What are SSC projects?

The modalities and procedures for SSC projects were developed by the JISC after a request from the COP/MOP:

The Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties: ...

2. Requests the Joint Implementation Supervisory Committee to establish and execute a work programme including the following tasks: ...
   2. To develop, as soon as possible, guidance with regard to appendix B of the guidelines for the implementation of Article 6 of the Kyoto Protocol, including provisions for small-scale projects as defined in paragraph 6 (c) of decision 17/CP.7, as appropriate (10/CMP.1, paragraph 2(f)).

Small-scale (SSC) JI projects are entitled to use the simplified provisions for SSC projects set out in the Provisions for Joint Implementation Small-Scale Projects.  This document was first adopted by the Joint Implementation Supervisory Committee (JISC) at its fourth meeting, and subsequently revised at its sixth meeting.  The current version is Version 2.

In order to use these simplified modalities and procedures, a project activity must meet the following eligibility requirements:

1. Renewable energy projects with a maximum output capacity of to up to 15 megawatts (MW) (or an appropriate equivalent) (hereinafter referred to as type I JI SSC projects);
2. Energy efficiency improvement project activities which reduce energy consumption, on the supply and/or demand side, by up to the equivalent of 60 gigawatt hours per year (hereinafter referred to as type II JI SSC projects); and
3. Other project activities that both reduce anthropogenic emissions by sources and directly emit less than 60 kilotonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent annually (hereinafter referred to as type III JI SSC projects) (Provisions for Joint Implementation Small-Scale Projects, Version 3, JISC 18, Annex 3, paragraph 7).

Further clarification is provided in paragraph 9:

Appendix B of annex II to decision 4/CMP.1, inter alia, partitions the SSC project activity types defined in paragraph 6 (c) of decision 17/CP.7 and revised in paragraph 28 of decision 1/CMP.2 into eligible project categories. This appendix B may be reviewed and amended as provided for in paragraphs 15-17 of annex II to decision 4/CMP.1 (Provisions for Joint Implementation Small-Scale Projects, Version 2, JISC 6, Annex 1, paragraph 9).

Version 1 of the Provisions for Joint Implementation Small-Scale Projects was adopted by the Joint Implementation Supervisory Committee (JISC) at its fourth meeting (JISC 4); Version 2 was adopted at JISC 6 to take account of the new thresholds for SSC projects:

In paragraph 14 of decision 3/CMP.2, the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (COP/MOP) amended the thresholds for joint implementation (JI) SSC projects in accordance with the revised thresholds for SSC project activities under the clean development mechanism (CDM) as defined in paragraph 28 of decision 1/CMP.2.  On this basis version 02 of the document at hand was developed by the JISC (Provisions for Joint Implementation Small-Scale Projects, Version 3, JISC 18, Annex 3, paragraph 3).

Projects must align with these thresholds in order to be eligible to use the provisions for SSC projects:

In order to benefit from the provisions for JI SSC projects, a project, in addition to fulfilling the requirement defined in paragraph 11 above, has to meet the thresholds as defined in paragraphs 7 and 8 above (Provisions for Joint Implementation Small-Scale Projects, Version 3, JISC 18, Annex 3, paragraph 12).

These three project types are mutually exclusive - that is, project activities that contain more than one component must meet the eligibility criteria relevant to each component.  It is not sufficient that a project activity come within the Type (i) limits for its renewable energy component if it exceeds the Type (iii) limits for its agricultural component:

Taking into account section 3. below, the three types of JI SSC projects referred to in paragraph 7 above are mutually exclusive. If a JI project includes more than one JI SSC project type component, it can benefit from the specific provisions for JI SSC projects, if each component meets the relevant threshold criterion defined in paragraphs 7 and 8 above, i.e. for a project with both a renewable energy and an energy efficiency component the thresholds for type I and type II JI SSC projects have to be met (Provisions for Joint Implementation Small-Scale Projects, Version 3, JISC 18, Annex 3, paragraph 13).

These thresholds align with the thresholds established for small-scale projects under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM):

The Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties: ...

14. Amends the thresholds for joint implementation small-scale projects in accordance with the revised thresholds for small-scale project activities under the clean development mechanism as defined in decision 1/CMP.2 (3/CMP.2, paragraph 14).

Additional project categories may be proposed by project participants, or by the JISC on its own initiative:

Additional project categories under JI may be approved by the JISC either on its own initiative or based on submissions by project participants. Project participants may make a substantiated request in writing to the JISC providing information about the project/technology and a definition of the new project category proposed. In approving additional project categories the JISC may draw on expertise, as appropriate. The JISC shall expeditiously, if possible at its next meeting, make a decision (Provisions for Joint Implementation Small-Scale Projects, Version 3, JISC 18, Annex 3, paragraph 10).

However, JI SSC projects must conform to one of the project categories in paragraph 7 or an additional project category approved by the JISC:

JI SSC projects have to conform to one of the project categories defined in the most recent version of appendix B of annex II to decision 4/CMP.1 referred to in paragraph 9 above or an additional project category approved by the JISC in accordance with paragraph 10 above. Changes in the list of eligible project categories do not affect JI SCC projects whose determination has already been published in accordance with paragraph 34 of the JI guidelines (Provisions for Joint Implementation Small-Scale Projects, Version 3, JISC 18, Annex 3, paragraph 11).