Carbon Trading

These are uncertain times for many industrial companies, as changing regulatory frameworks and competition from abroad are squeezing profit margins.  Complicating this situation has been the ratification of the Kyoto Protocol and the implementation of the EU-Emission Trading Scheme (EU-ETS), which for the first time on a global scale have set legally binding Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emission targets for government and industry respectively. 

To profit, or to simply survive, energy intensive industries need to explore a variety of carbon and energy strategy and technology options.   Juniper has been at the forefront in evaluating the practical opportunities for bio-fuels, agri-wastes and other solid wastes to help private and public sector clients meet their current and future climate change obligations on a worldwide basis. 

Our Services

Juniper provides practical consultancy help for companies by identifying novel technology solutions; conducting techno-economic analysis of options; and appraising risk.  Our services are founded upon our reputation as independent experts analysing technologies, regulatory frameworks and market trends in the waste management, environmental and renewable energy sectors. 

Juniper provides various services to public and private sector clients interested in the implications of the evolving carbon trading markets.  These include:

• Helping organizations to understand the impact of greenhouse gas trading schemes on their business model

• Appraising technologies, fueling methods and fuel selection in the context of local market and regulatory conditions

• Informing carbon credit buyers of the technical and commercial risks of carbon offset projects to allow better decisions when structuring carbon off-take agreements with the seller / project developer

• Advising governments and businesses in the developing world on identifying realistic opportunities to attract investment that meets with sustainability objectives

• Defining emission baselines and emission factors for CDM and JI projects

• Estimating project economics including evaluating the potential financial gains of carbon credits to confirm the overall viability

• Identifying key technical and environmental parameters that would need to be assessed as part of an Environmental Impact Assessment necessary for CDM/JI project approval

• Consulting on the steps required to get projects approved for Kyoto mechanisms

Our analysis has identified a number of interesting business opportunities that are becoming more attractive as a result of evolving carbon trading frameworks.

Bio-Fuels

Transportation is one of the most polluting sectors of the economy in terms of output of GHGs, but because of the distributed nature of its emissions, it is also one of the most difficult to regulate.  This is raising key questions for many governments concerned about enforcing Kyoto targets equitably across sectors.

Growing biomass especially for use as a “carbon neutral” transport fuel is a viable concept and one receiving increased attention.  A number of potential feedstocks ranging from vegetable oils and tallow to agricultural crops such as rape and wheat are being explored globally.  

Brazil is currently the largest global producer and user of bio-fuels (primarily bio-ethanol), but with energy demand soaring in many regions, major plant infrastructure is also being developed in Asia and Africa .  

Bio-fuel production is also growing rapidly in Europe . The EU Renewable Fuels Directive and the Common Agricultural Policy ( CAP ) are contributing to the development of bio-fuels supply chains and production technologies.  New large scale plants are being built in France , the UK and Germany where annual year-on-year growth is exceeding 40%.

When regional incentives are considered alongside record high oil prices, concerns about long term energy security, and the need to curb GHG emissions from the transportation sector, bio-fuels cannot be ignored as an attractive investment opportunity.  But choosing the right fuels and technology is necessary to capitalize on the financial subsidies available in many regions.

Due to our experience in conducting market analysis and technology appraisal of wide ranging chemical and biological processes we are in a strong position to assess the true opportunities and pitfalls of various biofuel production projects on a worldwide basis.