Price assessment methodologies

EUA bid-offer-close methodology

Basis
Point Carbon’s bid-offer close methodology is based on cleared brokered prices. Every day, active brokers and traders in the EU emissions trading scheme supply market information at close of market to Point Carbon. 

Each broker acts with the permission of their management. The brokerages act independently from each other and the information they provide is confidential. 

The information they provide is confidential and held by Point Carbon. The data is not circulated outside Point Carbon and is used solely for compiling the market assessment. 

Time of assessment and verification
Point Carbon’s closing price reflect the mid point of the best bid and the best offer at 17.30 Central European Time (CET) exactly. Point Carbon’s editors then contact as many of the most active traders in the market as possible each day, usually around twelve but a minimum of five, to verify that the bid and offer is firm and executable. The traders are required to act in complete independence when confirming the numbers submitted by brokers. 

The editors may discard any information at their discretion which they consider unconfirmed or unrealistic. They may also discard bids and offers they consider to lie beyond the market bounds. 

Bids and offers and lot size
All bids and offers must be firm at 17.30 CET and be of a minimum lot size of 5,000 allowances. All bids and offers must be open and available to any reputable and creditworthy counterparty, although Point Carbon does recognise that national legislation may prohibit companies from trading with certain counterparties. Such counterparty issues will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis. 

Illiquid contracts
In the case of illiquid contracts, where no firm bids and offers can be ascertained at 17.30 CET, Point Carbon, when assessing the closing price, will take into account the previous relationship these contracts have had with a more liquid counterpart. Consequently, the market structure will be taken into account when formulating the best bid and offer in the absence of any firm indications at the end of the day. In the unlikely event that there is no bid or offer indications throughout the day, the closing price will remain unchanged. 

Timing
Currently Point Carbon assesses the price of EU allowance contracts for a range of spot and futures contracts. 

Price
The price refers to one EU allowance, equivalent to one metric tonne of carbon dioxide emissions. 

Volume
Point Carbon's EUA OTC volume is compiled from using cleared OTC volume reported by ECX, Bluenext, EEX and Nordpool*.

*Methodology change: Point Carbon's EUA OTC volume assessment was until 10 June 2009 based on information provided directly from brokers. To ensure consistency and transparency, Point Carbon has decided to use total cleared OTC volumes as reported by exchanges to represent OTC volumes.

Secondary CER assessment methodology

Basis 
Point Carbon’s secondary CER assessment is based on over-the-counter (OTC) prices as well as exchange information, where available. Every day, active brokers and traders in the carbon market supply information at close of market to Point Carbon. As the market has yet to be standardised, the price assessment is designed to encompass the majority of bids, offers and trades in the market. 

Time of assessment 
Point Carbon’s closing price reflects the mid-point of the best bid and the best offer at 17.30 Central European Time (CET) exactly. The editors may discard any information at their discretion, which they consider unconfirmed or unrealistic. They may also discard any information they consider to lie beyond the market bounds. 

Parameters of the assessment

• Bids and offers must be open and transparent.
• Bids and offers must be for a minimum clip size of 5,000 tonnes.
• Delivery will take place on the said day, or 15 days after a delivery path is functional.
• The bid or offer must be made on the assumption that the agreed price will be adjusted by interest rates in the absence of a delivery path. Adjustment should be calculated from the date of intended delivery to the date of actual delivery.
• Bids and offers for delivery into EU and non-EU registries will be treated alike.
• If the market is illiquid at the time of close, then the Point Carbon reserves the right to use historical correlations with other carbon-related contracts.

Price 
The price refers to one certified emission reduction, equivalent to one metric tonne of carbon dioxide emissions.

RGGI price assessment methodology

Basis
Point Carbon’s RGGI methodology is based on over-the-counter (OTC), brokered prices. Every week, major brokers and traders in the RGGI emissions market supply price data between 16:00 and 16:30 Eastern Time to Point Carbon.  The information they provide is confidential and held by Point Carbon. The data is not circulated outside Point Carbon and is used solely for compiling the market assessment. 

Point Carbon’s closing price is the last trade that is conducted on the day of the assessment, providing that the last trade lies between the latest firm bid and offer. If the last trade lies outside of this range, the closing price will be the midpoint of the bid and offer. 

Time of assessment and verification
Point Carbon’s RGGI price reflects the best bid and the best offer at 16:00 Eastern Time. The editors may discard any information at their discretion which they consider unconfirmed or unrealistic. They may also discard bids and offers they consider to lie beyond the market bounds. 

Bids and offers and lot size
All bids and offers must be firm at 16.00 Eastern Time and be of a minimum lot size of 10,000 allowances. All bids and offers must be open and available to any reputable and creditworthy counterparty.

Illiquid contracts
In the case of illiquid contracts, where no firm bids and offers can be ascertained at 16.00 Eastern Time, Point Carbon, when assessing the closing price, will take into account the previous relationship these contracts have had with a more liquid counterpart. Consequently, the market structure will be taken into account when formulating the best bid and offer in the absence of any firm indications at the end of the day. In the unlikely event that there are no bid or offer indications throughout the day, the closing price will remain unchanged.

Timing
Currently Point Carbon assesses the price of the RGGI December 2010 (v09) allowance contract.

Price
The price refers to one RGGI allowance, equivalent to one short ton of carbon dioxide emissions. 

California price assessment methodology

California ETS price assessment methodology is based on over-the-counter (OTC) brokered prices. Every week major brokers and traders in the California ETS supply price data between 10.00 and 11.00 Pacific time (13.00 and 14.00 Eastern time) to Point Carbon News. The information they provide is confidential and held by Point Carbon News.

Point Carbon’s closing price is the last trade that is conducted on the day of the assessment, providing that the last trade lies between the latest firm bid and offer. If the last trade lies outside of this range, the closing price will be the midpoint of the bid and offer.

Time of assessment and verification
Point Carbon’s California OTC price reflects the best market midpoint at 11.00 Pacific time. The editors may discard any information at their discretion that they consider unconfirmed or unrealistic. They may also discard bids and offers they consider to lie beyond the market bounds.

Bids and offers and lot size
All bids and offers must be firm at 11.00 Pacific time. Bids and offers must be open and available to any reputable and creditworthy counterparty. Contract trading has been pretty spotty so far, but brokers expect allowances to typically trade in clips of 5,000 or 10,000 CCAs at a time.

Illiquid contracts
In the case of illiquid contracts, where no firm bids and offers can be ascertained at 11.00 Pacific time, Point Carbon News, when assessing the closing price, will take into account the previous relationship these contracts have had with a more liquid counterpart. Consequently, the market structure will be taken into account when formulating the closing price in the absence of any firm indications at the end of the day. In the event that there are no bid or offer indications throughout the day, the closing price will remain unchanged.

Contracts
Point Carbon News assesses the price of California carbon allowances (CCAs) in the over-the-counter (OTC) market. The benchmark contract right now is California carbon allowances for delivery in 2013 for compliance with the system in 2013 (v13).

Price and currency
The price refers to one CCA, which represents one metric tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions. The price will be listed in US dollars.

New Zealand ETS price assessment methodology Basis Point Carbon’s New Zealand ETS methodology is based on over-the-counter (OTC), brokered prices. Every week, major brokers and traders in the New Zealand ETS supply price data between 15:30 and 16:00 local time to Point Carbon.  The information they provide is confidential and held by Point Carbon. The data is not circulated outside Point Carbon and is used solely for compiling the market assessment. Point Carbon’s closing price is the last trade that is conducted on the day of the assessment, providing that the last trade lies between the latest firm bid and offer. If the last trade lies outside of this range, the closing price will be the midpoint of the bid and offer.

Time of assessment and verification
Point Carbon’s NZU price reflects the best market midpoint at 16.00 New Zealand time. The editors may discard any information at their discretion which they consider unconfirmed or unrealistic. They may also discard bids and offers they consider to lie beyond the market bounds.

Bids and offers and lot size
All bids and offers must be firm at 16:00 NZ time. Bids and offers must be open and available to any reputable and creditworthy counterparty.

Illiquid contracts
In the case of illiquid contracts, where no firm bids and offers can be ascertained at 16:00, Point Carbon, when assessing the closing price, will take into account the previous relationship these contracts have had with a more liquid counterpart. Consequently, the market structure will be taken into account when formulating the closing price in the absence of any firm indications at the end of the day. In the event that there are no bid or offer indications throughout the day, the closing price will remain unchanged.

Timing
Currently Point Carbon assesses the price of spot New Zealand Units.

Price
The price refers to one New Zealand Unit, equivalent to one metric tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions.