Why have your emissions data verified?

  • It's the law - If your business falls within the UK ETS net, then you are legally obliged to have your emissions data verified.
  • Trading - To be allowed to sell your surplus CO2 allowance, your emissions data has to be verified by an accredited verifier like csense.
  • Risk Management - Even if you do not wish to trade, external verification gives assurance that your data is correct, and gives protection should you be audited.
  • Your image - Your shareholders, employees, customers and the public will see that your commitment to energy reductions is real. It can form part of your environmental or energy plan reports, and help when seeking accreditation.
  • Saving money - Verification will help identify measures for energy saving, environmental gains and/or process improvements offering tangible benefits.

 

This service is for companies and organisations wanting to comply with UK ETS regulations.

This will also enable you to:

  • Save money by saving energy
  • Demonstrate corporate social responsibility
  • Ensure that emissions data is accurate

Installations within the scope of the UK ETS are required to report their verified annual emissions by 31st March each year.

Installations with UK Climate Change Agreements may be required to report their verified emissions to their sector association at dates specified within their agreements.

We recommend that operators contact Kiwa well in advance of the reporting deadline, and preferably in Quarter 4 of the reporting year. This ensures there is adequate time to complete the compliance and data audits, and highlight any deficiencies.

Although ever conscious of the need to adapt the verification process to fit in with our clients specific business needs, there are a number of key milestones along the road to successful verification that are worth mentioning:

  1. Pre-Verification Discussion
    This may be a mixture of site visit, telephone call or exchange of emails, the object of which is to define the specific needs of your business in order to provide a competitive proposal and appropriate action plan.
  2. Strategic Review
    Operator supplies “evidence pack” to c:sense. For a fixed UK ETS site this might typically comprise monitoring and reporting (M&R) plans, permit, site plan, metering details and calibration certificates, energy records and emissions summary to date.
  3. Compliance Audit
    Verifier visits site to conduct compliance audit according to the approved M&R Plans and permit.
  4. Final Data Verification
    Operator supplies verifier with final energy data, and emissions report which are then verified. Verifier writes draft Verification Opinion Statement (VOS).
  5. Technical Review
    Independent review by another verifier who rechecks all of the data and gives overall approval of the draft VOS.
  6. Registry Compliance

Final VOS sent to operator who forwards to the Regulator . Operator proposes annual emissions total onto the Registry and verifier confirms total. Operator surrenders equivalent carbon allowances into compliance account.