The need for green living has never been more poignant than our trying time today. Not only has climate change drastically effected the lifestyles of people on the planet, the sustainability of various industries around the world are under threat of previously unseen weather patterns in their respective countries. While the polar ice cap continues to deteriorate and raise sea levels, many nations have been experiencing abnormal season changes for years.

In hopes of returning the climate back to a more stable state, so as to guarantee normalcy to the lives living on the planet, converting the powering of industries to green energy is now a crucial change to adopt. By going green, and properly managing carbon emission, the world could take a large step toward adopting renewable energy to improve the quality of the planet. It is with such goals in mind, and a company vision that states, “Through market incentives, help Taiwanese companies export energy efficient and low-carbon products overseas, and develop projects to reduce GHG emissions and acquire carbon assets,” that YC Consultants was founded.

Accomplished backgrounds

YC Consultants, Ltd., is led by Robert Shih, the general manager of the company. Shih is a very accomplished climate and energy expert, who currently leads the consultancy in specializing in the field of carbon asset management. Shih, a MS from the prestigious University of Oklahoma, had previously worked in the US as an environmental consultant. In 1999, he made the decision to return to Taiwan and worked as an associate researcher in Taiwan’s Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI). During his time at ITRI, Shih gained an awareness on climate change issues, and soon developed an interested in the carbon market thanks to knowledge received from the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), defined in the Kyoto Protocol. Soon after, Shih left ITRI in 2003 and started YC Consultants to focus on carbon asset management.

Currently, the consultancy is the first and only thinktank in Taiwan to focus on climate change and carbon management services, including policy and market analysis, emission reduction project development, emissions trading, as well as carbon footprint reduction and carbon neutral achievement.

Under Shih, YC Consultants has been heavily involved with the central and local governments of Taiwan to create green policies through carbon management consultations. The consultancy also provides its services to the private sector, to companies specializing in areas such as computer and LED manufacturing, as well as steel production. Most notably, the consultancy is developing an AI carbon risk management system known as ASPNex that will help industries with internal carbon risk management. The system could be easily customized to suit the needs of domestic and international companies.

Domestic consultations showcase Taiwan as a progressive nation in carbon emission control

With a company full of experts working within Taiwan’s only climate change and carbon management focused consultancy, YC Consultants has been the go-to agency for Taiwan’s varies government branches since the founding of the company.

The consultancy’s most notable domestic achievements are found in projects with the nation’s state-owned electric power company, the Taiwan Power Company (Taipower). Taipower subcontracted with the consultancy as early as 2006 for the company’s excellent grasp in international cooperation. Later, in 2009, Taipower gave the consultancy its first major contract on acquiring Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) credits for solar power generation.

In its long years working with Taiwpower, the consultancy undertook various domestic offset projects, such as improving the efficiency of solar, wind and fuel switch of power plants. The consultancy also helped develop Taipower’s internal carbon management systems, which records inventory, dispatch and carbon credits of the entire company.

Finally, the consultancy is responsible for carbon market analysis in regards to the European Union Emissions Trading System (ETS) and other markets around the world. To this day, the analysis provided by the consultancy provides Taipower with information on how electricity industry prepares and operates in the EU, Korea, and China, as well as American markets like California.

With local governments, the consultancy had successfully worked with Taiwanese cities such as New Taipei City, Kaohsiung and Taichung. With New Taipei City, the company advised the city on communicating with the ICLEI, an international organization of local and regional governments that have made a commitment to sustainable development. On behalf of the city, the consultancy applied for VCS carbon credits in a landfill gas electricity generation project. An incinerator efficiency improvement project undertook by the consultancy is also applying for international carbon credits.

For cities such as Kaohsiung and Taichung, the consultancy served to harmonize the regulations of the cities and the central government of Taiwan before and after the establishment of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction and Management Act, due to the cities’ unique status as the industrial base and the power plant of the nation. Furthermore, the consultancy updated Taichung’s greenhouse gas inventory, and aided in promoting the establishment of low-carbon communities.

Position as green energy and carbon management thinktank advices Taiwan government agencies with energy solutions to elevate country to international regulation standards.

With environmental goals such as the Kyoto Protocol, and the Paris Agreement that were established by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), government around the world at large are trying their best to respond to climate change. For a country with an unique international presence such as Taiwan, being involved in the latest international initiatives on climate change has always been a challenge.

Through its international presence and its status as a local thinktank, the consultancy currently serves as one of the most important bridges connecting Taiwan and the rest of the world in climate change policy and carbon market. Since 1999, the consultancy has aided Taiwan’s Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) in getting involved with UNFCCC’s annual Conference of Parties (COP). Through the COPs, the EPA of Taiwan was able to stay updated and involved in the latest developments in UN market mechanisms and international cooperation channels. The consultancy also aids Taiwan’s EPA in capacity building to develop a domestic ETS, as well as providing analysis on the latest developments in global carbon markets.

Between 2017 and 2019, the consultancy was commissioned by Taiwan’s Civil Aeronautics Administration to analyze and respond to the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation regulations established by the International Civil Aviation Organization. During that period, the consultancy helped hold many capacity building workshops for the government agency and airline industries.

Private sector consultation leads to creation of (ASPNex)

Aside from providing excellent services to the government, YC Consultants also provides assistance to individual companies. Most notably, the company has helped computer and LED manufacturers in measuring carbon footprint during production and acquiring offset credits in order to attain carbon neutrality. The consultancy also aided a local steel company on developing a carbon offset project as well as the design of an internal carbon management system.

To better help private companies in managing carbon emissions with ease, the consultancy is currently developing an AI carbon risk management system known as ASPNex. The highly customizable system seeks to provide companies with internal risk management and assessment on supply chain requirements, in order to comply to domestic and international carbon emission regulations.

Selling points:

• Teams of experts equipped with decades of experience in climate policy and carbon asset management.
• Vast cumulated knowledge capable of advising and consulting climate and energy-based issues for both government sectors and private businesses.
• Company engineered AI carbon risk management system known as ASPNex provides assistance to industries with internal risk management.