American Carbon Registry Launches the First California Compliance-Ready Offset Project Registry
ACR now accepting listings for ARB compliance offset projects
May 24, 2012: The American Carbon Registry (ACR), a nonprofit enterprise of Winrock International, has launched its APX-powered registry system, the first tailored specifically to meet regulatory requirements for the California compliance market.
With the registry launch and ACR’s official application submitted last week to the California Air Resources Board (ARB) for approval as an offset project registry (OPR), ACR is immediately open to accept listing of carbon offset projects developed using ARB’s compliance offset protocols. ACR staff will attend ARB’s first mandatory OPR and verifier training in late June in fulfillment of application requirements.
“ACR is open and ready for business in California. Our newly minted APX-powered registry offers the opportunity to get a head-start on listing compliance offset projects,” said John Kadyszewski, ACR director. “We aim to provide project developers and offset purchasers the comfort that ACR is aligned with California policy-makers to support robust and timely offset supply at the start of the cap-andtrade program.”
Under California’s cap-and-trade program, which will begin in 2013, the state’s largest sources of GHG emissions will be required to meet the regulatory greenhouse gas (GHG) emission caps. To contain costs, up to eight percent of the compliance obligation of capped entities, estimated at 200 million tons 2013-2020, can be met with ARB offset credits.
ARB has announced that it will leverage the experience and systems of registries like ACR - which has been conducting similar functions in the voluntary market for over 15 years - to act as OPRs, assisting with the implementation of the compliance offset program. Compliance offset projects will be required to register with OPRs, which will oversee the project listing, verification, registration and issuance of California-eligible offset credits developed in uncapped sectors using ARB-approved compliance offset protocols. Once approved by ARB, registry offset credits will be converted to ARB offset credits on the ARB registry.
During ACR’s March webinar on the California offset market, ARB urged project developers not to wait for OPR and verifier approval to start implementing projects using the already published compliance offset protocols (Forestry, Urban Forestry, Ozone Depleting Substances and Livestock). The primary benefit of using the ARB compliance offset protocols is by-passing the additional verification process required for projects developed using early action protocols.
Now that ACR’s compliance-ready registry is open for business and OPR approval on the horizon, we welcome the submission of California compliance offset projects.
Please join us on Wednesday, May 30th for a free webinar to walk-through ACR’s new APX-powered registry including steps to submit an ARB-eligible offset project. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THE WEBINAR.
About the American Carbon Registry
The nonprofit American Carbon Registry (ACR), an enterprise of Winrock International, is a leading carbon offset program recognized for its strong standards for environmental integrity. Founded in 1996 as the first private voluntary registry in the world, ACR has 15 years of experience in the development of rigorous, science-based carbon offset standards and methodologies as well as in carbon offset issuance, serialization and transparent online transaction and retirement reporting. ACR has set the bar for transparency and integrity that is the market standard today and continues to lead carbon market innovation.
Contact:
Mary Grady, American Carbon Registry
Tel: (805) 884-1961
Email: mgrady@winrock.org
