Renewable Energy Technologies Flashcards

A corporate carbon auditor is verifying a supplier's claim of using '100% renewable energy.' Which documentation is MOST rigorous for substantiating this under GHG Protocol Scope 2 guidance?

Answer: Retired RECs matched to the same time period and grid region as consumption

GHG Protocol Scope 2 quality criteria require renewable energy instruments (like RECs) to be retired, time-matched, and from the same market as consumption to substantiate zero-emission claims.

Which emerging renewable energy technology is specifically relevant to carbon auditors assessing industrial decarbonization pathways for hard-to-abate sectors?

Answer: Green hydrogen produced via electrolysis powered by renewables

Green hydrogen from renewable-powered electrolysis is a key decarbonization pathway for hard-to-abate industries like steel, cement, and chemicals that cannot easily electrify.

Under the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), which approach allows companies to claim renewable electricity for Scope 2 reduction targets?

Answer: Procuring renewable electricity through PPAs, on-site generation, or bundled renewable tariffs

SBTi recognizes market-based procurement mechanisms—PPAs, on-site generation, and bundled renewable tariffs—for Scope 2 reductions, but quality criteria such as geographic and temporal matching must be met.

What is the primary carbon accounting challenge associated with pumped hydroelectric storage (PHS) in a carbon audit?

Answer: Emissions depend on the carbon intensity of the electricity used during the pumping phase

PHS stores energy by pumping water uphill during off-peak periods; if that pumping electricity comes from fossil-heavy grids, the storage system's carbon footprint can be significant.

A CAP auditor reviews a wind farm's decommissioning plan. Which material presents the most significant end-of-life carbon and environmental accounting challenge?

Answer: Fiberglass composite turbine blades (difficult to recycle)

Fiberglass composite blades are not cost-effectively recyclable with current technology, leading most to landfill disposal, which creates a growing end-of-life waste and embodied carbon accounting issue.

When calculating the carbon intensity of electricity from a run-of-river hydropower facility for a carbon audit, which factor most differentiates it from reservoir hydropower?

Answer: Run-of-river avoids significant reservoir methane emissions from decomposing organic matter

Large reservoirs produce methane and CO₂ from submerged decomposing vegetation, making reservoir hydropower's lifecycle emissions higher than run-of-river facilities that avoid significant flooding.

A carbon auditor encounters a renewable energy project using the 'vintage year' concept for RECs. What does vintage year indicate?

Answer: The calendar year in which the renewable electricity was generated

REC vintage year refers to the year the underlying renewable electricity was generated, which is critical for temporal matching requirements in quality Scope 2 and carbon market accounting.