Balance Carbon

  • Primary activity : RetailerCarbon offset retailers either fund or purchase carbon offsets in large quantities and then on sell them to individual consumers in smaller quantities.    Price (per tonne CO2e) : AU$11 - AU$30

    Summary

    Balance Carbon's view on the role of carbon offsets in addressing climate change

    "Carbon offsets provide a pathway to help minimise your impact on climate change, when used in conjunction with a strategy to measure, manage and mitigate emissions from existing activities. In moving towards the low carbon economy, carbon offsets provide an important instrument of transition in a sustainable fashion. BalanceCarbon has the role of helping organisations and individuals minimise their impacts on the atmosphere and environment through measurement, management and mitigation."


    Detailed InformationClick on the tabs below for more information:

    Summary

    Role in the Carbon Offset Market
    [Q1]Retailer
    Main client base
    [Q3]All types. Large Public Companies, SME's, NGO's, Government

    Offset Products

    Offset Products

    Price(s) per tonne
    [Q17]AU$11 - AU$30
    Project Type(s)
    [Q26]- Avoided deforestation
    - Afforestation / reforestation with Australian native vegetation (as opposed to locally appropriate)
    - Methane landfill
    Offers offsets packaged with other services? (such as footprinting, carbon neutrality etc)
    [Q10]Yes

    [Find out more about project types]

    Offset Quality

    Offset Quality

    Offsets generated and sold by Balance Carbon
    [Q33a]- Greenhouse FriendlySee AGO GF
    Other offsets generated and sold by Balance Carbon
    [Q33b]- NGACsNew South Wales Greenhouse Gas Abatement Certificate is a tradeable commodity used in the NSW GGAS. One NGAC represents the abatement of one tonne of CO2e associated with the consumption of electricity in NSW. NGACs are transferable certificates that may only be created by accredited abatement certificate providers.
    Do you provide quality assurance or technical documentation on your web site or on request?
    [Q16]

    http://www.balancecarbon.com/overview

    Is this organisation third party independently audited for the retirement of offsets and / or RECs?
    No

    [Find out more about issues relating to offsetting]
    [Find out more about Certification Standards]

    Resources

    Resources

    Do you provide a carbon footprint calculation service for your customers?
    [Q12]- Yes, personalised assessment
    Carbon calculation - methodology, standards or guidelines
    [Q13]- NGA FactorsThe National Greenhouse Accounts (NGA) Factors is an Australian guide to emission factors from a range of sectors that is used by companies to calculate greenhouse gases. It is prepared by the Department of Climate Change and replaces the AGO Factors & Methods Workbook. For more information, see here.
    - GHG ProtocolSee WRI / WBCSD GHG Protocol
    - ISO 14000ISO 14000 is a set of international standards, which provide a framework for the development of an environmental management system (EMS) and supporting audit programs. The ISO 14000 series are intended to help organisations comply with applicable laws, regulations and requirements and to continually improve on their environmental performance.
    - ISO 14064A global GHG accounting, reporting and verification standard. The goal of the standard is to 'provide a set of unambiguous and verifiable requirements or specifications to support organisations and proponents of GHG emissions reductions projects.'
    - Carbon Trust’s PAS 2050PAS 2050 is a product carbon footprinting standard. It provides a method for assessing the GHG emissions arising from products across their life cycle, from initial sourcing of raw materials through manufacture, transport, use and ultimately recycling or waste. The Carbon Trust and Defra co-sponsored the publication by the British Standards Institution of PAS 2050.
    To calculate customer emissions do you apply National Greenhouse Accounts Factors full fuel cycle emissions conversion factors?
    [Q14]- Yes
    In your calculation of customer emissions which of the 6 Kyoto Protocol greenhouse gases do you include?
    [Q15]- Carbon dioxideA greenhouse gas that is produced as a by-product of oil and gas production, burning fossil fuels and biomass, as well as from all animals, plants, and a number of other natural sources. Carbon dioxide is the principal anthropogenic greenhouse gas that affects the earth’s temperature.
    - MethaneMethane (CH4) is a greenhouse gas with a GWP of 21.
    - Nitrous oxideAgriculture accounts for the majority of nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions in Australia, The transport sector also contributes to emissions of N2O. N2O has a high global warming potential of about 310 times that of CO2.it breaks down very slowly – over about 120 years
    - HydrofluorocarbonsMajor releases of HFCs are from leakage from refrigeration equipment during operation and its end-of-life destruction. Minor releases arise from the use of HFC-containing aerosols, air conditioners and metered dose inhalers.HFCs have very high global warming potentials (140 to 11,700 times that of carbon dioxide).
    - PerfluorocarbonsMost emissions of PFCs in Australia are generated during aluminium production. PFCs have extremely high global warming potentials (5000 to 10,000 times that of carbon dioxide). However, because they are only released in relatively small amounts, their contribution to global warming is minor. Due to their stability they have very long atmospheric lifetimes (thousands of years).
    Other carbon management services
    [Q11]- Footprinting services
    - Advisory services
    - Carbon neutrality
    - Scoping customer emissions
    - Auditing
    - Emissions monitoring
    - Measuring and reporting services for carbon abatementA reduction in the amount or intensity of greenhouse gas emissions as a result of actions taken by a company or individual. projects
    - Energy EfficiencyEnergy efficiency improvements refer to a reduction in the energy used for a given service (heating, lighting, etc.) or level of activity. Such savings are generally achieved by substituting technologically more advanced equipment to produce the same level of end-use services (e.g. lighting, heating, motor drive) with less electricity. Auditing
    - NABERS
    - GreenStar Assessments
    - Project development
    - Consultancy on emission reducing project options in Australia and Internationally

    [Find out more about carbon offsetting]

    Projects

    Project Information

    Greenhouse Friendly | Avoided deforestation Greenhouse Friendly (GHF)

    General Information

    This project is not owned by Balance Carbon
    Price per tonne of CO2e
    [Q24]

    $22-$28/tonne

    Project Type(s)
    [Q26]- Avoided deforestation

    Quality

    Accreditation or certification achieved 9 October 2009
    [Q33a]- Greenhouse FriendlySee AGO GF
    Registry on which project is registered
    [Q36]- Registered with Greenhouse Friendly Program Administrator (internal records)
    Process followed for retiring offsets from this project off the market
    [Q37]- We retire them (later) at regular time intervals on behalf of the customer
    Retirement of abatement verified to your client via
    [Q38] - Certificate (with amount of abatementA reduction in the amount or intensity of greenhouse gas emissions as a result of actions taken by a company or individual. purchased)

    Biosequestration Rule 5 NSW GGAS | Afforestation / reforestation with Australian native vegetation (as opposed to locally appropriate), Methane landfill Afforestation / reforestation with Australian native vegetation (as opposed to locally appropriate), Methane landfill NSW Greenhouse Gas Abatement Certificate (NGAC)

    General Information

    This project is not owned by Balance Carbon
    Price per tonne of CO2e
    [Q24]

    $20 - 25

    Project Type(s)
    [Q26]- Afforestation / reforestation with Australian native vegetation (as opposed to locally appropriate)
    - Methane landfill
    Project Size (tonnes of CO2e)
    [Q29]>50,000tCO2e

    Quality

    Other accreditation or certification achieved 9 October 2009
    [Q33b]- NGACsNew South Wales Greenhouse Gas Abatement Certificate is a tradeable commodity used in the NSW GGAS. One NGAC represents the abatement of one tonne of CO2e associated with the consumption of electricity in NSW. NGACs are transferable certificates that may only be created by accredited abatement certificate providers.
    Registry on which project is registered
    [Q36]- GGASSee The NSW Greenhouse Gas Abatement Scheme Registry
    Process followed for retiring offsets from this project off the market
    [Q37]- We retire them (later) at regular time intervals on behalf of the customer
    Retirement of abatement verified to your client via
    [Q38] - Certificate (with amount of abatementA reduction in the amount or intensity of greenhouse gas emissions as a result of actions taken by a company or individual. purchased)
    Ancillary or co-benefits of the project
    [Q39]- While forestry and biosequestration are only one tool in the carbon reduction tool box, the standing forests do add to biodiversity and provide significant habitat value.

    Contact Details

    Contact Details

    For more information please contact:

    Balance Carbon
    www.balancecarbon.com
    1300 7754 10
    370 Unley Road, Unley Park SA 5167
    Information Submitted by Balance Carbon on 9 October 2009