Understanding CDM Methodologies - SuSanA

Applicability Conditions
Grid has to have
at least one Fossil
Power Plant
Interpretation of
15 MW Threshold
Addition
is counted
separately
Retrofit cannot
increase Capacity
beyond Threshold
AMS-I.D (version 12) is applicable to grid-connected renewable power
generation projects (e.g. PV, hydro, tidal, wave, wind, geothermal and
renewable biomass) that supply power to and/or displace power from a
power distribution system that is or would have been supplied by at least one
fossil-fuel-fired generation unit. Combined heat and power systems are not
eligible under this category. The eligibility limit of 15 MW for a small-scale
CDM projects applies as follows:
• If the units added have both renewable and non-renewable components,
the capacity of the renewable component shall not exceed 15 MW;
• If the unit added is co-fired with fossil fuel, the capacity of the entire unit
shall not exceed 15 MW;
• In the case of projects that involve the addition of renewable power
generation units at an existing renewable power generation facility, the
capacity of the added units by the project shall not exceed 15 MW; or
• In the case of projects that seek to retrofit or modify an existing renewable
power generation facility, the total capacity of the modified or retrofitted
unit shall not exceed 15 MW.
Box 19: Application of the 15 MW threshold for retrofit/ expansion
projects
AMS-I.D originally stipulated that “to qualify as a small-scale CDM project activity,
the aggregate installed capacity after adding the new units should be lower
than 15 MW”. Several requests were made to revise the applicability condition
so that the 15 MW threshold applies to the power generation capacity added
to the facility, but not to the aggregate capacity 241 . EB28 decided to revise AMS-
I.D (version 09) to clarify that “in the case of project activities that involve the
addition of renewable energy units at an existing renewable power generation
facility, the added capacity of the units added by the project should be lower than
15 MW and should be physically distinct from the existing units.”
PoA Bundling
Applicability only
for Biomass
Count CO 2
Emissions only,
not other Gases
Applicability conditions under a Programme of Activities (PoA): In
case of a small-scale PoA where the limit of the entire PoA exceeds the limit
for small-scale CDM project activities described above, the applicability of
the methodology is limited to small-scale CDM Programme Activities (CPAs)
that use either biomass residues only or biomass from dedicated plantations
complying with the applicability conditions of AM 0042.
Project Boundary
The spatial extent of the project encompasses the physical, geographical site
of the renewable generation source. Within the project boundary, project
participants shall only account for CO 2
emissions from fossil-fuel-fired
power generation that is displaced due to the project. As explained above,
additional emission sources are to be considered for hydropower and biomass
power projects (and possibly geothermal power projects).
241
See e.g. SSC_043, SSC_050.
55