About
Directly or via intermediaries, the Foundation contacts programme or project owners who are selling certificates stemming from programmes and projects that are ongoing or in development. Schemes are assessed by the Foundation itself or by the intermediaries, taking into account the requirements specified by the Swiss Federal Council in the CO₂ Ordinance as to the admissibility of certificates.
Current status
The Foundation has signed an agreement with the owners of two climate protection programmes in India as well as in Malawi, Kenya and Uganda for the purchase an estimated 5 million CERs in totalbe delivered by 2021. Also by 2021, and via an intermediary, it will furthermore purchase 2.7 million CERs stemming from small and medium-scale landfill gas projects in South America, which are threatening to shut down or have already shut down due to low market prices.-
Microfinancing for clean energy solutions, India
About the project
Granting of microloans (microcredits) to households in India for efficient cooking stoves, solar systems/lamps and drinking water treatment devices. The programme was registered by the UN in December 2012 as no. 9181. The Foundation purchases 3 million CERs stemming from the years 2013 to 2020.
Project owner
The US company MicroEnergy Credits (MEC) was established in 2007 in order to enable microfinance institutions to distribute products that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The company operates in Mongolia, East Africa and India.
Project description
Revenues generated by the sale of CERs are used mainly to establish a distribution network for efficient cooking stoves, solar systems / lamps and drinking water purification devices, run by microfinance institutions. This involves an information and marketing campaign designed to encourage demand for such products, the set-up of distribution and service networks, capacity building measures for microfinance institutions, and the distribution of a cloud-based software to process loans. This ensures that more households are given access to products that reduce greenhouse gas and prevents the large-scale distribution of highly subsidised products that do not meet local needs.
A set of products comprising an efficient cooking stove, solar lamps and a drinking water purification device costs 75 USD. Households can apply for a loan, which they must repay within a few months at annual interest rates of 20-30%. The monthly savings made possible by the products are so high that households already save money during the payback period. Once the loan has been paid back, monthly savings per household can reach up to 20 USD.
Project status (July 2021)
MEC works with various microfinance institutions in India. Together with its partners, MEC will reach around 3'000'000 households by the end of 2021. To date, 2'380’103 CERs have been delivered.
For more information:
https://vimeo.com/microenergycredits/Videos -
Water purification, Malawi, Kenya and Uganda
About the project
Drinking water purification through chlorination in Malawi, Kenya and Uganda. The programme was registered by the UN in December 2012 as no. 5962. The Foundation is purchasing 2 million CERs stemming from the years 2015 to 2020.
Project owner
The programme is operated by Pure Water Ltd., a 100% subsidiary of the South Pole Group, one of the worldwide leading developers of climate protection schemes. Pure Water works with Evidence Action, a specialist in drinking water purification using chlorination.
Project description
For many households in developing countries, boiling water is the only available way to prepare their drinking water. Using firewood contributes to deforestation, which – next to other negative environmental effects such as a loss in biodiversity – is one of the main origins of greenhouse gas emissions in developing countries.
In Malawi, Kenya and Uganda, wells and springs are fitted with chlorine dispensers, enabling 4 million people to purify their drinking water in a safe and simple manner. Chlorination is one of the most cost-effective and efficient ways to purify drinking water. Studies have shown that this lowers diarrhoea rates – one of the major causes of death for children under 5 in developing countries – by more than 40%. At the same time, every installed chlorine dispenser reduces between 20 and 40 tonnes of CO₂e a year.
Chlorine dispensers are installed only with the approval of the local population. Technicians ensure that they function faultlessly and are regularly restocked. Rigorous and continuous evaluations assess what percentage of households use the chlorine dispensers (as experience shows: 45%) and what percentage of treated water is safe (as experience shows: 90%).
Project status (July 2021)
The planned 27'000 chlorine dispensers have been installed. To date, 855‘726 CERs have been delivered, of which 200'000 replacement CERs stemming from another project.
More information:
http://www.goldstandard.org/projects/chlorine-dispensers-uganda -
Small and medium-sized landfill gas projects, Latin America
About the project
Continued operation of stranded small and medium-sized landfill gas projects in Latin America. The Foundation is purchasing an estimated2,7 million CERs stemming from the years 2016 to 2020.
Project owner
First Climate (Switzerland) AG is a worldwide service provider and investor in the field of climate protection, headquartered in Zurich.
Project description
Due to low market prices, it is no longer economically viable to operate, service and develop torches and collection systems in registered CDM projects aiming to collect and destroy landfill gas. Small and medium-sized landfills are particularly affected because they lack access to adequate funding.
In order to make it possible to keep operating such stranded projects, the Climate Cent Foundation signed a purchase agreement with First Climate (Switzerland) AG for the delivery of max. 3.1 million CERs. First Climate in turn concludes separate purchase agreements with around 12 landfill gas projects in Latin America, each generating a maximum of 200'000 CERs per year.
An innovative pricing structure, which follows the marginal costs of methane destruction, lowers risks for project owners and sets incentives to maximise emission reductions, e.g. by optimising torch maintenance or setting up additional gas wells.
Project status (July 2021)
To date, contracts have been signed with 9 landfills in Brazil, 5 landfills in Colombia, 5 landfills in Mexico and one landfill in Chile. The projects registered by the UN as n° 911, 1165, 1179, 1247, 1371, 1491, 1506, 3378 and 7799 have delivered 1’185’126 CERs.