CBL Sets Q1 Volume Record Nears 20M Tonnes of Carbon Traded
CBL Sets Q1 Volume Record, Nears 20M Tonnes of Carbon Traded and REC Activity Exceeding 1M MWh
SYDNEY, NEW YORK, SAN FRANCISCO — Xpansiv, the global marketplace for Intelligent Commodities™, today announced a new quarterly volume record on CBL, the leading spot exchange for energy and environmental commodities. Q1 2021 volumes surpassed the previous quarterly record, set in Q4 2020, by 68% and exceeded Q1 2020 activity by 98%.
The volume surge was led by carbon transactions totaling 19.34M tonnes and 1.08M MWh of US Renewable Energy Certificates, as well as 64,347ML of water traded on H2OX, Australia’s water market.
International carbon volumes were boosted by the exchange’s new Global Emissions Offset™ (GEO™), a standardized, benchmark contract for the global voluntary carbon market. The GEO transacted more than 2.84M tonnes of carbon during the quarter, up 281% from Q4 2020, when it was first listed.
“We’re thrilled to see these results across our environmental, energy, and water markets and we see growing demand ahead,” said Ben Stuart, Xpansiv Chief Commercial Officer. “These volumes represent growing maturity and adoption of innovative ESG-orientated commodities by long-time market participants and an influx of new users.”
The growth in CBL volumes is occurring as carbon-neutral commitments by companies globally are driving a sharp increase in appetite for ESG-based commodities—enhancing CBL’s position as the central point of price discovery, liquidity, and risk management.
The exchange’s volume records were set during a period of broad expansion and product innovation. On March 1, CME Group launched the CBL GEO futures contract. CBL also announced plans to trade a new Nature-based GEO (N-GEO) product, a standardized benchmark contract covering the agriculture, forestry, and other land use (AFOLU) sector.
On March 22, Xpansiv announced the acquisition of Project OTX Ltd., a leading market-access provider for Compulsory Stockholding Obligations (CSO), which is rapidly expanding into renewable fuels and renewable fuel certificates. In addition to extending Xpansiv’s presence in the fuels sector, the acquisition expands the company’s presence in the United Kingdom and Europe.
About Xpansiv
Xpansiv is the global market for ESG-inclusive commodities. These Intelligent Commodities bring transparency and liquidity to markets, empowering participants to value energy, carbon, and water to meet the challenges of an information-rich, resource-constrained world. The company’s main business units include CBL, the leading spot exchange for ESG commodities, including carbon, renewable energy certificates, and Digital Natural Gas™; H2OX, the leading spot exchange for water in Australia; and XSignals, which provides end-of-day and historical market data. Xpansiv is the digital nexus where ESG and price signals merge. Xpansiv.com
About CBL
Xpansiv company CBL provides access to the world’s energy and environmental commodity markets, facilitating the secure and seamless trading of commodities like carbon, renewable energy, water, and gas. cblmarkets.com
US Contact: Rob Dalton, Xpansiv VP Communications – pr@xpansiv.com
AU Contact: Michael Mullane, Xpansiv PR Contact – michael.mullane@edelman.com