Home | Contact RGGI, Inc. | Sitemap | Mailing List



# Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative an initiative of the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic Sta tes of the U.S. RGGI, Inc. RGGI Benefits CO Auctions, Tracking & Offsets Program Design News & Updates Documents Home > CO Auctions, Tracking & Offsets > CO Offsets CO Auctions Tracking Market Monitor CO Offsets Offset Categories Offset Requirements Offset Project Tracking Application Process Verification Process 

## CO Offsets A RGGI CO offset allowance represents a project-base d greenhouse gas emission reduction outside of the capped electric power gene ration sector. At this time, the RGGI States limit the award of offset allowances tofive project categories, each of which is designed to reduce or sequester emissions of carbon dioxide (CO ), methane (CH ), or sulfur hexafluoride (SF ) within th e nine-state region. Offsets are an important component of each state's CO Budget Trading Program. By recognizing CO -equivalent emissions reductions a nd carbon sequestration outside the capped sector, offsets provide complian ce flexibility and create opportunities for low-cost emissions reductions and other co-benefits across sectors. The RGGI States cooperatively developed prescriptiv e regulatory requirements for each of the five offset categories. These requireme nts ensure that awarded CO offset allowances represent CO -equivalent emissions reductions or carbon sequestration that is real, additional, verifiable, enforceable, and permanent. All offset projects must be located within one of the R GGI States. CO offset allowances may be used to satisfy a limite d portion of a regulated power plant's compliance obligation. The use of CO offset allowances is constrained to 3.3 percent of a power plant's CO compliance obligat ion for each control period. Starting in the third control period (2015 - 2017) regulated sources must hold allowances equal to 50 percent of their emisssions during each Interim Control Period (the first two calendar years of each three year control period). CO offset allowances may be used to satisfy up to 3.3 percentof a regulated source's compliance obligation during each Interim Control P eriod. This section of the website is designed to act as a resource for general information on the offset component of state CO Budget Trading P rograms and as a portal for offset project sponsors and independent verifiers to access the instructions and materials needed to submit relevant project and acc reditation applications.

• General information on RGGI offsets, including project categories, requirements, and project tracking system, is avail able through links on the left side of this page.

• Project sponsors and verifiers should consult links to Application Process and Verification Process to learn about relevant application, verification, and accreditation processes. Specific eligibility and o ther regulatory requirements for each of the five project categories are included in each state's CO Budget Trading Program regulations . Related Links State Regulations State Offset Contacts 

### Search...

2 2 2
2

2 2
2
2 4 6 2 2

2

2

2 2 2

2

2

2 

# Page 1 of 1 Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) CO2 Budget Trading Program - CO2 Offsets

5/29/2014 http://www.rggi.org/market/offsets