21 August 2007

JI Monitoring of WWF Russia

(www.wwf.ru akokorin@wwf.ru)

see: http://www.wwf.ru/about/what_we_do/climate/eng/doc1038/page1/ and http://ji.unfccc.int/JI_Projects/Verification/PDD

Russian JI projects submitted to UNFCCC JISC web-site

Since the launch of the Track II JI verification procedure on 26 October, 2006, 75 JI projects were made available at JISC web-site for review and consultations public consultations, including 37 Russian projects. Russian share is about 50% by number of projects. It is state-of-the-art at the moment of Government’s positive decision-making on JI (Decision No 322 of 28 May 2007) and before start of work of domestic JI system. It confirms leading role of the country in the JI process as a whole. Total volume of Russian Kyoto units (ERU) to be transferred is about 95 Mt CO₂-eq. (including 37 of two large projects, 17 of 1-6 Mt projects and 18 relatively small projects) from 26 Russian Regions.

There are special ecological or additionality concerns (risks) on 10 projects, while 4 of them could be considered as large.

Concerns are relevant to: large JI on large hydro Dam (new turbines on an object, which is not completely “green”); use of outdate coal technologies (use of old instead of very old); waste incineration (that is out of local public support); avoiding of gas flaring (that may become a baseline); renovation of district heating in relatively rich area (financial additionality is doubtful); landfill gas utilization with “just flaring” of methane (mainly without use of gas as a fuel), use of sawdust biofuel without information on origin of timber and FSC information. All these project proposals will be under additional monitoring of domestic and international NGOs, including WWF and Climate Action Network as a whole.

# in JISC data base	Project Title	Sectoral scope(s), # in JICS list	Region	Project company	Counterparty	Accredited Independent Entity	ERU volume (2008-2012)	Comments (doubts and concerns are underlined)
003	Methane emissions avoidance in Bryansk gas distribution network	10: Fugitive emissions from fuels (natural gas leaks)	Bryansk Oblast	Rosgazifikatsiya Centergasservice-opt Bryanskoblgas	AddGlobe, LLC (U.S.A.)	Det Norske Veritas Certification	4,485,243	Low pressure natural gas distribution for local population and small business. Projects use modern sealing materials instead of outdate usual for Russia. Projects solve the problem of gas leaks, improve safety and have good local social effect. They positively facilitate public opinion on Kyoto protocol.
004	Methane emissions avoidance in Kostroma gas distribution network	10: Fugitive emissions from fuels (natural gas leaks)	Kostroma Oblast	Rosgazifikatsiya Centergasservice-opt Kostromaoblgas	AddGlobe, LLC (U.S.A.)	Det Norske Veritas Certification	524,095
005	Waste biomass utilization at Archangelsk pulp and paper mill	1: Energy industries (renewable sources - biofuel)	Archangelsk Oblast	Archangelsk pulp and paper mill	CAMCO International	Det Norske Veritas Certification	1 021,452	Large scale woody waste use instead of fossil fuel. It demonstrates real possibility of fuel switch; it has full support of local administration and people. The Plant is following progressive ecological policy relevant to FSC
012	Improvement of efficiency in power generation by Bratsk hydropower plant	1: Energy industries (renewable sources – large hydro)	Irkutsk Oblast	Irkutskenergo Alfa-Carbon	Climate Change Management (Sweden)	TÜV-SÜD	4 398,917	Replacement of old hydro-power units by modern. It is on large dam on plain Siberian River Angara (doubts are because it is subject of Dam Convention) but without expansion of reservoir or rise of it’s level. Additional hydro power allow to reduce local coal use, while without significant influence on employment
013	GHG emission reduction through energy efficiency improvement in the communal heating system of Zima town	1: Energy industries (non-renewable sources)	Irkutsk Oblast	Irkutskenergo Alfa-Carbon	Climate Change Management (Sweden)	TÜV-SÜD	288,500	Construction of heat pipeline for district heating system with shutdown of smaller boilers using coal. Heat will be delivered from more efficient coal plant, but without use of new coal technologies. Doubts are that the project is coal by coal project without implementation of new technologies (turbines are from 1970-80-ies). There is no significant influence on employment.
014	Methane emissions avoidance in Kursk gas distribution network	10: Fugitive emissions from fuels (natural gas leaks)	Kursk Oblast	Rosgazifikatsiya Centergasservice-opt Kurskoblgas	Russian Carbon Fund (Denmark)	Det Norske Veritas Certification	1,200,000	Projects deal with low and middle pressure natural gas distribution for local population and small and middle-size business. Projects use modern sealing materials instead of outdate usual for Russia. Projects solve the problem of gas leaks, improve safety and have good local social effect. They positively facilitate public opinion on Kyoto protocol.
015	Methane emissions avoidance in Tula gas distribution network	10: Fugitive emissions from fuels (natural gas leaks)	Tula Oblast	Rosgazifikatsiya Centergasservice-opt Tulaoblgas	Russian Carbon Fund (Denmark)	Det Norske Veritas Certification	3,955,000
017	Methane emissions avoidance in Stavropol gas distribution network	10: Fugitive emissions from fuels (natural gas leaks)	Stavropol Krai	Rosgazifikatsiya Centergasservice-opt Stavropolkraygas	AddGlobe, LLC (U.S.A.)	Det Norske Veritas Certification	25,000,000
019	Methane emissions avoidance in Belgorod gas distribution network.	10: Fugitive emissions from fuels (natural gas leaks)	Belgorod Oblast	Rosgazifikatsiya Centergasservice-opt Belgorodoblgas	Russian Carbon Fund (Denmark)	Det Norske Veritas Certification	4,871,000
020	Methane emissions avoidance in Orel gas distribution network	10: Fugitive emissions from fuels (natural gas leaks)	Orel Oblast	Rosgazifikatsiya Centergasservice-opt Oreloblgas	Russian Carbon Fund (Denmark)	Det Norske Veritas Certification	1,820,000
021	Waste coke oven gas utilization at Khimprom company, Kemerovo	1: Energy industries (waste coke-oven gas)	Kemerovo Oblast	Khimprom	Baltic Sea Region Testing Ground Facility (TGF)	Det Norske Veritas Certification	354,055	Utilization of waste coke-oven gas fro stem production. Currently coke-oven gas is flared and fired on open air. Economy of natural gas and coal used for steam production now. Doubts are that Russian government could decide to set up tax for such flaring and baseline should be principally changed.
022	Fuel switch of boiler-houses in the South-Western part of the Leningrad oblast	1: Energy industries (non-renewable sources) 4: Manufacturing industries	Leningrad Oblast	BaltKotloMash FORCE Technology Rusland	Danish Environmental Protection Agency	Det Norske Veritas Certification	523,400	Replacement of several old mazut, coal and gas boilers by new high efficient natural gas electricity and heat unit. Significant air pollution reduction. There is no significant influence on employment. Non-feasibility of replacement by renewable energy in near future in Russian conditions is considered in detail.
026	Switch of Khabarovsk CHP-1 plant from coal to natural gas	1: Energy industries (non-renewable sources) 4: Manufacturing industries	Khabarovsk Kray	Khabarovskenergo Energy Carbon Fund (RAO UES Rossii)	J-Power (Japan) Cargill International (Switzerland)	TÜV-SÜD	6,101,500	Replacement of old coal units by modern natural gas units. Replacement by renewable energy in near future is not considered, but it seems as non-feasible in Russian conditions. Influence on local social problems and sustainable development is not considered, while it could be estimated as positive. Significant air pollution reduction. There is no significant influence on employment.
027	Murmansk district heating rehabilitation project	1: Energy industries (non-renewable sources) 3: Energy demand	Murmansk Oblast	TEKOS	Swedish Energy Agency Baltic Sea Region Testing Ground Facility (TGF)	TÜV-SÜD	297,793	Reduction of heavy energy and hot water losses in district heating system in Arctic region. Significant energy saving by new technologies. Economy of heavy oil (mazut). Air pollution reduction. More reliable heating facilitates solution of social problems. Renewable options are not feasible in near future.
030	Energy conservation at Khimki district heating company	1: Energy industries (non-renewable sources) 2: Energy distribution	Moscow oblast	Khimki district heating company	The Belgium Government	Det Norske Veritas Certification	323,301	Replacement of old and non-reliable district heating system by modern system. Old and new are both natural gas use. The district is actually fast growing suburbs of very rich Moscow City, therefore potential variety of sources of finance cause some doubts on additionality.
033	Combined Vodokanal wastewater sludge incinerator projects	13: Waste handling and disposal	St. Petersburg City.	Vodokanal of St Petersburg	EBRD Baltic Sea Region Testing Ground Facility (TGF)	TÜV-SÜD	681,716	Incineration of wastewater sludge in large city with use of modern technologies. Public concern relevant to waste incineration in general, including potential non-proper management and operation of incineration plant in Russia. Location in rich city cause some doubts on non-availability of local funding for waste management. Environment impacts and benefits are considered in detail.
036	Coal-to-Waste Wood Energy Switch in the Town of Onega	1: Energy industries (renewable sources) 3: Energy demand 13: Waste handling and disposal	Archangelsk Oblast	Onega Energy	GFA Consulting Group GmbH (Germany)	TÜV-SÜD	788,054	Replacement of coal (delivered from other regions) by wood waste of large local saw mills. Forest cutting and management is expected to be certified by FSC. Additional measures to reduce energy demand. Significant air pollution reduction.
037	Zheshart biofuel conversion project	1: Energy industries (renewable sources) 13: Waste handling and disposal	Komi Republic	Zheshart Plywood Factory	Nordic Environment Finance Corporation NEFCO Testing Ground Facility (TGF)	TÜV-SÜD	77,151	Replacement of natural gas by local sawdust. Transfer of modern technologies absent in region. Additionally (about 20%) avoiding of methane emission from landfill of sawdust. There is no information on origin of timber and relevance to FSC standards, why 80% of plywood products are exported and could be under a control of origin
038	Implementation of Resource-Saving Technologies at “Ural Steel”,	4: Manufacturing industries	Orenburg Oblast	Ural Steel	CI CAMCO Limited	Det Norske Veritas Certification AS (DNV Certification AS)	3,164,729	Upgrade of two electric furnaces; modernization of plant infrastructure and power supply system; phase out of outdate technologies.
039	Wood waste-to-energy project at Sawmill-25 (Archangelsk)	1: Energy industries (renewable sources)	Archangelsk Oblast	Sawmill-25, Arkhangelsk,	CAMCO International”	Det Norske Veritas Certification AS (DNV Certification AS)	210,988	Construction of two new wood waste boilers instead of oil coal and heavy oil boilers. “Sawmill 25” is a member of Association of Responsible Timber Companies of Russia with close cooperation with WWF (FSC, etc.).
041	Flare gas reduction project in Kondisky District	10: Fugitive emissions from fuels (oil and gas)	Khanty-Mansyisk Autonomous Okrug	Yukon Gas OJSC	Danish Environmental Protection Agency (DEPA)	Det Norske Veritas Certification AS (DNV Certification AS)	433,072	Utilization of oil associated gas currently flared. Gas will be used in the district instead of coal. Detail calculation of gas use and leakages. There may be doubts on baseline because government could increase flaring tax in many times.
042	Landfill gas recovery in Moscow – landfill site DMITROVSKIJ	13: Waste handling and disposal	Moscow Oblast	State Enterprise of the city of Moscow Ekotechprom	Austria ECOCOM Climate Protection	SGS United Kingdom Ltd. (SGS)