Practice Test Geeks(CAP) Certified Carbon Auditing Professional Practice Test
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Renewable Energy Technologies Flashcards

7 cards from real CAP practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 7 Renewable Energy Technologies flashcards as text

  1. What is the primary greenhouse gas emission source associated with the manufacturing of crystalline silicon photovoltaic (PV) panels?

    Answer: Carbon dioxide from energy-intensive purification processes

    Manufacturing crystalline silicon PV panels requires high-temperature processes for silicon purification that are energy-intensive and historically powered by fossil fuels, making CO₂ the dominant emission.

  2. Which capacity factor range best represents a typical onshore wind farm in the United States?

    Answer: 25–45%

    US onshore wind farms typically achieve capacity factors of 25–45%, reflecting the intermittent nature of wind resources and turbine efficiency.

  3. In carbon auditing of a utility-scale solar farm, which lifecycle phase typically contributes the LEAST to total lifecycle GHG emissions?

    Answer: Operational phase

    Solar PV systems produce negligible operational emissions since sunlight is free and no fuel combustion occurs during electricity generation.

  4. A carbon auditor is assessing a biomass power plant that co-fires with coal. Which emission accounting approach correctly handles the biogenic CO₂ from biomass combustion under GHG Protocol?

    Answer: Exclude biogenic CO₂ from Scope 1 but report it separately

    GHG Protocol requires biogenic CO₂ from biomass combustion to be reported separately from Scope 1 fossil CO₂, not included in the Scope 1 total.

  5. What does a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with renewable energy attributes allow a corporate buyer to claim under Scope 2 market-based accounting?

    Answer: Zero Scope 2 emissions for the contracted renewable electricity volume

    Under market-based Scope 2 accounting, a PPA with bundled RECs allows the buyer to claim zero emission factor for the contracted renewable electricity volume.

  6. Which renewable energy technology produces the highest lifecycle GHG emissions per kWh generated, based on IPCC median estimates?

    Answer: Concentrating solar power (CSP)

    CSP systems have higher lifecycle emissions per kWh than wind or standard solar PV due to material-intensive thermal storage systems and lower capacity factors in most locations.

  7. When auditing offshore wind projects, what additional emission source must be accounted for compared to onshore wind?

    Answer: Marine vessel fuel consumption for installation and O&M

    Offshore wind requires specialized marine vessels for installation, cable laying, and ongoing maintenance, contributing significant fuel-combustion emissions not present in onshore projects.