How CoolingMan Uses GHG Offsets
CoolingMan strongly encourages all participants to first reduce greenhouse gas emissions wherever possible. However, it is rarely possible to totally eliminate the GHG from any activity given current technologies. To become carbon neutral or negative therefore requires the use of GHG offsets to compensate for remaining emissions.
CoolingMan aggregates donations from participants and obtains offsets from new renewable energy or other emission-reducing projects. We seek projects that advance a variety of technologies and deliver sustainable development co-benefits. CoolingMan's porftolio includes non-CO2 offsets to support a range of technology options, match emission profiles, and achieve rapid benefits.
CoolingMan invests in the following types of GHG offset projects:
- Renewable Energy
- Energy Efficiency
- Methane Gas Capture
- Local Air Pollution Mitigation
- Forestry Sequestration (with social/environmental co-benefits)
CoolingMan Offset Portfolio
Project |
Est. GHG Emissions |
GHG Offsets Obtained |
Type of Offset |
Location |
Source of Offset |
CoolingMan 2007 |
27,000 |
TBD |
TBD |
TBD |
TBD |
CoolingMan 2006 |
110 |
200 |
Renewable Energy (Wind, Farm Methane) |
South Dakota, Pennsylvania |
Native Energy |
CoolingFlock 2006 |
5 |
6 |
Carbon Sequestation (Forestry) |
Louisiana, Mississippi |
American Forests |
CoolingMan 2005 |
9 |
10 |
Renewable Energy (Solar Lighting) |
Tanzania |
Solar Electric Light Fund |
CoolingMan GHG standards
CoolingMan seeks GHG emission offsets that are:
- Synchronous - Offsets must occur within 10 years of the emission being offset.
- Real - Offsets must be real, tangible assets, not theoretical projects or planning efforts.
- Permanent - GHG offsets should be permanent. Exceptions may be made for forestry projects with social or biodiversity benefits.
- Quantifiable - GHG offsets must be quantifiable by standardized, peer-reviewed emission inventory methodologies.
- Enforceable - GHG offsets should be enforceable in terms of their implementation, emission reductions and project lifespan.
- Additional - GHG offsets must be generated from projects that would not have occurred under the baseline or business-as-usual scenario. Under the Clean Development Mechanism, projects qualify if they pass one of the following additionally tests:
- Legal, Regulatory, or Institutional - Emission reductions must be below any legal, regulatory, or institutional requirements.
- Technology - Emission reductions are realized with technology not likely to be deployed under the business-as-usual baseline scenario.
- Investment - A GHG project is additional if the project rate of return is sub-standard without the revenue generated from the sale of GHG offsets.
- Common Practice - Emission reductions exceed those that would be expected using "common practice" technologies.
- Timing - Emission reductions occur after a fixed GHG reduction program start date. In general, this test must be accompanied by one of the other four additionally tests.
To ensure these standards are met, CoolingMan seeks investment in projects that provide third-party:
- Validation of emission baseline and reduction calculation methodologies
- Verification/Certification of annual project performance and actual reductions achieved