirements of plants under Directive 2010/75/EU on industrial emissions (integrated pollution prevention and control-IPPC).
State of the art sampling and emissions measuring systems, high standard personnel competency, experienced sampling team and deep understanding of industrial processes make us the ideal choice for emission monitoring and industrial process testing projects.
We focus on our client’s needs and work closely with them in order to understand the project needs and requirements. We offer international coverage and provision of fast service response.
We have an extensive scope of accreditation and worked with large combustion plants, waste incineration, cement, steel and metal industries, chemical and fertilizers, etc.
Calibration and Quality assurance of AMS
Plant operators need to periodically verify that Automatic Measurement Systems (AMS/CEMs) work correctly. Therefore, installations that continuously measure and monitor exhaust gas should perform Annual Surveillance Test (AST) and Quality Assurance Level 2 (QAL2) in compliance with EN 14181–Quality assurance of automated measuring systems (AMS) for all AMS/CEMs.
All testing laboratories carrying QAL2 and AST must apply Standard Reference Method (SRM) measurements and must be accredited to EN ISO/IEC 17025. ENVIROMETRICS is holds EN ISO/IEC 17025:2005 accreditation to carry out the process of QAL2/AST of automated measuring systems AMS/CEMs.