To garner feedback on the issues and options related to green power accounting, the GHG Protocol team held discussion-based workshops over the past few months tailored to US and European audiences specifically.

The DC workshop on December 13th, 2010 centered around accounting practices relating to renewable energy credits (RECs), best practices for assuring clear emission attribute ownership, and how an emissions cap on the power sector impacts voluntary green power purchases.

In turn, the London workshop on January 24th, 2011 was co-hosted by Defra and explored questions regarding green tariff programs, harmonizing EU energy tracking procedures, and appropriate corporate claims for publically-subsidized energy projects.

In both workshops, stakeholders expressed a desire for clear, specific and consistent accounting practices from the GHG Protocol, providing companies with a clearer vision for what green power instruments and investments can best serve companies’ sustainability goals, including reducing scope 2 emissions associated with electricity consumption and to contributing to the growth of green energy markets.

Discussion drafts, slide deck summaries and a synthesis can be found here. The project now enters a phase of issue-specific consultations, involving a deeper technical exploration of the priorities that emerged in the two workshops. This will include a series of webinars and possible workshops in different geographic areas, as needed.

To receive updates on opportunities to become involved in the development of the guidelines, or to provide comments on any of the summary documents, please register your email address at the project website.