In a major shift for carbon finance, 100% of the electric
cookstoves deployed through UpEnergy's Beyond Biomass program,
which are fully aligned with Gold Standard's new methodology, now
have the ability to track usage in real time, providing an
unprecedented level of accuracy for clean cooking projects.
KAMPALA,
Uganda, March 6, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ --
UpEnergy, a social enterprise dedicated to channeling climate
finance to fight energy poverty through decarbonization projects,
today announced the issuance of the first-ever electric cooking
carbon credits in Africa using
Gold Standard's new Methodology for Metered & Measured Energy
Cooking Devices as part of its Beyond Biomass program. This
approach quantifies greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions through
real-time measurement of energy consumption, providing an
unprecedented level of accuracy and transparency.
"At UpEnergy, quality and transparency are
the cornerstones of our mission... By investing heavily in digital
monitoring, we continue to uphold and elevate the highest standards
of carbon credit integrity that the market demands." —Mitch Sauers,
CEO of UpEnergy
UpEnergy's first issuances under this methodology will take
place in Tanzania and Uganda, with Ghana and Zambia planned for future expansion. The
electric pressure cookers under this metered methodology are
designed specifically for African homes, featuring a bespoke
interface tailored to local dishes and providing families with
economic and health benefits by reducing indoor air pollution
associated with traditional cooking methods. By equipping these
cookers with integrated sensors for continuous monitoring, the
program ensures precise tracking of real-time usage, setting a new
standard for emissions verification in clean cooking projects.
The Beyond Biomass program, certified by Gold Standard (GS12082
in Tanzania and GS11579 in
Uganda), is projected to
distribute 250,000 metered clean cookstoves by 2028, with 10,000
units already deployed. The initiative is expected to generate a
supply of Verified Emission Reduction (VER) credits from
Tanzania and Uganda over the next decade, improving the
lives of more than 1 million people.
Beyond emissions reductions, UpEnergy's program delivers
tangible household benefits. Cooking time decreases by up to 37
minutes per day, returning over 9 days' worth of time annually to
users, predominantly women, who typically bear the burden of
cooking. Households in Tanzania
and Uganda also save an estimated
$0.26 and $0.51 per day, respectively, by switching away
from charcoal. Additionally, the program has created over 180 local
direct and indirect jobs, contributing to economic development in
these communities.
"At UpEnergy, quality and transparency are the cornerstones of
our mission, reflected in everything we do — from developing the
right technology to distribution, user engagement, and continuous
monitoring," said Mitch Sauers, CEO
of UpEnergy. "By investing heavily in digital monitoring, we
continue to uphold and elevate the highest standards of carbon
credit integrity that the market demands."
The latest electric cookers are equipped with integrated sensors
that track real-time consumption data, storing usage information
for up to 13 months. This allows for precise comparisons with
baseline stoves and fuels while capturing behavioral data on
cooking modes, dish types, and durations. In addition, UpEnergy is
investing in technology to measure indoor air quality, specifically
fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and carbon monoxide concentrations,
enabling a deeper understanding of health impacts and reinforcing
data-driven approaches to cleaner cooking solutions.
Today's news is another significant step forward after
UpEnergy's 2024 announcement that it had issued the world's
first-ever carbon credits linked to emissions savings from the use
of electric clean cooking devices. The emissions reductions were
created in a new UpEnergy-led project aimed at replacing
traditional, biomass burning stoves with electric stoves created by
climate tech startup PowerUP. The credits, verified by Gold
Standard, support households in Africa transitioning from biomass-burning
stoves to cleaner, zero-emissions electric cooking, reducing indoor
air pollution and improving health outcomes for those with access
to electricity.
"Our commitment to integrity extends beyond electric cooking to
our fuel-efficient cookstoves, where we are advancing temperature
sensors for precise usage data collection. Through all of this, our
goal remains the same: to drive decarbonization in the Global South
while supporting a just energy transition — ensuring our projects
not only deliver measurable climate benefits but also create
meaningful improvements for the communities we serve," said
Sauers.
For more information, visit www.upenergygroup.com or email
partnerships@upenergygroup.com.
ABOUT UPENERGY
UpEnergy delivers high-impact, emissions-reducing projects that
accelerate decarbonisation, fight energy poverty and benefit
low-income communities most at risk from climate change. Learn more
here: www.upenergygroup.com.
Media Contact
Nikki Arnone, Inflection Point
Agency for UpEnergy, 1 (719) 357-8344,
nikki@inflectionpointagency.com,
https://www.upenergygroup.com/
View original content to download
multimedia:https://www.prweb.com/releases/upenergy-issues-africas-first-ever-electric-cooking-carbon-credits-under-gold-standards-new-metered-methodology-302392791.html
SOURCE UpEnergy
