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"What's New"
Alberta is the first province with legislation to reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions through the regulation of large emitters (industrial facilities in Alberta that emit more 100, 000 tonnes carbon dioxide equivalents (C02e)/year). This legislation, Climate Change and Emissions Management Amendment Act (Bill 3) was passed in April and the regulations took effect July 1, 2007. Please click here to order a copy.
Regulated facilities must reduce their emission intensity by 12%, based on an average of the facility’s 2003 to 2005 emissions intensity baseline. There are three methods of reduction listed under the regulation:
- Facility upgrades with the installation of new technology;
- Pay $15/tonne CO2e into a technology fund – to invest in research and development and building technology for the future;
- Purchase Alberta made carbon offset credits that represent management improvements that are science-based, additional to business as usual, and verifiable by an independent third party.
Agriculture and forestry are two industries that can remove carbon from the atmosphere. Agriculture can also reduce emissions through management improvements. The agricultural industry has an opportunity in the emerging offset compliance market, both for environmental and economic benefits.
April 1, 2012 The deadline is officially over for aggregators to submit 2002-2010 tillage credits. There should still be time for farmers to sell tillage credits from 2011, but hurry! Click here for more information.
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Background
Offset Opportunities
10 of the current 31 government approved protocol standards at this point are agriculturally related. These are summarized below.
Crop Management
 Tillage
 Conservaton Cropping Protocol NEW IN 2012
- Revised Tillage
- Summerfallow Reduction
 Nitrous Oxide Emmision Reduction (NERP)
Livestock
 Beef
 Pork
 Dairy
Energy
 Efficiency
 Biomass
 Biogas
Government of Alberta approved quantification protocols as well as the project and verification guidance documents are all available on-line. | FAQs
What is a tonne of sequestered carbon worth?
Alberta's GHG regulation has established a price for a tonne of CO2e at $15 because of the option to pay into a technology fund at $15 or to purchase carbon offset credits, in the compliance-based marketplace. The market price will ultimately be determined through the willingness to pay for offset credits. As operational rules and regulations are established; as efficiencies of operations are developed through verification of records, the market infrastructure and price will evolve.
Changes in the Alberta Offset System beginning in 2012 are available on-line.
Related Information
| Ag Carbon Offset Information is available at:
Trade Shows:
- Capturing Feed Grain and Forage Opportunities, Strathmore: Nov 22, 23, 2011
- FarmTech, Edmonton: Jan 24, 25, 26, 2012
- Precision Ag, Calgary: Feb 22, 23, 2012
- Ag Expo Lethbridge: Feb 29, Mar 1, 2, 2012
- Northlands Farm and Ranch Show, Edmonton: March 29, 30, 31, 2012
- Hines Creek: April 14, 2012
Meetings:
- Peace Country Beef and Forage, Market More Beef with Increased Nutrition: Nov 29, 2011, High Prairie, Nov 30, 2011 Fairview
- Wetaskiwin: April 11, 2012
- Two Hills: April 12, 2012
Access an overview of the Alberta Offset System. This system ultimately creates a market of carbon trading between emitters and farmers who sequester carbon.
Contact Us at
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Quantification Protocols Guide Alberta’s Compliance Carbon Offset Market
Protocols will provide quality assurance for the market and standardization of the commodity. Buyers – want certainty that a purchased offset tonne will fit the criteria under the regulatory framework. Removals and reductions of GHG's can only be counted once for compliance purposes (you can’t sell the same tonne over again). To ensure the value of the credit, verification of projects/credits will be done both on farm and at verifier’s office following government approved protocols.
It is recommended that farmers who are considering a sales contract for carbon offset credits understand their obligations according to the contract. There are several companies in Alberta that are in the business of aggregating credits for sale to the industrial emitters.
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