DNV and NASRC to Collaborate on Reducing Fluorinated Gas Emissions Across California
DNV, the independent energy expert and assurance provider, is pleased to announce that they have been selected as a contractor by the North American Sustainable Refrigeration Council (NASRC) to support the administration of the California Air Resources Board’s (CARB) Fluorinated gas (F-gas) Reduction Incentive Program (FRIP). F-gases are commonly used as refrigerants and are a major contributor to global warming and other forms of climate pollution.
The program, backed by a $65 million budget, aims to expand the adoption of ultra-low global warming potential (GWP) refrigerant technologies to displace F-gases. FRIP is partially funded through California Climate Investments, a statewide initiative that puts billions of Cap-and-Trade dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health and the environment. FRIP funding will be prioritized for small and independent businesses that serve low-income, disadvantaged, and rural communities.
Reducing these gases is critical as they can have thousands of times the global warming potential of CO2. Therefore, making alternatives available is a key strategy in curbing the worst impacts of climate change.
NASRC, a 501(c)3 nonprofit and one of the leading experts on ultra-low-GWP refrigerant technologies in the U.S., was selected as the third-party administrator of the program through a competitive solicitation process. The organization chose DNV as a partner for the project based on DNV’s expertise and experience designing, implementing, and evaluating energy programs. The skills both companies bring to the effort are complementary, with NASRC’s deep connections to the refrigeration industry, including prior work on FRIP, and DNV’s ability to scale integrated incentive programs and measure the resulting greenhouse gas reductions, combining to create a powerful means to decarbonize refrigeration across California.
Key components of program administration include the development of guidelines for funding to ensure CARB’s goals are met, comprehensive outreach and education, and project assistance for grantees to ensure the new technology is installed and operating correctly. DNV will specifically focus on outreach and education, including website development, using skills and knowledge gleaned from more than 40 years of designing utility programs, as well as insights from NASRC’s deep knowledge of the market.
Richard S. Barnes, DNV region president for Energy Systems in North America, said “Refrigeration technologies are often overlooked as an opportunity to reduce GHG emissions, but transforming the market is an effective means to do so. As a partner with NASRC I anticipate that the combination of their influence and knowledge of this sector and DNV’s long experience building and implementing large-scale programs will lead to a significant reduction in GHG emissions for California. This could ultimately lay the groundwork to establish a national marketplace for ultra-low GWP refrigerant technologies.”
Danielle Wright, NASRC executive director, stated “"We are thrilled to collaborate with DNV to spearhead this first-of-its-kind program, which has the potential to serve as a proven model for state incentive programs nationwide. With DNV's depth of experience and expertise, we are confident that they will be a strong partner to ensure the success of this program.”
Equally important to outreach, education, and participant assistance is measurement. DNV will take the lead role in tracking and reporting program progress and performance, and in a first for the company will be deploying ANB System’s proprietary eTRACK+ process automation system. DNV recently acquired ANB, which provides workflow management solutions for utilities. DNV’s robust integrated system identifies participants, confirms their eligibility, categorizes costs and incentives, and determines GHG emission reductions based on CARB’s established and documented emission quantification methodologies. This will provide CARB with a reliable audit trail to ensure stakeholders of the efficacy and accuracy of the program.
DNV has a long-established track record in California, working with utilities, state agencies, and businesses to manage and accelerate the energy transition. We recently provided technical due diligence for a renewable energy acquisition valued at $2 billion, helped a customer improve the safety of more than 400 gas transmission facilities, and managed a utility energy program that incentivized the purchase of high-efficiency water heaters which prevented the release of more than 80 million pounds of CO2.
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