Understanding CDM Methodologies - SuSanA

Top-down
Methodology
Development
for Small-scale
Projects
No Leakage
Calculation except
for Biomass
Data Source
Hierarchy
Bottom-up
Methodology
Development
possible
4.3 Initial top-down-development of small-scale
methodologies turning into a bottom-up process
Appendix B to the simplified modalities and procedures for small-scale
CDM project activities specified a set of 12 methodologies for small-scale
CDM project types as well as rules for additionality determination 196 . The
methodologies have been revised repeatedly over time.
4.3.1 Principles for small-scale methodologies
The project boundary is limited to the physical project activity. Leakage can
be disregarded except for projects using biomass. If data for equipment
performance required in the methodology are not available, a hierarchy of
alternative data is specified, starting with national standards, continuing
with international standard (ISO or IEC) and finishing with manufacturer’s
specifications that have to be certified by national or international certifiers.
For emissions factors, the current values of the “IPCC Good Practice and
Guidance and Uncertainty Management in National Greenhouse Gas
Inventories” and the “IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas
Inventories” have to be used.
Moreover, rules for development of further small-scale methodologies were
defined. Project developers could propose additional project categories or
revisions to a methodology through a request in writing to the EB providing
information about the technology/activity and proposals on how a simplified
baseline and monitoring methodology would be applied to this category.
4.3.2 Small-scale methodology rule development over time
Perceived high
Success Share
of Small-scale
Methodologies
led to Increase
in Bottom-up
Submissions
Key methodological concepts such as use of the operating and build margin
for electricity grids, are part of the initial set of small-scale methodologies.
They have set the scene for the development of large-scale methodologies.
However, for a considerable time, all attention focused on the development
of large-scale methodologies. Only when project developers started to realize
that submission of a small-scale methodology for a difficult project type was
having a much higher chance of success than a large-scale methodology
due to the inability of the Small-Scale Working Group (SSC-WG) to reject
methodologies except in cases where the project type suggested was clearly
non-eligible for CDM, bottom-up submissions of methodologies started. The
first methodology was submitted in April 2005. Table 3 gives quantities of
submitted methodologies and eventual EB decisions.
196
EB 7, Annex 6
37