What are avoided emissions?
Avoided emissions are those emissions that do not occur within the boundaries of the reporting entity due to the use of non- or low-emitting sources (e.g., wind power, hydropower, or solar power). The Changes in Avoided Emissions method should be used when an energy product (including electricity, hot water, steam, and chilled water) produced by a non- or low-emitting source is distributed to customers that would have otherwise purchased a comparable energy product generated by a higher-emitting source. This method may be used exclusively if the reporting entity has no emissions associated with such energy exports in their Base Period; that is, either all of its distributed energy were generated by non-emitting sources or it distributed no energy during its chosen Base Period. General Guidelines, ยง300.2 Technical Guidelines, Section 2.4.
