Fish River Station sells carbon credits to Caltex

Caltex has bought more than half a million dollars’ worth of carbon credits from the Indigenous Land Corporation which runs Fish River Station.

Almost 26,000 credits were generated at Fish River Station over two years using the Savanna Burning CFI methodology, which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from savanna fires. Projects approved by the Clean Energy Regulator try to reduce emissions by limiting the frequency and extent of late dry season fires which, on average, emit 52% more greenhouse gas emissions than early dry season fires. Late dry season fires are avoided by conducting strategic early dry season burns to reduce fuel loads and create strategic firebreaks.

The Fish River Station project commenced in 2011 and so far has led to a reduction in total area burnt from an average of 69% down to about 40%, and a reduction in the extent of late dry season fires from 35% of the property to about 2%.

The methodology outlines how to calculate annual emissions, and these are subtracted from baseline emissions that would have occurred without the project (i.e. the average annual emissions over a ten year timeframe before the project commended). The result equals the number of emissions avoided by the project for that year. For every tonne of CO₂-equivalent avoided, a carbon credit is issued.

Watch the ABC's 7:30 Report feature here. For more information about the process, visit the Clean Energy Regulator website here.