Emission Trading

Emissions trading was introduced on a national scale by the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments (CAAA), but for at least two decades, economists have championed the concept as a means of producing cleaner air at a lower cost than the “command and control” approach that characterized early environmental control programs. In addition to these programs, a greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions trading program is developing as companies increasingly adopt GHG emissions reduction strategies. Tradable emissions credits become available when a source shuts down or when it applies control technologies more stringent than permits require. In addition, facilities may generate temporary emissions reductions due to market conditions, and these surplus credits can be sold as well. Brokers typically auction credits to facilities that find it more cost effective to buy credits than to invest in controls.

With more than 20 years of environmental consulting experience, Ninyo & Moore can help your facility optimize emissions in a variety of ways. We understand how the emission trading programs work and can assist you in educating your organization. We have prepared of emission inventories for our clients ranging from military institutions to fossil-fueled power plant, and we can do the same for you. We understand the regulations in great detail, allowing us to identify creditable emissions reductions. We can assist you with the emission credits registration process. While we are not brokers, we can recommend a reputable broker for your facility.