How to choose carbon consulting?
Clarify services and deliverables first

First, verify the applicable reporting notices, the list of key emission units, and industry requirements before arranging preparations. Compliance in the national carbon market, local carbon market management, and emission information reporting are distinct matters. We can start by streamlining emission sources, energy statistics methodologies, and existing vouchers to identify data gaps and departmental responsibilities. Inclusion and submission deadlines are subject to current notices from the competent authorities and are not determined solely by industry name.

We handle the accounting and document preparation on the enterprise side, while the verification agency independently verifies the report and supporting evidence; the two roles are different. We organize the document directory and check data correlations before verification, assist in explaining calculation processes and locating vouchers during verification, and coordinate responses and revisions afterward. Verification conclusions are made independently by the verification agency. The enterprise remains responsible for the submitted data; we do not substitute actual work with a “guaranteed pass.”

Typically, we start with a list of facilities, production process descriptions, and energy and production reports for the accounting year. We then supplement these with fuel inventory and consumption records, test reports, meter reading records, and vouchers for purchased electricity or heat as required. Thermal power enterprises also need to verify power generation, supply, heating, and related metering data. We distinguish between mandatory, to-be-verified, and supplementary items to provide a tailored checklist, avoiding aimless material collection.

We can begin with a data inventory, marking missing months, affected parameters, responsible departments, and the impact on accounting, then attempt to fill gaps from production systems, settlement documents, testing agencies, or archived records. For data that truly cannot be recovered, we must check if the applicable guidelines allow for default values or prescribed alternative methods, retaining the basis and explanation. Original records must not be fabricated, nor should annual averages be used to simply mask gaps.

Energy reports provide basic data, but their statistical scope, units of measurement, and aggregation methodologies may not align with carbon accounting requirements, nor can they always be traced back to testing parameters and original vouchers. Carbon emission ledgers need to correlate data periods, facilities or emission sources, quantities, units, sources, and voucher numbers, while recording conversion methods and reasons for revisions. We aim to reuse existing reports while bridging the correlations to reduce redundant data entry.

First, confirm whether the reporting is for the entire enterprise or specific power generation facilities, then streamline the boundaries for units, boilers, fuel systems, and electricity/heat metering. Calculations cannot be based solely on the scope of a business license or a single general energy report. For shared fuels, purchased energy, external heat supply, and cross-boundary transmission, data ownership and metering basis must be clarified. Data allocation is handled according to applicable guidelines and technical requirements for the current year, not assigned arbitrarily based on experience.

First, identify what each set of data represents: procurement, storage, actual consumption, and financial settlement volumes may belong to different periods and carry different meanings. We verify beginning and end-of-period inventory, metering points, unit conversions, settlement cycles, and adjustment records, then determine the data scope according to applicable accounting requirements. Discrepancies should be documented and confirmed by relevant departments, retaining original versions and revision records rather than simply selecting the smaller figure.

We recommend layered archiving by accounting year, facility or emission source, and data category, setting voucher numbers for ledger entries and maintaining correlations between reports, test reports, metering records, and revision notes. According to the “Interim Regulations on the Management of Carbon Emission Right Trading,” original records and management ledgers involved in the annual emission reports of key emission units must be kept for at least 5 years. If other archives or project requirements demand longer, those must be followed. Archiving should not only make files findable but also allow for the reconstruction of the data retrieval and calculation process.

Focus is usually on whether the accounting boundaries are complete, whether data and parameters meet requirements, whether calculations are accurate, and whether the report can be traced to original evidence. The enterprise should arrange for personnel familiar with production, metering, and data management to assist and provide materials based on the inquiry list; when on-site verification is needed, they should assist in inspecting relevant facilities and records. We are responsible for organizing evidence correlations, explaining calculation processes, and tracking supplements and revisions, but we do not confirm actual operations on behalf of the enterprise.

The duration depends mainly on the accounting year, the number of facilities, data completeness, and third-party verification schedules. We first review existing reports and submission deadlines to clarify responsibilities and milestones for data supplementation, accounting preparation, and verification support before agreeing on a schedule. Deliverables may include accounting data tables, emission reports, document directories, ledger templates, and verification response materials, as determined by the contract scope; external testing and verification scheduling must be considered separately.