AQ31, 32: Retail Seller of Electricity Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reporting

Next steps

1. What to Know

   A Retail Seller of Electricity is:

   • A competitive supplier licensed by the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (DPU) or
   • Either (1) an electric utility or (2) a municipal electric department or municipal light board as defined in General Law - Part I, Title XXII, Chapter 164A, Section 1.

   There are three types of GHG emissions reporting that apply to Retail Sellers of Electricity in Massachusetts:

   • The GHG Tab of the RPS/APS/CES Workbook (Mandatory for Competitive Suppliers & Electric Utilities): To account for megawatt hours (MWh) and GHG emissions from generation sources, consistent with the Clean Energy Standard. See Annual Compliance Information for Retail Electric Suppliers for the workbook and instructions.
   • AQ31 (Optional for Municipal Retail Sellers): To account for the ownership and/or use of generation sources in reporting GHG emissions.
   • AQ32 (Mandatory for All Retail Sellers): To report to MassDEP annually on the GHG emissions they release from generating the power sold.

   Each retail seller's GHG emissions are calculated by multiplying MWh supplied to customers in a particular year by GHG emission factors that MassDEP updates annually after issuing draft factors for public and stakeholder comment.

   GHG Reporting Program Data, Including MassDEP Calculations of Emission Factors

2. Review the Instructions

   Guidance on how to prepare your submittal(s), including completeness checklists.

   Open PDF file, 470.54 KB,  Instructions: AQ31 (Optional GHG Reporting for Municipal Retail Sellers) (English, PDF 470.54 KB)

   Open DOCX file, 168.37 KB,  Instructions: AQ32 (Mandatory GHG Reporting) (English, DOCX 168.37 KB)

3. Prepare Your Report(s)

   When preparing the AQ31 Optional and/or AQ32 Mandatory GHG reports, you will also need to complete and submit the applicable year's spreadsheet(s), showing your calculations. 

   Note:
   
   For guidance on how to complete and submit the GHG tab of the RPS/APS/CES Workbook, see: Annual Compliance Information for Retail Electric Suppliers

   Open DOCX file, 62.52 KB,  Form AQ31 (Optional GHG Reporting for Municipal Retail Sellers) (English, DOCX 62.52 KB)

   Open PDF file, 387.75 KB,  Form AQ31 (Optional GHG Reporting for Municipal Retail Sellers) (English, PDF 387.75 KB)

   Open XLSX file, 30.71 KB,  Spreadsheet for AQ31 (Optional GHG Reporting for Municipal Retail Sellers) (English, XLSX 30.71 KB)

   Open PDF file, 123.47 KB,  Form: AQ32 (Mandatory GHG Reporting) (English, PDF 123.47 KB)

   Open XLSX file, 30.44 KB,  Spreadsheet for AQ32 (Mandatory GHG Reporting) (English, XLSX 30.44 KB)

4. Submit Your Report(s) to MassDEP

   Email your completed, signed form(s) in PDF format, spreadsheet(s) in Microsoft Excel or equivalent format (showing calculations), and any supporting material(s), as appropriate, to:

   climate.strategies@mass.gov