Solomon Greenhouse Gas Emissions Benchmarking & Consulting Services

To meet the needs of our ever-expanding energy industry client base, Solomon Associates (Solomon) has extended our expertise in data-driven performance improvement benchmarking and consulting services into the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions arena. Solomon continues to leverage our 25 years of energy industry experience with our extensive historical database and patent-pending methodologies to produce innovative products and services for our clients. Solomon can now provide the same high quality data-driven performance improvement products and services in the GHG area that we have delivered to our clients in the refining, petrochemicals, pipeline, and power industries. Solomon offers the following products and services to address the myriad of climate change issues and challenges that our clients continue to face.

Greenhouse Gas Downloads   Link UK DTI Selects Solomon for Phase II of ETS – GHG Allocation Dallas, TX – September 2006 – The United Kingdom (UK) Department of Trade and Industries (DTI) selected Solomon Associates (Solomon) to provide energy consumption assessments for new refining entrants for Phase II of the European Trading Scheme (ETS) as the basis for allocating GHG allowances. In June 2006, Solomon successfully completed an assessment for the first new UK refining entrant—the new catalytic cracking unit at Innovene’s Grangemouth Refinery. Solomon Completes EII™ Energy Consumption Factor Updates Dallas, TX – September 2006 – Solomon recently completed a comprehensive update of all standard energy consumption factors used in the calculation of Solomon’s Energy Intensity Index (EII™). EII continues to provide the global refining industry with energy efficiency assessments that are reflective of the current energy technology and practices employed by the industry, equipping refining managers and executives with the enhanced tools needed to set improvement targets for energy efficiency and GHG emission reductions. 2005 RIMS Conference GHG risk management road map presented at the 2005 Annual RIMS conference 1.1 MB Greenhouse Gas Emission Performance Measurement This paper helps reconcile issues related to measuring GHG emissions through the description of an objective and rigorous patent-pending equivalency factor methodology (Carbon Emissions Intensity - CEI) that normalizes scale, location, complexity, and other key differences in the various types of power generating units. 2008 ERTC Sustainable Refining Conference This presentation provides an overview of a proposed global benchmarking methodology for equitably allocating GHG allowances to refineries of varying size and complexity while satisfying the needs of simplicity and transparency associated with regulatory reporting requirements. The main feature of the methodology is the introduction of Solomon’s new Complexity-Weighted Barrels (CWBTM) that is used not only for allocating allowances, but also for assessing GHG intensity (efficiency), expressed as metric tons of GHG per CWBTM. 233KB

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Internal Company Performance Assessments
Energy companies are confronted with the challenge of knowing where to focus their efforts across their asset portfolio to achieve their company's GHG reduction objectives. The process starts with assessing the relative GHG emission performance of their individual plants to determine which plants will require the most improvement. These assessments, however, are often limited by the use of simplistic measures that look only at GHG emissions per unit of feed or product. Many industry experts have found these simplistic measures to be misleading because of differences in plant technology, complexity, raw materials, etc. Solomon has developed a GHG performance-assessment methodology that permits comparative performance analysis across all plants within an energy company, regardless of their differences. This well-documented methodology generates a Carbon Emissions Intensity (CEI) index that compares actual GHG emissions with expected "standard" GHG emissions for a particular plant. GHG performance can now be directly compared across facilities of varying size, complexity, technology, and geography. This methodology can be extended beyond the refining, petrochemical, and power industries by developing standard GHG emission factors unique to other capital/energy-intensive industries.

External Performance Assessments
As shareholders and the general public become more and more sensitive to a company's GHG performance, policies, and strategies, knowing how well a company is performing relative to others in their industry will be of increasing value. The value can be further enhanced by an assessment from an objective, unbiased third party with global energy industry experience and a solid reputation in the business community. Solomon can use its GHG performance assessment tools, extensive database, and expertise to provide the information needed to address the broader issue of relative GHG performance across a wide range of industries and operating regions. This assessment could, in turn, help shape the perception of the public, financial, and environmental communities.

Allocation of Allowances/Permits
A significant issue for countries and companies facing future GHG cap-and-trade programs and regulations is identifying and developing an objective allocation method that provides equitable distribution of GHG allowances/permits to companies, and ultimately, to individual plants. Solomon's determination of "standard GHG emissions" can be used as an allocation basis, since it takes into account key plant characteristics (e.g., plant configuration and complexity). GHG allowances/permits can be allocated based on an individual plant's percentage of the total standard GHG emissions for all plants in an industry sector. This approach is applicable at the country level or for self-imposed reduction target allocations across a company's facilities.

Emission Audits and Improvement Plans
Once a company has identified emission performance targets for each plant through Solomon's internal and external GHG performance assessments, the next challenge is to develop an emissions reduction plan. One of the most significant areas affecting GHG emissions is energy consumption. Solomon can assist a company in assessing a plant's energy efficiency, identifying areas to reduce energy consumption, and quantifying associated GHG emission reductions.

Solomon has successfully conducted detailed energy audits for our clients worldwide. These audits have assessed the application of industry best practices and technology to determine potential improvement steps. Solomon has worked with plant staff to develop action plans and assign responsibilities, and assisted in implementing improvement steps. Beyond reducing energy consumption, Solomon can assist in identifying other areas for potential emissions reductions and the improvements required to achieve these reductions.

An important next step is to monitor emissions performance as the plan is implemented. Solomon's tools can be used to monitor a plant's emissions reduction progress and the impact on performance relative to a plant baseline, other internal company plants, and the industry.

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