From BJNEWS
In a significant development for China's carbon market, the China Certified Emission Reductions (CCER) program has registered its first project since its recent revival. The "State Power Investment Shandong Peninsula South No. 3 301.6MW Offshore Wind Power Project" has been recorded, with an anticipated annual reduction of approximately 500,000 tons of emissions. This milestone falls within the energy industry sector and employs the methodology for grid-connected offshore wind power generation, with its additionality granted an exemption from demonstration.
The project, which features 58 wind turbines each with a capacity of 5.2MW, totals a substantial 301.6MW in installed capacity. It is managed by Haiyang Dian Tou Wind Power Co., Ltd., which is responsible for the investment, construction, and operation of the facility. A key achievement was the successful initial grid connection of the first batch of wind turbines on September 29, 2021, followed by the full capacity grid connection of all 58 wind turbines on December 16, 2021.
Harnessing the power of offshore winds, the project generates electricity that is integrated into the North China regional grid. By replacing an equivalent amount of electricity from the coal-dominated North China grid, the project is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an average of 497,191 metric tons of CO2 annually. The crediting period commenced on April 1, 2022, and will conclude on March 31, 2023, with the entire period projected to result in a total reduction of 4,971,913 metric tons of CO2.
The official posting of the first batch of CCER projects online came three months ago, marking the end of a seven-year hiatus since the National Development and Reform Commission suspended the acceptance of new CCER projects in 2017. This restart of the CCER market not only breathes new life into the carbon market but also introduces additional incentive mechanisms for enterprises engaged in emission reduction efforts. As of December 3rd, there are five projects under public notice, with a total of 47 projects having completed the public notice period.Industry experts have highlighted that the offshore wind and solar thermal power projects in the inaugural batch of methodologies exhibit clear emission reduction logic, high-quality data, and significant additionality, which has enabled them to meet the conditions for public notice sooner. This also underscores the substantial potential for emission reduction in energy industry projects, particularly those involving offshore wind power, which can serve as exemplary models for the sector.