Biogas Clean Development Mechanism Project for CERs

• Accion Fraterna registered a Biogas CDM Project with the UNFCCC in 2013 to build 15,000 domestic biogas units in Ananthapur district.
• In February 2014 the Fair Climate Network entered into a partnership with IndiGo, India’s largest domestic airline, to reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG). Under an Emission Reduction Purchase Agreement (ERPA), IndiGo purchased 66,523 yet-to-be-generated (Certified Emission Reductions) CERs from Accion Fraterna for a total of ₹ 8.5 crore (average price ₹ 1,277 per CER) on behalf of its passengers. These CERs will not be traded in the International Carbon Market; they will be retired in the UNFCCC Retirement Registry. There by IndiGo will facilitate passengers to make a real and absolute contribution to GHG reduction, while at the same time promoting sustainable development for rural households.

Main Interventions and Activities to achieve the above results:

• AF followed a community based approach for establishing biogas plants in the selected villages. About 20 End User women were organized into functional groups in each village, using Biogas as an entry point/cover activity. They have selected one among them as a volunteer to maintain records on daily usage (as required by the UNFCCC to make carbon calculations) and undertake minor repairs like replacing a knob on the stove, clearing a blockage in the gas pipe, etc. For major repairs, they contact their respective Case Worker who ensures that the problem is fixed in the shortest time possible.
• Each village volunteer organizes monthly meetings of woman to discuss issues related to biogas. These meetings build awareness; instill transparency, and a sense of ownership in all End User women. In a steady and systematic manner, 250-300 rural women are exposed to Climate Change issues in these meetings.

Outreach/Target Group (No. of Families):

• Project aimed at constructing 3500 No of biogas plants and reaching out to 3500 – Rural Women covering 3500 Families in 184 Villages in 15 Mandals. So far 3,356 biogas plants were constructed, reached out to 3,356 rural women in 173 villages in 15 mandals.
• The functionality of Biogas units is 93% in spite of chronic drought, shortage of fodder and distress sale of cattle. More than 3000 households are using Biogas for cooking instead of firewood, kerosene or LPG and are reducing GHG emissions.
• The mandatory third party verifications are conducted by UNFCCC accredited carbon auditors. The climate team has assisted in 3 verifications for evaluating the generated CERs, last being in mid 2021. Of the 63,608 tCO_2-e generated as of today, 40,397 has already been verified and retired in the UNFCCC registry, acknowledging the contribution of IndiGo passengers.

• Geographical target area: (List of mandals)

• Anantapur Rural; Atmakur; Bathalapalli; Bukkarayasamudram; Dharmavaram; Garladinne; Kanaganapalli; Kuderu; Narpala; Pamidi; Peddavaduguru; Puttaparthi; Rapthadu; Singanamala; Tadimarri