 |
A greenhouse gas (GHG) offset, sometimes referred to as a carbon offset, is a tradable commodity representing a unit of GHG emissions reduction or avoidance. Typically, a GHG offset represents a reduction or avoidance of one metric ton of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e). GHG offsets may be purchased by consumers and businesses to "offset" their own emissions, such as those associated with electricity consumption, product manufacturing processes, automobile use, and air travel. GHG offsets can be derived from a variety of project types that reduce or avoid GHG emissions, with diverse methods for measuring these reductions. Examples of GHG reduction projects include renewable electricity generation, energy efficiency measures, methane capture at landfill sites, soil carbon sequestration, and reforestation projects. Developers of these project types can sell GHG offsets to consumers or businesses to help finance their projects.
All of the GHG offset providers and products presented on the Green Power Network are available nationally and derived at least in part from U.S.-based renewable energy generation projects.
Retail GHG Offset Products
The table shown here summarizes GHG offset products available to retail customers nationally and derived at least in part from renewable energy generation projects. Please contact our Webmaster if you have questions or more recent information regarding these products.
Company and product listings do not represent endorsement by either the National Renewable Energy Laboratory or the U.S. Department of Energy.
|
National Greenhouse Gas Offsets Retail Products
(Validated January 2015 with regular updates)
|
| Offset Marketer |
Product Name |
Reduction Projects |
Location of Projects |
Residential Price Premiums* |
Project Certification |
Product Certification |
| 3Degrees |
Carbon Offsets |
forestry/reforestration, new wind, new renewable energy, landfill methane capture, livestock |
United States, Brazil, China, India |
~$8 |
CAR, VCS, Gold Standard, CCX, UNFCCC CDM |
Green-e Climate |
| Blue Source |
Goldman Sachs and Blue Source Carbon Offsets |
methane capture, efficiency, carbon sequestration, and industrial gas destruction |
Nationwide |
Commercial customers only |
— |
— |
| Bonneville Environmental Foundation |
BEF Carbon Offsets |
new wind, new solar, watershed restoration |
Nationwide |
~$29 |
— |
— |
| Carbonfund.org |
ZeroCarbon |
wind, methane capture, biomass, RECs, reforestation |
Nationwide, Brazil |
$10 |
CCX, CCBS, UNFCCC JI |
— |
| Colorado Carbon Fund |
Project C |
local energy efficiency and renewable energy projects |
Colorado |
$20 |
— |
— |
| Dominion |
Carbon Offset Program (NC customers only) |
energy conservation and renewable energy |
North Carolina |
~$17 |
— |
— |
| Duke Energy |
Carbon Offset Program (IN, SC & NC customers only) |
energy conservation and renewable energy |
North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia |
~$17 |
— |
— |
| E-BlueHorizons |
Carbon Offsets |
landfill gas (including efficiency and reforestation) |
Massachusetts, New Hampshire |
$5 |
VCS |
— |
| Element Markets |
Verified Emission Reductions |
Various (including methane capture, renewable energy and energy efficiency) |
Nationwide |
Commercial customers only |
CAR, CCX, VCS |
— |
| GT Environmental Finance |
Resource Carbon Reduction Projects |
landfill gas, biomass, renewable energy and forestry |
Nationwide |
Commercial customers only |
CAR, VCS |
— |
| LiveNeutral |
Drive/Fly/HomeNeutral & By The Ton |
various (including efficiency and CO2 offsets) |
Nationwide |
$12 |
CCX |
— |
| NativeEnergy |
Help Build Carbon Offsets |
wind, landfill gas, farm methane reduction, biomass, other |
U.S., India, China, Brazil |
$15.43 |
VCS, CAR, Gold Standard |
— |
| NextEra Energy Resources
|
Carbon Offsets |
wind |
Nationwide |
Commercial customers only |
— |
— |
| NW Natural / Climate Trust |
Smart Energy Average Option |
methane capture |
Oregon |
~$24 |
— |
— |
| NW Natural / Climate Trust |
Smart Energy Climate Neutral Option |
methane capture |
Oregon |
10.49¢/therm |
— |
— |
| Progress Energy |
Carbon Offset Program (NC customers only) |
energy conservation and renewable energy |
North Carolina |
~$20 |
— |
— |
| Puget Sound Energy |
Carbon Balance Program |
methane capture |
Washington |
$20 |
CAR |
— |
| Renewable Choice Energy |
Bundled Wind and Carbon Offsets |
wind, landfill gas, methane capture and avoidance |
Nationwide |
~$20 |
VCS |
— |
| Sacramento Municipal Utility District |
Carbon Offset Program |
local carbon reduction projects |
California |
$10/month |
— |
— |
| Solar Electric Light Fund |
Carbon Neutral Club |
global PV projects |
International |
$10 (donation) |
— |
— |
| Sterling Planet |
Voluntary Carbon Units |
landfill gas |
South Carolina |
$20 |
VCS |
Green-e Climate |
| Sustainable Travel International |
Carbon Offsets |
reforestation, biomass, hydro, wind |
International |
~$25 |
Gold Standard, CDM, VCS, CCBS, Plan Vivo |
— |
| The CarbonNeutral Company |
The CarbonNeutral Company Offset |
methane capture, renewables |
Brazil, China, Turkey |
Commercial customers only |
— |
— |
| VERUS Carbon Neutral |
VERUS Carbon Neutral Certification |
biomass, methane capture, sequestration |
Brazil, Georgia (US) |
$2.75 |
CCX |
— |
|
Notes:
* Product prices are all based on a metric ton of CO2 avoided and were updated as of August 2010. Large users may be able to negotiate price premiums.
Project Certification
"Project Certification" indicates which third-party programs are used to verify that the GHG reduction projects meet minimum standards. These programs can also verify reductions from these projects, and issue them as certified credits to be sold by offset retailers.
Primary Third-Party Project Certification
American Carbon Registry (ACR)
Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX)
Climate Action Reserve (CAR)
Climate Community and Biodiversity Standard (CCBS)
Gold Standard
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Clean Development Mechanism (UNFCCC CDM)
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Joint Implementation (UNFCCC JI)
Verified Carbon Standard (VCS)
Product Certification
"Product Certification" programs are independent third-parties that certify the final retail GHG offset product sold in the marketplace. They ensure the credits supplying the product were certified by eligible project certification programs, sold as advertised, and delivered correctly and exclusively to the customer by the offset retailer.
Primary Third-Party Product Certification
Green-e Climate
Source:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory |
Not finding the product you were looking for? Please refer to the state-based product tables in the Can I Buy Green Power in My State? website.
|
