UER – Upstream Emission Reduction

UER verification concerns GHG reductions achieved in projects before raw materials for petrol, diesel and liquid gas fuel reach a refinery or storage facility

emissions-crude-oil

Typical upstream emission reduction projects are:

Legal Framework

As part of the EU climate and energy legislation in place to achieve the greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction targets for 2020 the Council Directive 2009/30/EC (Fuel Quality Directive - FQD) obliges fuels suppliers to reduce the GHG intensity (life cycle GHG emissions per unit of energy) of the fuel and energy supplied by them by 6% in 2020 compared to a fuel baseline standard of 2010.

The rules on calculation methods laid down in Council Directive (EU) 2015/652 (the implementing Council Directive) include the possibility to account for upstream emission reductions (UER) and to take those emission reductions into account in the compliance assessment of their/that obligation under the FQD.

Validation and verification procedure

In order to obtain UER evidence, project Owner(s) / Proponent(s) shall first draw up project documentation describing the planned project activities. The planned project shall then be checked by a validation/verification Body (VVB). The validation/verification is carried out according to the regulations of the UER as well as standards ISO 14064, ISO 14065 and ISO 14066.

Why RINA?

RINA is a Designated Operational Entity (DOE) accredited by UNFCCC to conduct validations and verifications of CDM projects and is a VVB accredited under the ISO 14065’s requirements.

Q&A

Who presents a UER project?
Public or private investors, belonging to EU countries

What is meant by validation and verification of projects?
It is an independent compliance assessment carried out by a third-party body, based on the UER and ISO 14064 families.

Which is the role of the Member States?
To designate a National Competent Authority to manage the data reported by fuel. MSs shall ensure that reports are subject to verification. MSs should ensure that UERs have not been double-counted and that UER data is available for sharing.

Giovanni D'Angelo

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