Measurement and verification protocol for tradable residential emissions reductions

• US 20030229572A1
• Filed: 11/08/2002
• Published: 12/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Fannie Mae
• Original Assignee: Fannie Mae, ICF Consulting
• Inventors: Hall, John D., Lesmes, Scott, Ebert, Craig D., Desiderio, Michelle, Raines, Franklin D., Howes, Matt, Sahadi, Robert J., Gamble, Dean, Berlin, Kenneth, Trump, Marcia G.
• Application Number:
  US10/290,754
• Publication Number:
  US 20030229572A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/37
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06375 Prediction of business process outcome or impact based on a proposed change
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a system and method for quantifying residential emissions reductions. In particular, the system and method may comprise the steps of: measuring an energy savings resulting from an energy savings opportunity in a residential property, calculating an emissions reduction resulting from the energy savings, aggregating a plurality of emissions reductions into a tradable commodity, monitoring the residential energy savings opportunities, monitoring the quantification of the emissions reduction, and verifying the quantification of the emissions reduction. The system may include means for conducting each of these steps.

Claims

1. A method for quantifying residential emissions reductions, comprising the steps of:

measuring an energy savings resulting from one or more energy savings opportunities in one or more residential properties;

calculating an emissions reduction resulting from the energy savings; and

aggregating a plurality of the emissions reductions into a tradable commodity.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of calculating an emissions reduction further comprises calculating a reduction in emissions of one or more compounds.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the one or more compounds are selected from the group consisting of:

SO₂, NO_x, and GHGs.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of monitoring the residential energy savings opportunities.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of monitoring the quantification of the emissions reduction.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of verifying the quantification of the emissions reduction.

7. A method for quantifying residential emissions reductions, comprising the steps of:

estimating an energy savings resulting from one or more energy savings opportunities in one or more residential properties;

calculating an emissions reduction resulting from the energy savings;

aggregating a plurality of the emissions reductions into a tradable commodity;

monitoring the residential energy savings opportunity;

monitoring the quantification of the emissions reduction; and

verifying the quantification of the emissions reduction.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the step of estimating an energy savings further comprises the step of estimating energy saved by one or more energy efficiency upgrades selected from the group consisting of:

replacement of an appliance;

upgrade of a domestic water heating system;

upgrade of a heating system;

upgrade of an air conditioning system;

modification to lighting;

fuel switching; and

whole home renovation.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the step of aggregating a plurality of the emissions reductions further comprises the step of aggregating the emissions reductions produced by the one or more energy efficiency upgrades into a tradable commodity.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein the step of aggregating the emissions reductions further comprises the step of pooling the emissions reductions.

11. The method according to claim 7, wherein the step of aggregating the emissions reductions further comprises the step of converting the emissions reductions into one or more emissions trading credits.

12. The method according to claim 7, wherein the step of calculating an emissions reduction further comprises calculating a reduction in emissions of one or more compounds.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the one or more compounds are selected from the group consisting of:

SO₂, NO_x, and GHGs.

14. The method according to claim 7, wherein the step of calculating an emissions reduction resulting from the energy savings further comprises the step of calculating a forecasted emissions reduction.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the step of calculating a forecasted emissions reduction further comprises the steps of:

estimating a forecasted baseline energy use for the energy savings opportunity;

estimating a forecasted baseline emissions factor for the energy savings opportunity;

calculating a forecasted baseline emissions by multiplying the forecasted baseline energy use with the forecasted baseline emissions factor;

estimating a forecasted program energy use for the energy savings opportunity;

estimating a forecasted program emissions factor for the energy savings opportunity;

calculating a forecasted program emissions by multiplying the forecasted program energy use with the forecasted program emissions factor; and

calculating a forecasted emissions reduction by subtracting the forecasted program emissions from the forecasted baseline emissions.

16. The method according to claim 14, further comprising the step of calculating a tradable portion of the forecasted emissions reduction.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the step of calculating a tradable portion of the forecasted emissions reduction further comprises the step of quantifying a technical confidence factor for the energy savings opportunity.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the step of quantifying a technical confidence factor further comprises the steps of:

identifying a risk factor for energy savings estimates;

identifying a risk factor for emissions factor estimates;

identifying an adjustment factor; and

determining the technical confidence factor by its relationship to the sum of the risk factor for energy savings estimates, the risk factor for emissions factor estimates, and the adjustment factor.

19. The method according to claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

multiplying the technical confidence factor with the emissions reduction to obtain the tradable portion of the emissions reduction, wherein the remaining portion of the emissions reduction is non-tradable; and

holding the non-tradable portion in reserve for possible conversion into a tradable commodity.

20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising the step of converting any portion of the non-tradable portion into a tradable commodity.

21. The method according to claim 14, wherein the step of calculating a forecasted emissions reduction further comprises the steps of:

calculating a plurality of annual forecasted emissions reductions for the residential energy savings opportunities; and

summing the plurality of annual forecasted emissions reductions to determine a lifetime emissions reduction estimate for the residential savings opportunities.

22. The method according to claim 7, wherein the step of monitoring the residential savings opportunity further comprises the steps of:

compiling data on the energy savings collected at a facility; and

managing the energy savings data.

23. The method according to claim 7, wherein the step of verifying the quantification of the emissions reduction further comprises the steps of:

calculating a measured emissions reduction; and

comparing the measured emissions reduction to a forecasted emissions reduction.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the step of calculating a measured emissions reduction further comprises the step of collecting data for the energy savings opportunity.

25. The method according to claim 23, wherein the step of calculating a measured emissions reduction further comprises the steps of:

estimating a measured baseline energy use for the energy savings opportunity;

estimating a measured baseline emissions factor for the energy savings opportunity;

calculating a measured baseline emissions by multiplying the measured baseline energy use with the measured baseline emissions factor;

estimating a measured program energy use for the energy savings opportunity;

estimating a measured program emissions factor for the energy savings opportunity;

calculating a measured program emissions by multiplying the measured program energy use with the measured program emissions factor; and

calculating a measured emissions reduction by subtracting the measured program emissions from the measured baseline emissions.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein the step of estimating a measured baseline energy use is selected from one or more of the group consisting of conducting:

on-site inspection;

metering;

sub-metering;

utility bill analysis; and

engineering modeling.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein the step of conducting engineering modeling further comprises the step of utilizing one or more of:

engineering calculations and computer simulation.

28. The method according to claim 26, wherein the step of conducting engineering modeling further comprises the step of conducting one or more of:

degree day analysis;

bin analysis;

hourly analysis; and

time-step analysis.

29. The method according to claim 25, wherein the step of estimating a measured program energy use is selected from one or more of the group consisting of conducting:

on-site inspection;

metering;

sub-metering;

utility bill analysis; and

engineering modeling.

30. The method according to claim 29, wherein the step of conducting engineering modeling further comprises the step of utilizing one or more of:

engineering calculations and computer simulation.

31. The method according to claim 29, wherein the step of conducting engineering modeling further comprises conducting one or more of:

degree day analysis;

bin analysis;

hourly analysis; and

time-step analysis.

32. A method for quantifying a tradable emissions commodity, comprising the steps of:

offering a plurality of residential energy efficiency programs, wherein the energy efficiency programs comprise a plurality of residential energy savings opportunities;

estimating an energy savings resulting from the plurality of residential energy savings opportunities;

calculating emissions reductions resulting from the energy savings;

aggregating the emissions reductions into a tradable commodity;

monitoring the residential energy savings opportunities;

monitoring the quantification of the emissions reductions;

verifying the quantification of the tradable emissions reductions to produce a tradable commodity.

33. The method according to claim 32, wherein the plurality of residential energy efficiency programs are offered by one or more emissions trading partners.

34. The method according to claim 32, wherein the step of verifying the quantification of the tradable emissions reductions further comprises the step of producing a commodity that is tradable on national and international emissions trading markets.

35. The method according to claim 32, further comprising the step of offering to a market one or more of the tradable commodities.

36. The method according to claim 35, wherein the step of offering to a market one or more of the tradable commodities further comprises the step of managing one or more transactions of the tradable commodities in the market.

37. A system for quantifying residential emissions reductions, comprising:

one or more client devices for inputting data relating to one or more residential energy savings opportunities into the system;

one or more servers, which communicate with the one or more client devices via a network;

one or more databases residing on the one or more servers for storing the inputted data; and

means for processing the inputted data to quantify an emissions reduction for the one or more residential energy savings opportunities and aggregate the emissions reduction into a tradable commodity.