For most companies, a strong business case can be made for developing a greenhouse gas inventory ahead of mandatory U.S. regulation. The need for proactively developing a GHG inventory is reinforced if a company plans on any upgrades that will enhance operation efficiencies, therefore reducing GHG emissions, in the future.

Trihydro’s Air and Process Services Team specializes in developing climate change corporate strategies, corporate policy development, and GHG inventories. To this end, our services maintain the following criteria that is the cornerstone to any corporate climate strategy: relevance, completeness, consistency, transparency, and accuracy. Through our knowledge of the rapidly changing GHG/climate change landscape and our understanding of current best practices, our GHG team utilizes existing guidance, database tools, and protocols to develop credible GHG inventories, as well as strategic, cost-effective business plans for achieving GHG reductions.

Trihydro’s GHG professionals have worked with Fortune 500 companies in the development and integration of corporate strategies to realize opportunities for reporting and managing carbon emissions, including implementation of early reductions. In doing so, these companies have emerged as leaders in the emerging climate change landscape.

GHG Overview
GHG emissions have emerged as one of the “hot topics” related to air quality in the United States. As a result, several voluntary and mandatory regulations have been initiated at state, regional, and federal levels. Voluntary efforts have dominated federal climate change programs, but with over 190 climate change bills submitted to Congress in the last year 1, mandatory legislation is on the horizon. As such, the FY 2008 Consolidated Appropriations Act allocated money to the EPA for the establishment of a mandatory reporting rule under the authority of the Clean Air Act2. Under the Appropriations Act, the EPA has been instructed to publish a proposed rule by September 2008 and a final rule by June 2009. Although funding for this task has been cut for FY2009, this rule making may pave the way for some of the climate change bills proposed in Congress, such as the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act3. However, on a regional and state level, regulations are actively being adopted for mandatory GHG inventorying and reporting. Regional efforts such as the Western Climate Initiative and the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) and state-wide regulations adopted by California and New Mexico (for example), have made navigating climate change policies somewhat challenging for businesses.

Development of GHG Inventories
A GHG inventory is a compilation of a facility’s sources (e.g., combustion, process, vented) and associated GHG emissions. The development of a GHG inventory is essential in providing a solid foundation on which to demonstrate corporate commitments to GHG reductions and make a business case for climate change solutions. Furthermore, a GHG inventory provides a better understanding of a facility’s sources and can help in identifying the appropriate means and/or technologies with which to make GHG reductions a reality.

Development of a GHG inventory is not without its challenges. For example until recently, GHG inventorying, reporting, and trading programs in the U.S. have been voluntary. Therefore, inventorying/reporting protocols and trading schemes may vary widely within the state and/or regional levels.

The World Resources Institute/World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WRI/WBSCD) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) have each developed detailed protocols for identifying and calculating GHG emissions. Additionally, based on the WRI/WBSCD GHG Protocol, the International Petroleum Industry Environmental Conservation Association (IPIECA), the American Petroleum Institute (API), and the International Association of Oil and Gas Producers (OGP) have developed guidance on reporting GHG emissions for the oil and gas industry. In addition to the oil and gas sector, industry-specific protocols have also been developed for other affected industries, such as the cement, pulp/paper, and lime sectors.

Trihydro has been providing air-related consulting services to our clients since 1992. We understand the importance of staying informed on existing and future regulations so that we can best serve our clients. Furthermore, we help our clients put new regulations into a management framework and develop or enhance existing compliance programs that are cost-effective, technically sound, and consistent with business goals and objectives.

For more information regarding Climate Change and Greenhouse Gases, please contact Julie Chiaravalli at 307/745.7474 or via email jchiaravalli@trihydro.com.