The next version of the Client Tool, which is scheduled to be released on December 17, 2008, will include a new version of the emissions XML schema. Version 1.2 of the emissions XML schema will include changes for sources who must report data under the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI).

The RGGI program only affects sources in ten states: Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont. For more information about RGGI, including how to determine if your source is affected, visit the RGGI Web site.

Sources who are not affected by RGGI can use either version 1.1 (the current version) or version 1.2 (the new version) of the emissions XML schema. The Client Tool always allows for backward-compatibility which means that XML files based on older versions of the XML schemas can be imported into the Client Tool. The key is to insure that the tag at the beginning of the file reports the version of the XML schema on which the XML file is based. For more information about the XML schema version, see the FAQ on the version tag.

Here is a brief summary of the additions to the emissions XML schema which are included in the new version.

Two changes have been made to DailyEmissionData. First, the element TotalCarbonBurned has been added. Any source who uses the emissions XML schema version 1.2 will need to include this new tag. If the source is not affected by RGGI, the tag should be left empty.

Second, in DailyEmissionData, a reference has been added for the new complex element DailyFuelData. DailyFuelData only applies to RGGI, and sources who do not need to report under RGGI should not include DailyFuelData as a child of DailyEmissionData.

DailyFuelData consists of four elements--FuelCode, DailyFuelFeed, CarbonContentUsed, and FuelCarbonBurned.

Details about all of these changes including what are acceptable values for these elements will be included in the documentation included with the next release. The addendum for the reporting instructions will include information about these data elements, and the changes to the XML schema and the XML schema documentation will be updated to include these new elements.

Labels: XML