Armenian Grid Emission Factor for 2010

Grid CO₂ Emission Factor (GEF) for the Electricity System of the Republic of Armenia for the year 2010

In line with the current international recognition of importance of development and application of standardized baselines under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM),  the Armenian Designated National Authority (DNA) for CDM takes the lead in developing and publishing grid EF for the Armenian power system.  As the grid EF is a classical public good, already 20 DNAs have published results of grid EF calculations valid for  application for CDM project activities in the host countries.

The Ministry of Nature Protection of RA (MoNP) acting as the CDM DNA in Armenia has followed the established good practice of the previous year (the first calculation of GEF was carried out in 2009) and requested assistance of UNDP Armenia in calculating CO₂ emission factor for the RA electricity system for the year 2010. This initiative was aimed to ease and facilitate development of renewable energy projects under the CDM in Armenia via reducing CDM project development costs associated with data collection and calculation of the country grid emission factor (EF).

The information on Armenia power sector data were requested and obtained from the relevant authorities: Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources of RA,  Public Service Regulatory Commission of RA,  Settlement Centre CJSC and ArmRusgazprom CJSC.

The calculation of grid EF for the Armenian electricity system for the year 2010 was performed in accordance with the “Tool to calculate the emission factor for an electricity system", Version 02.2.0  approved by the CDM Executive Board at its 61^st session.

Calculations were made by means of MO Excel based calculation model developed by the national experts. The model allows annual update of the grid EF.

The results of the calculations are presented in the "Calculation of grid EF for the Electricity System of RA for the year 2010" document and can be applied for development of CDM project activity where a project activity supplies electricity to a grid (integrated power supply network of Armenia) or a project activity results in savings of electricity that would have been provided by the grid (e.g. demand-side energy efficiency projects).

According to the acting CDM procedures, baseline study is a subject to validation by a Designated Operational Entity (DOE). In other words, application of the baseline the DNA will help project participants to reduce transaction costs associated with baseline development; however, it does not release them from an obligation to validate the baseline once it is used for CDM project activity as a component of Project Design Document (PDD).

Thus, application of this baseline calculation for CDM project activities should be in accordance with the relevant rules and procedures set by the CDM Executive Board as well as with national procedures set by the CDM DNA in Armenia.

Grid EF presented in this document is recommended by the DNA for development of CDM project activities; however, it is not compulsory for project developers.

It is assumed that the CDM DNA of Armenia will set an appropriate procedure to continue the practice of grid EF calculation for the subsequent years to update grid EF of  the power system of Armenia.