RALI Project Releases CLEER Protocol for Estimating and Reporting GHG Emissions
June 20, 2016
John Venezia
Announcements

The installation of wind turbines reduces GHG emissions by offsetting grid electricity or fossil fuels combusted on-site.
Yahoo Inc., courtesy of Vestas / CC BY 2.0
The USAID Global Climate Change Office and the USAID Resources to Advance LEDS Implementation (RALI) Project are excited to release the finalized Clean Energy Emission Reduction (CLEER) Protocol.
The CLEER Protocol provides USAID missions, programs, and projects with a consistent way to estimate and report greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduced or avoided from USAID’s clean energy activities, such as generating renewable energy, increasing energy efficiency, and switching to cleaner fuels. Example activities include installation of solar or hydroelectric power systems, the use of biofuels, and the adoption of more energy efficient equipment.
In addition, any clean energy or climate practitioner can use the Protocol to evaluate GHG emission reductions for clean energy projects.
The Protocol, developed for USAID by ICF International, includes GHG accounting approaches that align with international accounting standards and contains detailed methodologies and default data sets that can facilitate estimating emission reductions from a wide variety of clean energy activities. The Protocol provides both consistency and transparency for accurate reporting on GHG impacts.
The Protocol contains specific calculation methodologies for the following technologies:
The document is available online as part of the suite of CLEER Tool resources.
Additional resources:
The CLEER Protocol provides USAID missions, programs, and projects with a consistent way to estimate and report greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduced or avoided from USAID’s clean energy activities, such as generating renewable energy, increasing energy efficiency, and switching to cleaner fuels. Example activities include installation of solar or hydroelectric power systems, the use of biofuels, and the adoption of more energy efficient equipment.
In addition, any clean energy or climate practitioner can use the Protocol to evaluate GHG emission reductions for clean energy projects.
The Protocol, developed for USAID by ICF International, includes GHG accounting approaches that align with international accounting standards and contains detailed methodologies and default data sets that can facilitate estimating emission reductions from a wide variety of clean energy activities. The Protocol provides both consistency and transparency for accurate reporting on GHG impacts.

The CLEER Protocol provides a consistent approach for estimating, tracking, and reporting GHG emission reductions across a variety of clean energy activities.
- General Renewable Energy
- General Energy Efficiency
- Fuel Switching
- Solar Photovoltaic Systems
- Solar Thermal Systems
- Wind Turbine Systems
- Hydroelectric Systems
- Geothermal Systems – Power Generation
- Geothermal Systems – Heat Pumps
- Geothermal Systems – Direct Heat
- Biomass Energy
- Anaerobic Digesters for Manure Management
- Building Energy Efficiency
- Appliance & Equipment Efficiency
- Transmission and Distribution System Upgrades
- Stranded Natural Gas Capture Systems
The document is available online as part of the suite of CLEER Tool resources.
Additional resources:
- CLEER Tool profile
- CLEER Tool website includes all CLEER materials, including the online tool, user guides, and Excel-based calculators.
- CLEER Fact Sheet provides additional background on the CLEER tool and resources.

John Venezia is a Principal at ICF, a global professional services firm that delivers consulting services and technology solutions in energy, climate change, and other areas. John manages the development of the Clean Energy Emission Reduction (CLEER) Tool, which enables users to estimate, track, and report GHG reductions from clean energy. He has 18 years of experience in greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory development, designing GHG estimation and reporting guidelines, and analyzing the costs and reduction potential of GHG mitigation strategies. He is an internationally recognized expert in energy GHG emissions and in national GHG emission inventories, and serves on the UNFCCC's Roster of Experts.