Jiaxing pioneers China's first time-based carbon footprint certification

Det Norske Veritas, a leading international certification body based in Norway, completed the verification and certification of Hankook Tire's KT255/45R product carbon footprint report based on time zone and regional power carbon footprint factors in Jiaxing, Zhejiang province on Sept 28.

The process included on-site factory inspections, document reviews, and technical inquiries. This is the first time a product carbon footprint certification system based on time-zone and regional power carbon footprint factors has been applied in China.

In July, State Grid Jiaxing Power Supply Company, representing Jiaxing's one-stop carbon footprint service platform, signed a strategic cooperation agreement with State Grid Integrated Energy Service Company, DNV, and Hankook Tire. Together, they launched a pilot project to explore innovative applications of time-zone and regional power carbon footprint factors in product-level carbon accounting.

The certification employs a precise method that traces electricity consumption across each stage of production by time segment and amount. By applying time-zone and regional power carbon footprint factors, it accurately reflects the carbon reduction contribution of clean energy in different regions and time periods. Compared with traditional carbon accounting methods, this approach reduces the calculated product carbon footprint by about 40 percent.

The Jiaxing case will be showcased at the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference.

State Grid Jiaxing Power Supply Company plans to further expand the application of time-zone and regional power carbon footprint factors, helping more enterprises increase the accuracy of their carbon footprint accounting, and more effectively address "green barriers" in international trade.