Validation and verification of Swiss carbon offset projects

Under the amended CO₂ Act, fuel importers and gas-fired combined cycle plants must offset all or part of their greenhouse gas emissions within Switzerland. One possibility for offsetting is in the form of Swiss climate protection projects. EBP is approved as an independent test institution for the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) for the validation and verification of these.

Validation by an independent third party is the first stage in the successful implementation of a climate protection project. It examines whether the project is suitable for the generation of emissions certificates or credits, checking whether the project application satisfies the requirements such as reference development, additionality, calculation of the reduction in emissions and monitoring plan.

The verification then takes place in several cycles during the implementation of the project and confirms the emissions actually saved.

As one of the accredited test institutions, EBP regularly undertakes validations and verifications of Swiss climate protection projects, to date in particular in the following areas: biogas plants, Kompogas plants and district heating systems (wood-fired heating associations, wood-fired heating plants).