LITTLE ROCK, Ar. (March 17, 2014) – American Carbon Registry (ACR), a nonprofit enterprise of Winrock International (Winrock) today announced approval of Mid-South modules for its firstof-a-kind carbon offset methodology to quantify greenhouse gas reductions from rice production. The Mid-South modules of the methodology for Emission Reductions in Rice Management Systems were developed by Terra Global Capital LLC in partnership with Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), Applied Geosolutions, LLC, and White River Irrigation District and funded through a USDA Conservation Innovation Grant.

The ACR rice management methodology and newly approved Mid-South modules provide a comprehensive framework for developing projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and generate marketable carbon offset credits. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s 2012 greenhouse gas inventory, the U.S. agriculture sector is responsible for 526 million metric tons, or 8% of domestic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions per year, which presents an enormous opportunity for the adoption of voluntary conservation practices that reduce emissions.

Rice cultivation is the third largest source of methane emissions in the sector, and the top two rice producing states, Arkansas and California, are responsible for over half of U.S. emissions from rice production. The approval of the Mid-South rice modules therefore marks an important milestone in broadening the opportunities for agriculture producers to participate in carbon markets, incentivizing adoption of voluntary emissions reduction practices.

“Consistent with our parent Winrock’s commitment to sustainable agriculture, one of ACR’s primary objectives is to advance innovative approaches to support low emissions practices in agriculture by strengthening the scientific and market infrastructure for agricultural GHG mitigation,” said John Kadyszewski, ACR director. “We are excited to announce approval of the Mid-South modules and to see projects come to market in both California as well as in Arkansas, Winrock’s home state and the country’s leading rice producer.”

Under the methodology, 3.4 million acres are eligible to generate carbon offset credits throughout the Mid-South and California. Arkansas accounts for 1.8 million eligible acres. Other Mid-South states including Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Texas account for an additional 1.3 million eligible acres. ACR estimates the potential emissions reductions resulting from implementing the practice changes in the new methodology to be significant – over one million tons in the next ten years.

In the voluntary market, agriculture-based carbon offsets, such as those created from rice management practices, can be sold to corporations to meet their internal sustainability goals, reduce their carbon footprints and to green their supply chains. Agriculture offsets are also being considered by California regulators for eligibility in the state’s new regulated market, where GHG emitters like power plants and oil refineries are mandated to reduce emissions. The regulation allows these entities to use ARB approved offset credits for up to 8 percent of their emissions – over 200 million metric tons through 2020.

The California Air Resources Board (ARB) is developing a compliance offset protocol based on the ACR rice methodology, and board vote is expected in September. If approved, the methodology will enable GHG emission offsets created by rice producers throughout the U.S. to be sold to regulated entities with mandatory emission reduction obligations under the California cap-and-trade program. Most importantly, the adoption by ARB of the first crop-based agriculture sector offset methodology opens the door to consideration of additional agriculture offset opportunities for the California market.

“We are very excited about ACR’s newly approved methodology, which will allow us to demonstrate practical approaches to delivering emission reductions from rice production in Arkansas, the country’s leading rice producer,” said Dennis Carman, executive director of White River Irrigation District. “Our rice growers strive to improve yields, increase competitiveness and enhance waterfowl habitat. It’s a win-win if producers can achieve all of those things while reducing GHG emissions and increasing revenues.”

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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 high standards for environmental integrity. Founded in 1996 as the first voluntary GHG registry in the world, ACR has over 18 years of unparalleled voluntary carbon market experience in the development of rigorous, science-based offset methodologies and operational experience in the oversight of offset project verification, registration, offset issuance and retirement reporting. In addition to its voluntary carbon market activities, ACR is an approved Offset Project Registry and Early Action Offset Program for the California Cap-and-Trade Program. In this role, ACR works with the state regulatory agency to oversee the registration and issuance of Offset Credits, which can be converted to compliance credits and used by California entities to help meet their emissions reductions obligations. ACR has issued 40 million tons of emissions reduction credits and continues to lead voluntary carbon market innovation.

Contact: Mary Grady American Carbon Registry 805 884 1961  mgrady@winrock.org

Hydrodec Group plc (AIM: HYR),  the cleantech industrial oil re-refining group, is pleased to announce that the American Carbon Registry (“ACR”) has approved a rigorous emissions reduction accounting methodology to generate carbon credits by recycling transformer oil. Hydrodec plans to verify and issue its first credits under the new methodology in 2014.

The new methodology provides an accounting framework to quantify emission reductions achieved by diverting highly refined used transformer oil, which under normal conditions would be incinerated at the end of its useful life, to a refining facility that processes the transformer oil for re-use. As a cobenefit, recycling of transformer oil in controlled and permitted facilities reduces the environmental health and safety risks associated with the destruction of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) found in transformer oil.

Hydrodec’s SUPERFINETM re-refined oil will be the first oil product to generate a carbon credit which can be traded in the voluntary carbon offset market in the US.  Based on the Company’s 2013 output at Canton in the US, this would represent approximately 60,000 tonnes of saved carbon emissions as carbon credits.  The Company will consider the optimal way to monetise these credits in due course.

Ian Smale, Chief Executive Officer of Hydrodec, commented: ‘This delivers a personal objective for me and a significant milestone for Hydrodec. We can now verifiably state that our re-refining technology has created the world’s first ‘carbon neutral’ mineral oil. This news is not only a positive endorsement of our technology, but also creates the potential for our facilities to generate another revenue stream which could in due course be of significant value as the Company continues to expand.’

For further information please contact: 

Hydrodec Group plc                                                                        020 7907 9220 Ian Smale, Chief Executive Chris Ellis, Chief Financial Officer Mike Preen, Head of Corporate and Legal Affairs

Peel Hunt LLP (Nominated Adviser and Broker)                  020 7418 8900 Justin Jones Mike Bell

Vigo Communications (PR adviser to Hydrodec)                 020 7016 9570 Patrick d’Ancona Chris McMahon

Notes to Editors:

Hydrodec’s technology is a proven, highly efficient, oil re-refining and chemical process initially targeted at the multi-billion US$ market for transformer oil used by the world’s electricity industry. Spent oil is currently processed at two commercial plants with distinct competitive advantage delivered through very high recoveries (near 100%), producing ‘as new’ high quality oils at competitive cost and without environmentally harmful emissions. The process also completely eliminates PCBs, a toxic additive banned under international regulations. Hydrodec’s plants are located at Canton, Ohio, US and Young, New South Wales, Australia.  Hydrodec recently acquired the business and assets of OSS Group, the UK’s largest collector, consolidator and processor of used lubricant oil and seller of processed fuel oil, with a national network of oil storage and transfer stations, currently serviced by a fleet of more than 90 trucks which collect used oil and other garage workshop waste from over 30,000 customers. Used oil is converted into processed fuel oil at OSS’s plant at Stourport and principally sold on to the UK quarry and power industry.

Hydrodec’s shares are listed on the AIM Market of the London Stock Exchange. For further information, please visit www.hydrodec.com.

SACRAMENTO, CA, September 24, 2013 – The American Carbon Registry (ACR), an approved California Offset Project Registry, congratulates the California Air Resources Board (ARB) on its first issuance of compliance offset credits, also referred to as ARB Offset Credits or ARBOCs. ARBOCs can be used by California entities to help meet their emissions reductions obligations in the state Cap-andTrade Program.

Last week, ARB announced that the agency was preparing to issue the first compliance offset credits. Today, ARB issued over 600,000 ARBOCs to four ozone depleting substance (ODS) destruction projects, including one developed using ARB’s compliance offset protocol and three developed under the approved early action protocol. The largest single offset credit issuance was for more than 300,000 credits to Environmental Credit Corp. (ECC) for a compliance offset project listed on ACR. Last month ACR issued the first Registry Offset Credits (ROCs) of the California compliance offset program to ECC for this project, which are now the first ROCs to be converted to ARBOCs.

“The compliance offset issuance marks a major milestone for the California program,” said Belinda Morris, ACR California director. “ARB has now set the stage for a steady flow of additional early action and compliance offset projects to be approved for ARBOC issuance this year.”

Beginning in October, ARB will regularly issue compliance offsets on the second and fourth business Wednesdays of each month. Information on the projects and issuance volumes will be posted on ARB’s Offset Credit Issuance webpage.

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About 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 GHG registry in the world, ACR has over 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 retirement reporting. ACR is an approved Offset Project Registry (OPR) and Early Action Offset Program for the California Cap-and-Trade program. As an OPR, ACR works with the Air Resources Board (ARB) to oversee the registration and issuance of California-eligible Registry Offset Credits and Early Action Offset Credits developed using ARB’s compliance or early action offset protocols. ARB’s approval of ACR as an OPR signals that ACR has met stringent regulatory requirements including technical expertise in carbon offset protocols; extensive experience in the oversight of offset project listing, registration, independent verification and issuance; operational know-how in offset registry management; and a solid understanding of the regulation underpinning the compliance offset program.

ACR Media Contact: Mary Grady Tel: (805) 884-1961 Email: mgrady@winrock.org

SACRAMENTO, CA, August 5, 2013 – The American Carbon Registry (ACR), an approved California Offset Project Registry, has issued the first Registry Offset Credits (ROCs) of the California compliance offset program. ROCs are eligible to be transitioned to Air Resource Board (ARB) compliance Offset Credits, which can be used by California entities to help meet their emissions reductions obligations in the Cap-and-Trade Program.

The ACR issuance was for over 300,000 ROCs to Environmental Credit Corp. for an ozone depleting substances (ODS) destruction project developed under and verified against the ARB compliance offset protocol. Environmental Credit Corp. plans to immediately file a request with ARB for issuance of compliance Offset Credits. The ROCs were verified by an ARB-accredited offset verifier but still must undergo review by ARB staff prior to issuance as ARB Offset Credits in ARB’s market tracking system.

“American Carbon Registry’s issuance of these Registry Offset Credits signals good progress for the compliance offset program,” said Belinda Morris, ACR California director. “We expect to soon see the issuance of the first ARB Offset Credits, which will be another major program milestone and will boost market confidence.”

“We have been pleased to work with ACR and ARB on the listing, verification and ROC issuance for our first compliance project and are very happy to see the project progressing,” noted Derek Six, Environmental Credit Corp. CEO. “The extremely rigorous process will ensure the high quality of compliance offsets, which is critical to maintaining the integrity of the California offset program.”

To date, ACR has listed five California compliance offset projects and four early action projects and has half a dozen California offset projects in the listing process. ACR is also participating in the ARB working groups for the two new offset compliance protocols for Rice Cultivation Projects and Mine Methane Capture Projects, which are expected to be presented for approval at the October ARB meeting.

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About 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 GHG registry in the world, ACR has over 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 retirement reporting.

ACR is an approved Offset Project Registry (OPR) and Early Action Offset Program for the California Cap-and-Trade program. As an OPR, ACR works with the Air Resources Board (ARB) to oversee the registration and issuance of California-eligible Registry Offset Credits developed using ARB’s compliance or early action offset protocols. ARB’s approval of ACR as an OPR signals that ACR has met stringent regulatory requirements including technical expertise in carbon offset protocols; extensive experience in the oversight of offset project listing, registration, independent verification and issuance; operational know-how in offset registry management; and a solid understanding of the regulation underpinning the compliance offset program.

Contact

American Carbon Registry Mary Grady Tel: (805) 884-1961 Email: mgrady@winrock.org

Environmental Credit Corp. Derek Six Tel: (607) 288-4045 Email: dsix@envcc.com

San Francisco, CA (June 18, 2013)—Center for Resource Solutions (CRS) today announced that the American Carbon Registry (ACR) has been accepted as a Green-e Climate Endorsed Program by the Green-e Governance Board. Beginning immediately, eligible Emissions Reduction Tons (ERTs) issued by ACR are available for use in Green-e Climate certified offset products sold by retailers to organizations and individuals looking to mitigate their contribution to climate change.

“We are very excited to welcome ACR to Green-e Climate,” said Todd Jones, Green-e Climate manager. “They’ve emerged as a leading greenhouse gas program in recent years, and now consumers and businesses will be able to choose Green-e Climate certified carbon offsets that source from eligible ACR projects.”

“American Carbon Registry is extremely pleased to have the environmental rigor of our program endorsed by Green-e Climate,” said Nicholas Martin, ACR chief technical officer. “We look forward to working with companies that offer Green-e Climate certified offsets to their clients to broaden offset options to new and innovative project types.”

Founded in 1996 as the first private voluntary greenhouse gas (GHG) registry in the world, ACR develops standards, methodologies, protocols, and tools for voluntary carbon reduction projects around the globe and oversees offset project registration, verification and credit issuance on its APX registry system. ACR is also an approved Offset Project Registry (OPR) for California’s recently launched Cap-and-Trade program.

ACR voluntary standards and methodologies that are eligible for use in Green-e Climate certified products include those that have been both released for public consultation and approved after the American Carbon Registry Standard v. 2.0, released in 2010. Read more at Green–e Climate Endorsed Programs.

About the American Carbon Registry

The American Carbon Registry (ACR), a nonprofit enterprise of Winrock International, is a leading carbon offset program recognized for its high standards for environmental integrity and transparency. Established in 1996 as the first voluntary GHG registry in the world, ACR has over 15 years of unparalleled voluntary carbon market experience in the development of rigorous, science-based offset methodologies and operational experience in the oversight of offset project verification, registration, offset issuance and retirement reporting. In addition to its voluntary carbon market activities, ACR is an approved Offset Project Registry for the California Cap-and-Trade Program and works with the state regulatory agency to oversee the listing, verification and issuance of compliance-eligible Registry Offset Credits. ACR has issued over 35 million tons of emissions reductions and continues to lead voluntary carbon market innovation. Learn more at www.americancarbonregistry.org.

About Green‑e and Center for Resource Solutions

A program of Center for Resource Solutions, Green‑e is North America’s leading independent consumer protection program for the sale of renewable energy and greenhouse gas reductions in the retail market. Green ‑ e offers certification and verification of renewable energy and greenhouse gas mitigation products through Green ‑e Energy, a renewable energy certification program; Green‑e Climate, a greenhouse gas emission reduction certification program; and Green‑e Marketplace, a program that provides forward-thinking organizations a simple, nationally recognized logo they can use to communicate their renewable energy and climate commitment to their customers and shareholders. To learn more about Green‑e Certified products and programs available in all 50 states and Canada, visit www.green-e.org.

Dear friends and colleagues,

We entered the Year of the Water Dragon optimistic about the promises of creative ideas flowing like water, good fortune and momentous changes for the carbon markets. As we reflect on American Carbon Registry’s contributions to the new ideas and meaningful changes needed to accelerate emission reduction actions, we believe it was a milestone year.

It is said that to succeed at something major, start in a Dragon Year. And so we did. In April, the American Carbon Registry (ACR) announced a suite of initiatives directed at bolstering its California operations in preparation for the first U.S. economy-wide cap-and-trade system. To demonstrate our commitment to helping ensure the success of the California offset market, we opened a Sacramento office, hired Belinda Morris as our California director, appointed four state luminaries to our ACR Advisory Council, and launched a new registry platform in partnership with APX.

In May, we submitted our application to the California Air Resources Board (ARB) as an Offset Project Registry (OPR) for the California offset program. ARB accepted ACR’s application, and in June our staff completed mandatory ARB training and exams. In December, ARB approved American Carbon Registry as an OPR for the California cap-and-trade program and also announced the approval of Verification Bodies. As an OPR, ACR will work with ARB to oversee the registration and verification of projects developed using ARB’s compliance or early action offset protocols. The first California offset project listings were submitted to us before the end of 2012, and we anticipate many more in 2013.

It is also said that Dragon years bring luck to the enterprising and ambitious. In 2012 American Carbon Registry demonstrated continued leadership in the voluntary carbon market, reaching a milestone of issuance of over 37.5 million offsets. We also had the good fortune of being recognized in the 2012 State of the Forest Carbon Market report as the most widely used forest carbon standard in North America as well as the second most widely used voluntary carbon market forest standard in the world. According to the report “Projects adhering to the ACR standard contracted the largest volume of forest carbon credits from any North American program…owing to their popularity among purely voluntary buyers based primarily in the U.S.” Corporate Social Responsibility buyers of the over two million ACR forest offsets transacted included Norfolk Southern, General Motors/ Chevrolet and The Walt Disney Company.

We’d like to think that, at least in part, our success begins with our core values as a Rockefeller family institution: Sound science, concern with the well-being of the least fortunate, a commitment to sustaining natural resources, and an understanding that our greatest contribution will be from building the capacity of others to think and act. For this reason, ACR has prioritized pathways for the development of innovative and transformative offset project types that can achieve major emissions reductions, strengthen the resiliency of natural systems, increase food security and benefit people.

We’re pleased to report that new offset projects are already in the development pipeline utilizing the four new voluntary carbon offset methodologies approved by ACR in 2012 including a first-of-akind methodology for emissions reductions from Restoration of Degraded Deltaic Wetlands, a rigorous and pragmatic methodology for Reduced Use of Fertilizer on Agricultural Crops, a ground-breaking methodology for Truck Stop Electrification that offers air quality co-benefits, and long-awaited REDD methodology modules. ACR also published its Nested REDD+ Standard, which provides technical and safeguard requirements for REDD+ projects nested within a jurisdictional accounting framework to register on ACR.

We are proud of the tool developed in partnership with the China Beijing Environmental Exchange and completed in 2012 that can help assess impacts on poverty achieved by implementing agriculture and forestry projects under the Panda Standard.

Four additional carbon offset methodologies are currently in ACR’s approval process for publication in 2013 including California and Mid-South modules for Emission Reductions in Rice Production, a modular approach to Grazing Land and Livestock Management in beef and dairy production, a methodology for Avoided Conversion of Grasslands and Shrublands to commodity crop production, and a methodology for quantifying emissions reductions from Carbon Capture and Storage in Oil and Gas Reservoirs.

We are heartened that despite the domestic and international political challenges that have limited actions to address climate change, the year brought broader recognition and acceptance of the science of climate change along with a greater understanding of its likely costs.

We are encouraged by the consensus on a need for action, as highlighted by President Obama in his inaugural address in which he boldly stated, “We will respond to the threat of climate change, knowing that the failure to do so would betray our children and future generations.  Some may still deny the overwhelming judgment of science, but none can avoid the devastating impact of raging fires, and crippling drought, and more powerful storms.  The path towards sustainable energy sources will be long and sometimes difficult.  But America cannot resist this transition; we must lead it.”

In the U.S., California is taking the lead, alongside many other countries and jurisdictions around the world that are preparing to launch carbon markets. ACR remains steadfast in our commitment to demonstrate the value of market-based mechanisms to mitigate the impacts of climate change, and we are eager to collaborate more closely with organizations and institutions in the U.S. and around the world to pioneer new approaches to incentivize climate action.

We look forward to another groundbreaking year of hard work with ACR members, partners and supporters.

Regards,

John Kadyszewski

SACRAMENTO, CA, December 14, 2012 – The California Air Resources Board (ARB) has approved the American Carbon Registry (ACR), a nonprofit enterprise of Winrock International, as an Offset Project Registry (OPR) for the California Cap-and-Trade Program. As an OPR, ACR will work with ARB to oversee the registration and issuance of California-eligible Registry Offset Credits developed using ARB’s compliance or early action offset protocols. Registry Offset Credits are eligible to be transitioned into ARB compliance offset credits that may be used in the Cap-andTrade Program.  As an approved OPR, ACR will work closely with ARB to ensure offset project operators and verifiers have accurate information to ensure the highest quality of offsets.

ARB’s approval of ACR as an OPR signals that ACR has met stringent regulatory requirements including technical expertise in carbon offset protocols; extensive experience in the oversight of offset project listing, registration, independent verification and issuance; operational know-how in offset registry management; and a solid understanding of the regulation underpinning the compliance offset program.

“American Carbon Registry is proud to have the opportunity to work with ARB to implement the California offset program. As a Rockefeller family institution, our focus is on sound science, and we share ARB’s commitment to ensuring the integrity of offsets. We were founded 15 years ago to build carbon market experience in the U.S. and to demonstrate that transparent, well-designed markets can be the most efficient mechanism to improve the environment,” said John Kadyszewski, director of ACR. “ARB’s leadership inspires us to help make the California cap-andtrade program a successful model for launching a low-carbon economy.”

ARB’s approval of OPRs and verification bodies is a critical step in kicking off activity in the California offset program since to be eligible for compliance, all offset projects are required to be developed using an ARB approved protocol, registered on an approved OPR and verified by accredited verifiers.

“As the leading U.S. forest carbon offset project developer, we are excited by the news that ARB has approved Offset Project Registries and Verifiers for the compliance offset program,” stated Sean Carney, president and CEO of Finite Carbon. “We expect the pace of offset project registrations and issuances to increase significantly over the next year, and we look forward to working with ACR to make sure the system works efficiently, cost-effectively and safeguards offset quality.”

California is the first U.S. state to approve an economy-wide cap-and-trade program, which has created the second largest carbon market in the world behind the European Union. Cap-and-trade is the cornerstone of Assembly Bill 32 (AB32), California’s historic climate change law that mandates a reduction in carbon emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. Beginning in 2013, the state’s largest sources of GHG emissions will be required to reduce greenhouse gas emissions or purchase allowances or offsets if they cannot. The projection for the use of offsets in the three compliance periods 2013- 2020 is 200 million tons at an estimated value over $5 billion.

“ARB’s approval of Offset Project Registries and Verifiers, including the American Carbon Registry, represents a significant step towards full implementation of California’s carbon market,” said Lenny Hochschild, managing director for Evolution Markets. “We applaud ARB’s decision to utilize the expertise of existing qualified entities to help administer the offset program and expect this model to increase efficiency of the program while maintaining offset integrity.” 

“The International Emissions Trading Association (IETA) is pleased to see the recent steps that ARB is taking as it prepares for its upcoming cap-and-trade program launch in January 2013,” stated Dirk Forrister, president and CEO of IETA and a member of ACR’s Advisory Council. “Key infrastructure developments, such as Offset Project Registry implementation decisions and verifier accreditation & approval, will help to set in motion what we hope will be a strong compliance offset program; a necessary ingredient towards enabling a liquid, robust carbon market.”

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About 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, ACR has over fifteen years of experience in development of rigorous, science-based carbon offset standards and methodologies as well as operational experience in high quality carbon offset project registration, offset issuance, serialization and transparent on-line transaction and retirement reporting. As the first private GHG registry in the world, ACR has set the bar in the global voluntary carbon market for offset quality and operational transparency that is the market standard today and continues to lead carbon market innovation.

About Winrock International

Winrock International is a nonprofit organization that works with people in the United States and around the world to empower the disadvantaged, increase economic opportunity, and sustain natural resources. For over 15 years, Winrock has been a global leader in designing and implementing science-based methods to measure, monitor and report GHG emissions reductions in the agriculture, land use and forestry sectors for clients including the United Nations, the World Bank and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Winrock is headquartered in Little Rock, Ark.

ARLINGTON, Va. (July 18, 2012) – The American Carbon Registry (ACR), a nonprofit enterprise of Winrock International, announced today the approval of a carbon offset Methodology for Quantifying Nitrous Oxide (N2O) Emissions Reductions from Reduced Use of Nitrogen Fertilizer on Agricultural Crops. 

The methodology, developed jointly by Michigan State University (MSU) and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), makes it possible for farmers to participate in carbon markets by creating greenhouse gas (GHG) offsets by reducing the amount of nitrogen used to fertilize crops. These offsets can be sold to other carbon market participants to meet GHG emission reduction targets or requirements.

Nitrogen fertilizers represent one of the largest sources of GHG emissions from global agricultural production, resulting in significant emissions of nitrous oxide (N2O), a GHG with approximately 300 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide (CO2). In 2010, N2O emissions from agricultural soil management in the U.S. were approximately 208 million metric tons of CO2 – equivalent according to the Environmental Protection Agency’s 2012 National Greenhouse Gas Inventory.

Corn is among the most intensive uses of fertilizer, both per acre and in total use, and represents a significant opportunity for nitrogen use efficiencies that could reduce emissions as well as farmers’ input costs while maintaining yields. A large proportion of agricultural-related N2O emissions in the U.S. are from corn crops grown in the 12-state North Central Region (NCR), which is made up of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin. The estimated technical potential of emission reductions using the MSU-EPRI methodology to reduce fertilizer rate in eligible NCR corn crops is six million metric tons of CO2e per year.

Carbon offsets can be sold in the voluntary market to corporations and organizations purchasing offsets to meet internal sustainability goals. Agriculture offsets are also being considered by California regulators for eligibility in the state’s new regulated market, where GHG emitters like power plants and oil refineries are mandated to reduce or offset their emissions starting in 2013. Regulatory approval of a fertilizer management offset methodology would enable GHG emission offsets created by farmers to be sold to regulated entities with mandatory emission reduction obligations under the cap-and-trade program.

“The MSU-EPRI methodology allows farmers to be paid to reduce their use of nitrogen fertilizer, while assisting other carbon market participants to reduce emissions more cost effectively than otherwise would be possible,” said Adam Diamant, technical executive at EPRI and a co-author of the new ACR methodology. “This innovative approach is a way to achieve a win for farmers, for industrial organizations that may be required to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, for the atmosphere, and for improved surface water quality from reduced nitrate runoff in the Upper Midwest all the way to the Gulf of Mexico.”

“Farmers already manage fertilizer to avoid large nitrogen losses, but they are often reluctant to further reduce fertilizer use because they fear doing so will decrease valuable crop production,” said Phil Robertson, principal investigator and Michigan State University professor of plant, soil and microbial sciences. “The MSU-EPRI methodology uses an innovative approach to pay farmers to apply less nitrogen fertilizer, but more precisely so that crop yields aren’t jeopardized.” The science that underlies the methodology is a result of three years of research by MSU scientists. The research was performed at the National Science Foundation (NSF)’s Kellogg Biological Station (KBS) Long-term Ecological Research site, which Robertson directs, and on commercial farm fields in Michigan.

“A major value of the approach is that it is straightforward to understand and implement,” said MSU scientist Neville Millar, who co-led development of the methodology. “Another major benefit is reducing nitrogen lost from farm fields in forms other than nitrous oxide. The same strategies that farmers can use to minimize nitrous oxide loss will act to reduce the loss of nitrate to groundwater and other forms of nitrogen to the atmosphere.”

The MSU-EPRI methodology is unique in several important ways. It incorporates a performance standard approach and credits reductions in both synthetic and organic fertilizer use. In addition, it includes a mechanism to expand eligible crops and regions based on acceptable submission of peer-reviewed scientific data to justify the adoption of conservative emission factors in the U.S. and internationally.

In contrast with ACR’s 2010 methodology for N2O Emissions Reductions from Changes in Fertilizer Management, which incorporates site specific data into a peer-reviewed, tested and highly parameterized computer model to calculate N2O emission reductions resulting from changes in how fertilizer is applied and used, the MSU-EPRI methodology is based on empirical equations and NCR data to set conservative estimates for emission reductions. The ACRapproved model-based methodology is broader than the MSU-EPRI approach in terms of fertilizer practice changes and eligible crops, but requires a significant amount of input data.

“The MSU-EPRI methodology is technically sound and we believe important to spur additional early action N2O emission reductions because it is relatively simple to implement,” explained Nicholas Martin, ACR chief technical officer. “While limited currently to fertilizer rate reduction on corn in the NCR states, this represents a significant emission reduction potential – considering that corn is the leading user of fertilizer, and over 80 percent of corn for grain is grown in the 12state region. Moreover the methodology’s structure allows its scope to expand as additional peer-reviewed data is collected on other crops and regions.”

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Contact:

Christopher Mahoney, Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) Tel: (704) 595-2653 Email: Cmahoney@epri.com

Phil Robertson, Michigan State University (MSU) Tel: (269) 671-2267 Email: Robertson@kbs.msu.edu

Mary Grady, American Carbon Registry (ACR) Tel: (805) 884-1961 Email: MGrady@winrock.org

About the Electric Power Research Institute The Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. (EPRI, www.epri.com) conducts research and development relating to the generation, delivery and use of electricity for the benefit of the public. An independent, nonprofit organization, EPRI brings together its scientists and engineers as well as experts from academia and industry to help address challenges in electricity, including reliability, efficiency, health, safety and the environment. EPRI’s members represent more than 90 percent of the electricity generated and delivered in the United States, and international participation extends to 40 countries. EPRI’s principal offices and laboratories are located in Palo Alto, Calif.; Charlotte, N.C.; Knoxville, Tenn.; and Lenox, Mass.

About Michigan State University Michigan State University has been working to advance the common good in uncommon ways for more than 150 years. One of the top research universities in the world, MSU focuses its vast resources on creating solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges, while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community through more than 200 programs of study in 17 degree-granting colleges.

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.