Carbon Offsets

Carbon offsets allow individuals and businesses to offset, reduce or displace the CO2 they generate. If you have renewable energy, energy efficiency, agricultural or reforestation projects you would like to submit for consideration, please email us at projects@greenwindsolar.com. Qualifying projects may require additional independent third-party verification.

Qualified project types include:

Renewable energy – Eligible renewable energy projects include wind, solar, hydropower and biofuel. Projects are evaluated on the basis of displacement of CO2 emissions associated with fossil fuel based electricity. Standard contracts are issued on the basis of displaced electricity at a rate of 0.40 metric tons of CO2 per megawatt hour, the emission rate of a typical gas combined cycle power plant, unless you can demonstrate that an alternative emission displacement rate is appropriate.

Energy efficiency and fuel switching – Energy efficiency and fuel switching offset projects are evaluated on the basis of displacement of CO2 emissions from fossil-fuel based energy sources, on a project-by-project basis. You must own and operate the equipment that is generating the emission displacement credit. Quantification methods vary by project. Generally, calculations measure the difference between emissions before and after project implementation using established emission factors.

Agricultural methane –- Emission reductions from agricultural methane collection and combustion at livestock operations. Eligible systems include covered anaerobic digesters, complete-mix, plug flow digesters, and covered lagoons. You can sell energy to a third party or use gas for onsite energy without being disqualified from offering carbon offsets as long as you retain ownership of greenhouse gas attributes. Methane collection projects that include electricity generation may also qualify.

Agricultural soil carbon – This includes carbon emission soil sequestration activities in the agricultural sector. Eligible agricultural soil carbon sequestration projects include continuous conservation tillage and grass planting. Contracts are issued at a standardized rate of CO2 per acre per year to land managers who commit to continuous conservation tillage and/or maintenance grass cover plantings. The offset issuance rates for specified regions of the U.S. and Canada can be provided upon request

Rangeland soil carbon management – Agricultural carbon emission reductions for improved rangeland management. You must commit to a minimum 5 year contract. Non-degraded rangeland managed to increase carbon sequestration through grazing land management that employs sustainable stocking rates, rotational grazing and seasonal use. Offsets are issued at standard rates depending on project type and location. Rates vary from 0.12 to 0.52 metric tons of CO2 per acre per year.

Forestry- forest carbon sequestration. Eligible projects include maintaining or increasing existing forest area; planting new forests on lands which have historically not contained forests; and forest management to increase stand and landscape-level carbon density.