Beyond Climate Mitigation: The Promising Social Impact of MEC’s Electric Cooking Program on Women in Rural India

Stories from the field

Induction cooking is a complex issue in India, given that polluting fossil fuels like coal remain the primary source of electricity generation in the country. However, as India moves to cleaner and more renewable sources of electricity in the future, following the worldwide push in power systems planning to move to cleaner sources of fuel, the future of clean cooking in India is surely electric. At MEC, we are leading the movement by ensuring that when the day comes, the underserved and low-income communities of women are not left behind in the energy transition once again, as the last in the socio-economic ladder to receive access to clean cooking technologies.

Our clean cooking program, MicroEnergy Credits – Microfinance for Clean Cooking Product Lines – India (GS12066), is the pioneer carbon program promoting e-cooking in India, through which induction cookstoves are being made available to women microentrepreneurs in low-income communities to cook in cleaner, safer environments on their journey up the clean energy ladder. The program also has the accomplishment of being issued the first-of-their-kind carbon credits earlier this year under the new Gold Standard Methodology for Metered & Measured Energy Cooking Devices. It has a verified impact on SDGs 1, 3, 5, 7, 8 &13.

The program has a clear environmental impact with verified reduced emissions. By replacing cooking fuels like wood and charcoal, induction cookstoves reduce associated GHG emissions and provide a cleaner cooking environment with no indoor air pollution. By eliminating the need for firewood, the stoves also directly reduce the need to chop down trees for fuel, preventing deforestation in the local area and positively impacting the environment. To date, the program has already reduced 85,310 tonnes of carbon emissions from being released into the atmosphere and is on track to reduce several thousand tonnes more year-on-year.

Not only that, the program supports better health outcomes for families, especially for women and children. According to The Economist, 4 million people still die prematurely every year because of the indoor air pollution generated by cooking with polluting fuels like coal and kerosene, making it the world’s third-biggest cause of early mortality for women and children, after heart disease and strokes.[i] By significantly reducing the air pollution and carbon emissions associated with cooking, our induction cookstoves program provides a cleaner and more sustainable alternative to traditional methods. The use of these stoves also completely eliminates the instances of fire-related accidents during cooking.

MEC clients sit in front of a wall covered in soot from a traditional ‘chulha’

However, it is the social impact of our carbon intervention that sets the MEC program apart. Our recent conversations with some clients in Bhathat village, Maharajganj district, near Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh, India, demonstrated some remarkable co-benefits of the program to the women microentrepreneurs:

Kanchan Pal is delighted with the money she saves every month by cooking on an induction cookstove

Gita Gupta spends more time on her microenterprises now

Pavitra Nisar’s husband helps her with domestic cooking, allowing her more free time to use as she pleases

Community building and personal development: The women reported an exciting development: using video tutorials on YouTube to learn new dishes to cook on the induction stoves. The women share innovative dishes and recipes they try with each other, enriching their social interactions. They reported a marked sense of personal accomplishment in keeping pace with modern technology like electric cooking and using the internet to learn new recipes.

MEC's clean cooking program is not just a solution to the environmental and health crises associated with traditional cooking methods; it is a transformative initiative that empowers women, enhances their economic prospects, promotes significant improvements in health, and fosters gender and social equity in underserved communities. The success stories of women like Kanchan, Gita, and Pavitra highlight the transformative potential of clean cooking solutions, showing how technological innovations can catalyze broader social change. As we continue to build programs to navigate the transition to clean energy in our efforts towards climate mitigation, we are committed to ensuring that marginalized groups remain at the forefront of this change.

[i] [i] https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2024/07/12/why-cooking-causes-4m-premature-deaths-a-year

Lighting Up Lives in Dark Through LED Inverter Bulbs: MEC’s Efficient Lighting Program

By Nitisha Agrawal, Director, Social Impact, MicroEnergy Credits

30th August 2024

While my curiosity and inquisitiveness know no bounds when it comes to women’s kitchens and what kind of cookstoves they use to make their meals for the family, their lighting environment is also a shadow paradox to this curiosity. They go hand in hand, and I don’t mean just from the point of view of energy drudgery and energy ladder but also how it affects the woman and all other members of her family.

Imagine a scenario where a woman is using a highly polluting and rudimentary method of cooking, and her source of light is an incandescent light bulb (ICL) with depleting luminosity or a kerosene lamp emitting dangerous fumes. Of course, ICLs are subject to the availability of electricity for them to be used.

Both these practices exacerbate the situation to a level of extreme drudgery and discomfort, which includes a high level of heat from both cookstoves and ICL bulbs, risk of injuries and burns, fumes of many kinds emitted from both sources and unreliability of light source in situations of power cuts. This scenario would place such households at the bottom of all kinds of socio-economic and health-related pyramids. 

On my recent field visit to Howrah in West Bengal, I observed and understood how clean lighting solutions can significantly reduce household energy drudgery and the situation of family members while also reducing the energy cost burden. In some cases, a good lighting environment also helps improve income generation opportunities, as demonstrated by some of the women we met. 

We visited villages in two districts of West Bengal, Nadia District and 24 North Paraganas. These districts are distinct from each other in many ways, yet they share a common thread in the lives of people who live in terms of energy drudgery. 

My visit was to observe the monitoring process conducted by MicroEnergy Credits for its unique and critical LED Inverter bulb carbon project. As part of this monitoring, we met women and their families in twelve households who shared how the use of these LED inverter bulbs helped them reduce their daily burden at several levels. 

The first village we visited was Mahato Pada in Kalyani Block of Nadia District. It's important to establish the geographical context here as Kalyani City, also an administrative block, is an extremely well-planned urban city situated on the banks of the River Hooghly and is a budding tourist destination for people from all over the world. 

In contrast, Mahato Pada village can be considered a rural settlement where most of the residents are of migrant origin from the neighboring states of Bihar and Odisha who have come here in search of a better life. There seemed to be a mix of labor and agricultural-led income opportunities for the people in this village. The land here, being on the banks of mighty Hooghly, is fertile, and we could see the ripening lush green fields of corn that seemed to be a primary crop in addition to rice. Most of the households in this village continued to use traditional two-pot mud cookstoves for most of their cooking, indicating their energy drudgery. These cooking areas were outside the house, indicating the importance of proper lighting during the evening hours, as women would need to step outside of the main living area to cook their meals. Most houses had small backyard farms from where the firewood was being collected. 

The use of LED bulbs was seen mostly in the living area or a verandah that helped cover a larger area to increase visibility. It was interesting to hear how these bulbs are beneficial at several levels. While LED technology is far more environmentally friendly as compared to incandescent bulbs with a mercury-based filament, these bulbs also do not emit the kind of heat that ICL is known to. This is an important aspect to understand from the user’s point of view in this geography (and would be the case in large parts of India). Being on the banks of River Hooghly, these areas face extreme humidity and intense summer and monsoons. The heat emitted by an incandescent bulb (ICL) or a kerosene lamp would make the environment difficult for a lady cooking in the house, a child studying, or even an elderly person who may not be keeping very well. All women respondents we met were unanimous in sharing that these bulbs are cooling and that they do not feel the heat while being around them. 

In Mahato Pada, we met a woman entrepreneur who runs a small utility shop. She chose to install an LED bulb in her establishment. Just this one bulb has helped her increase her business hours and, therefore, her income-generating opportunity. She is now able to keep her establishment open for a longer period of time, and she feels ‘safe in the light’.

Let’s talk about ‘safety and light’. In rural areas with surrounding farmlands, which often become pitch dark with dusk in the absence of streetlights, it becomes virtually impossible to step outside the house for women, young children, and the elderly. The risks include getting bitten by a snake or other poisonous or non-poisonous insects, risk of physical injury, animal and human conflict, and even risk of robbery and other local uncalled-for activity. In the context of Mahato Pada, which is a rural village, a small intervention like a luminous LED inverter bulb in the verandah can help overcome a lot of these impending risks, at least within the surrounding area of the household. 

The scenario in the second area we visited is different from the perspective of both households and the community. Shyam Nagar in 24 North Paraganas is more like a semi-urban slum, again a rehabilitation settlement for a migrant population from many neighboring geographies. So while the structures are ‘pucca’ with small allocated rooms and access to electricity, most of these homes face the issue of power cuts. 

But before we speak of power cuts, it’s important to establish the need for clean and proper lighting in such homes. Most of these houses are one-room sets where every activity takes place inside that space provided, including cooking, studying for children and young adults, and even entertainment if the family can afford it. If not for these bright LED bulbs, the rooms are poorly lit if the household is using ICL, impacting all major chores of the house. 

When the families were interviewed, almost all shared that LED bulbs provide much-needed brightness, help reduce the electricity bill, do not heat like the ICL, and, of course, continue to work for at least four hours in case of power cuts. 

An Indian household, whether rural or urban, village or a city, is no stranger to power cuts. We refer to the IRES 2020 Insights from the India Residential Energy Survey. As per the report and as per very visible efforts, India has made commendable efforts in household electrification. However, the report indicates that households in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Haryana, Assam, and Bihar still face the longest power outages, with rural households facing six or more hours of daily outages, long blackouts, low voltages, and appliance damages. 

For households that have no electricity access or are subjected to frequent power cuts, chores are often limited to daylight hours, putting more burden on women and thereby impacting the opportunity to utilize evening hours for more leisure-based activities. As with continuous and strenuous work that needs to be finished before the light goes out, women are often too exhausted to indulge in any regenerative activities like skill or hobby building or even education. 

While we did not meet any children who might be in the age group to attend school and college and hence the need to study at home, it is safe to assume that there would be many such children and young adults who need proper and continuous lighting in order to study without much discomfort. 

Another advantage of inverter LED bulbs is their lifespan compared to any other type of bulb. Since the geographies in question are subjected to frequent power cuts, regular ICL bulbs tend to fuse out in scenarios of fluctuation and low voltage, hence needing to be replaced frequently. This also causes wastage, and some of that waste is dangerous, including glass and mercury filament. 

Just through my interaction with these twelve households, I observed multiple advantages and direct benefits of using technology like LED inverter bulbs. Households that are using them shared absolute positive feedback with an intent pointing towards a continuous and long-term use of it.

The price barrier, which affects direct purchase decisions along with access to such technologies, is mitigated through programs like MicroEnergy Credits’ Efficient Lighting program.

These programs are implemented through MEC’s partnership with women’s financial inclusion institutions, which can provide last-mile access and help households opt for these technologies through various financial inclusion programs. 

Lighting the Way: Women's Empowerment through Climate Finance in Action

A current MicroEnergy Credits client and a future one show the power of women’s empowerment climate finance.

By Garima Dawer, Director, Communications, MicroEnergy Credits

1st August 2024

I recently visited a new area where we at MEC hope to expand our clean energy program, and there I met with an inspirational woman, Tania Bibi.

Tania Bibi is a hardworking young mother to a school-going daughter in Barrackpore, near Kolkata in West Bengal, India. Like all mothers, Tania has hopes and dreams for her child, but her days are spent in drudgery, cooking on a traditional chulha surrounded by smoke, and her evenings and nights in an almost dark home. Her daughter studies by the meagre light of a kerosene wick lamp after dark because their home has no other source of lighting, managing the bare minimum she needs to, because the smell and smoke from the lamp mean she cannot sit next to it for too long without damaging her eyes and lungs.

I am so excited that MEC’s program will introduce solar lighting, improved cookstoves, and water purification in her region. It is an honor to help these inspiring women offer more to their families and children. Indeed, through our program, Tania Bibi will spend less to achieve clean and modern energy than she currently spends on traditional fuel. When Tania accesses clean energy solutions like an improved cookstove for cooking, and solar lights to light up her home so her child can study after dark, she and her family will achieve freedom from continued health risks due to exposure to harmful smoke, as well as from the high probability of Tania’s daughter dropping out of school and limiting her access to future opportunities for development. When a child drops out of school, there is a strong likelihood that another generation will remain in poverty.

As I return to my desk to get up to speed on generative AI, I am boggled by the contrast in how our society allocates wealth. There are still millions and millions of women, their children, and their families in Asia and Africa still living in the dark - cooking, heating, and lighting their homes with polluting fossil fuels, unable to access simple clean energy to improve their daily lives. This lack of access has a far-reaching impact on several human development factors such as a long and healthy life, access to education and a decent standard of living. India, where MEC is determined to create a high social impact through its projects, ranks a dismal 134 out of 191 in the Global Human Development Index, and Kenya, another MEC project geography, ranks 152nd.

Our company has had the privilege to work with some incredible corporations that have funded climate action. But this is a small portion of what is needed.

The integrity conversation has led to terrific tools to increase climate impact, like the ICVCM and the VCMI. But while the debate has raged, it has also delayed carbon funding, with billions of dollars earmarked for climate action lying untapped in corporations, resulting in organizations like MEC needing to scale back their plans. I have personally witnessed the urgency to resume this scale-up and reach women like Tania Bibi.

We need more corporations to commit to carbon funding so we can support more women like Tania Bibi, who are ready to create healthier homes and a cleaner climate.

Now meet Uttama Barik, another inspirational woman I met on my travels. She is an end-user of our clean cooking carbon program in Nayapalli, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India, and a micro-entrepreneur who uses the induction cookstove bought as part of the program to make snacks she sells to tea stalls and student hostels. The induction cookstove has allowed Uttama to spend more hours cooking in a safe, smoke-free environment and supplement her family income that is now being used to fund her daughter’s diploma program in computer science. This one step of clean energy adoption has had a far-reaching effect – Uttama’s family’s health has improved, and the additional income has provided her daughter with a chance to enter the technical workforce, potentially lifting her family up the economic ladder.

Uttama’s is one of the many success stories of women positively impacted through our clean cooking program GS12066- Microfinance for Clean Cooking Product Lines - India. Success stories like hers are made possible only through climate finance, a critical tool that holds the potential to catalyze transformative change on a global scale.

Each dollar spent buying carbon credits from a high-integrity, high-quality project developer like MicroEnergy Credits goes ten times further, not only supporting critical climate action and creating livelihoods for clean energy product distributors and demonstrators but generating a host of co-benefits like improved health and access to education with the potential to change the lives of entire families, communities, and countries.

And each client positively impacted when corporations fund development through climate finance is more than a number. It’s an individual, a child, a family, and a community that benefits from meaningful change. By investing in climate finance, corporations not only mitigate the risks associated with climate change but also pave the way for a more equitable and sustainable future for generations to come.

Even as nations grapple with the consequences of rising temperatures, extreme weather events, and environmental degradation, all is not lost, and we are not powerless. There is near-term action that climate-aware corporations can take. Climate heroes like Tania Bibi and her young daughter are ready to improve the climate as well as their lives, as Uttama Barik and her daughter have been able to do.

Enhancing Project Integrity: MicroEnergy Credits’ Engagement with BeZero on Mongolia Program Rating

7th May 2024

As the voluntary carbon market landscape continues to evolve, the most important conversation continues to be around integrity, of carbon projects as well as carbon claims made by corporates. The emergence of rating agencies in the market is a welcome step towards enhancing the credibility of carbon programs and trust within the market. MicroEnergy Credits shares this vision of the rating agencies and is dedicated to upholding the highest standards of integrity and transparency in our carbon program, and our active collaboration with BeZero Carbon on the rating of our Mongolia program exemplifies this commitment.

Let’s delve deeper into the nuances and different aspects of BeZero’s rating process as it pertains to our Mongolia program, as understood through active engagement between MEC and BeZero:

  1. Pioneering Efforts Acknowledged: BeZero recognized our Mongolia program as being the first of its kind in an area where efficient heating furnace options were previously unavailable. This acknowledgment highlights the innovative nature of our program.
  2. High Ranking VPAs: BeZero noted that the VPAs in MEC’s Mongolia program rank impressively within the sector of household device projects. At the time of assessment[i], BeZero recognised that MEC Mongolia projects face a lesser risk of over-crediting than 80% of projects assessed in the household devices category and a lesser risk of non-permanence than 78% of household devices projects assessed. BeZero has stated that within all rated household devices projects, the MEC projects[ii], with their BB rating, sit at the higher end of the distribution.

Rating Distribution of Rated Household Devices Projects by BeZero

  1. Effective Risk Management: BeZero recognized our approach to managing over-crediting risks through seasonal Kitchen Performance Tests (KPTs), demonstrating our commitment to ensuring that our projects align with robust monitoring practices, in line with sector science. MEC carries out Kitchen Performance Tests in both dry and wet seasons to establish any difference in use. The conservative value between the wood used in any of these seasons is used for calculating the emission reductions.
  2. Transparent Additionality: MEC has provided comprehensive information on program additionality, publicly available on its website, addressing concerns and prompting updates to the rating brief. Our detailed investment analysis has been instrumental in resolving ambiguities and enhancing transparency.
  3. Ongoing Work by BeZero on the Vintage Split Model: Currently, BeZero does not follow a vintage split model, and evaluates projects across all vintages in one sweep.This means that a monitoring report from 2013is bringing down the rating of a vintage 2019 credit, even though there have been many monitoring reports in the interim that showed the issue had been resolved.  There is a monitoring report from 2013 from the beginning of the program that showed that end users were loading the furnaces improperly. MEC solved the problem in the same year with an end-user campaign (made possible with the help of carbon finance). Subsequent auditsshowed good practices. BeZero has acknowledged this, although the rating does not reflect this improvement. BeZero's near-future plans to assess projects by vintage are expected to provide a more accurate representation of our program's evolution.
  4. Addressing Additionality Concerns: BeZero acknowledged that the MEC projects are not common practice and are indeed additional. However, BeZero did not give the project the highest rating for additionality because the project used a subsidy provided by government actors as a separate co-financing.  BeZero alleges that the subsidy could have caused the efficient furnaces to later become common practice. BeZero acknowledged that co-financing is a common best practice in the development sector. Not allowing the subsidy would have meant less climate action, as at-risk communities need the added impetus of co-financing and subsidies to adopt new clean energy technologies. Moreover, subsidies for a project do not make the generated verified emission reductions from the project any less valuable. We hope that BeZero will adopt a different approach in the future to accepting cofinancing without decreasing a project rating.
  5. Commitment to Continuous Improvement: BeZero has acknowledged improvements observed in the second crediting period of our program, due to MEC's enhanced monitoring protocols.

At MEC, we remain steadfast in our commitment to rigorously upholding the integrity of our carbon programs. While the rating for our Mongolia project remains unchanged for now, engagement with BeZero and efforts to address the current rating are ongoing. The process has provided invaluable insights that will continue to inform our future endeavours. MEC is committed to actively considering, and where possible, following best practice developments in sector science, for instance, the Guidance for Developers by the Berkeley Carbon Trading Project to ensure the highest project implementation and assessment standards in all its programs.

[i] 9th August 2023

[ii] (except GS2688) which was given a lower rating because a single monitoring report out of several annual reports - the first monitoring report from 2012 - is no longer available, having been deleted by MEC’s carbon consultant.

MEC Africa Program: All You Need to Know

MicroEnergy Credits – Microfinance for Solar Lamps & Efficient Cookstoves

Grouped Project under Verra

In line with our commitment to transparency and integrity, we are providing a comprehensive list of all the information about our Africa clean energy program here.

This initiative aims to ensure that stakeholders have access to program details and documentation in an easy-to-use way.

In the rural areas in Kenya, the predominant means of cooking are traditional cookstoves that use charcoal or wood as fuel. The smoke and fumes from these inefficient stoves contribute heavily to indoor air pollution, and affect human health. In rural areas of Kenya there is either no grid connection or frequent power outages and low voltage so rural households must use kerosene for indoor lighting, which also contributes to indoor air pollution.

Under the project activity, MEC works with project partners to develop a successful and diversified clean energy-lending program. The clean energy program addresses typical barriers for low-income clients including education, price, finance, and supply and aftersales service. MEC trains project partners to implement the clean energy lending program, as well as a robust and transparent carbon credit monitoring and tracking system to quantify and record the volume of carbon emission reductions created through the clean energy program.

Audited Documents

Additionality:

Over-crediting

Co-benefits of the program

MEC India Efficient Lighting Program: All You Need to Know

MicroEnergy Credits - Microfinance for Efficient Lighting Product Lines

Grouped Project under Verra

In line with our commitment to transparency and integrity, we are providing a comprehensive list of all the information about our efficient lighting carbon program here.

This initiative aims to ensure that stakeholders have access to program details and documentation in an easy-to-use way.

The purpose of this grouped project “Microfinance for Inverter LED lamps in India” is to reduce fossil-fuel-based electricity consumption in rural households across India by introducing more energy-efficient inverter LED lamps to replace incandescent lightbulbs (“ICLs”). An inverter LED contains a light bulb coupled with a battery system (typically Li-Ion type) such that the LED bulb will operate on the mains power supply during availability and will switch to battery power when the main supply is not available (for e.g., in a blackout situation). This makes the inverter LED more versatile and useful than a normal LED bulb.

The inverter LEDs distributed under the grouped project replace ICL lamps in households, which results in GHG emissions due to the usage of ICL. Thus, the grouped project leads to the mitigation of GHG emissions and a range of other sustainable development benefits in the project region.

The distribution of LED is not mandated by Indian law and the grouped project is a voluntary initiative.

Audited Documents

Additionality:

Over-crediting

Co-benefits of the program: Fostering community empowerment

MEC India Clean Cooking Program (GS12066): All You Need to Know

MicroEnergy Credits - Microfinance for Clean Cooking Product Lines

PoA ID GS 12066

In line with our commitment to transparency and integrity, we are providing a comprehensive list of all the information about our electric cooking carbon program here.

This initiative aims to ensure that stakeholders have access to program details and documentation in an easy-to-use way.

The purpose of the program is to provide end-users with Induction Cookstoves (IC) to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the burning of non-renewable woody biomass used for cooking. The project also envisages benefitting household members, especially women, by reducing exposure to indoor air pollution, reducing health expenses, and reducing drudgery towards the collection/purchase of firewood and its use in cookstoves for cooking. 

Audited Documents

Additionality:

Over-crediting

Co-benefits of the program: Fostering community empowerment

MEC India Clean Energy Program (GS11450): All You Need to Know

MICROENERGY CREDITS – MICROFINANCE FOR CLEAN ENERGY PRODUCT LINES – INDIA

PoA ID GS 11450

In line with our commitment to transparency and integrity, we are providing a comprehensive list of all the information about our India clean energy carbon program here.

This initiative aims to ensure that stakeholders have access to program details and documentation in an easy-to-use way.

The program promotes three broad categories of Clean Energy Products (“CEP”):

Comprehensive information about the program:

I. Audited Documents:

II. Additionality:

III. Over-crediting:

IV. Co-benefits of the program: Fostering community empowerment

MicroEnergy Credits Achieves Milestone with First-of-Their-Kind Induction Cookstove Carbon Credits Issuance under Gold Standard

Mumbai, 13 February 2024– MicroEnergy Credits, a trusted provider of social impact carbon credits, proudly announces the issuance of first-of-their-kind carbon credits for its innovative induction cookstove clean cooking carbon program under the new Gold Standard Methodology for Metered & Measured Energy Cooking Devices. This achievement marks a significant step forward in the fight against pollution and health impacts caused by traditional cooking fuels, particularly in rural India.

Cooking fuels, including wood, coal, and biomass, have long been a major source of indoor air pollution in India. This form of cooking has a disastrous impact on not only the environment but also a devastating toll on public health. Those who cook over wood or kerosene, mostly women, inhale dangerous amounts of toxic smoke. According to the World Health Organization, pollution from this type of cooking kills 4 million people every year. In India, smoke from solid fuel used for cooking and other household activities is the largest source of ambient air pollution. Recent studies[i], including the one by Rao et al[ii]., have found that 20–50% of the pollutants in ambient air in India originate from residential solid fuel combustion.

April Allderdice, CEO, MicroEnergy Credits said:

“Our induction cookstove program not only contributes significantly to reducing carbon emissions but also plays a crucial role in uplifting communities on the energy ladder, providing them with cleaner and more efficient cooking solutions. By harnessing the power of innovative solutions, we are empowering households to transition towards cleaner energy sources, contributing to a healthier environment, and improving the quality of life for rural and low-income women and their families.

“This initiative aligns seamlessly with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically targeting SDG 7 - Affordable and Clean Energy, SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being, and SDG 13 – Climate Action. By addressing the cooking sector's environmental impact, we are promoting better health outcomes for communities as well as creating a positive ripple effect in mitigating climate change.”

Margaret Kim, CEO, Gold Standard said:

“Clean cooking projects play an essential role in contributing to sustainable development and reducing emissions. The first issuance of credits from our Methodology Metered and Measured Cooking Device methodology, which enables accurate real-time measurement of energy consumption, marks an important milestone for clean cooking in the carbon market. I congratulate MicroEnergy Credits for their innovative and impactful project, and look forward to seeing the wider adoption of this methodology.”

MicroEnergy Credits' induction cookstove clean cooking program offers a transformative solution by significantly reducing the air pollution and carbon emissions associated with cooking. Induction cookstoves provide a cleaner and more sustainable alternative to traditional methods. The technology not only improves air quality and health outcomes for communities, but it also aligns with global efforts to combat climate change.

The Gold Standard certification attests to the verifiable emission reductions achieved by the MicroEnergy Credits program. The rigorous monitoring and verification process ensures that each credit issued represents a genuine and impactful reduction in carbon emissions, further emphasizing the company's commitment to generating the highest quality of carbon credits with verifiable impact.

Following a certification the project has achieved the following verified impact:

“The world will not reach net zero without addressing clean cooking access. And the cooking crisis, like climate change, will not be solved without carbon finance,” said Donee Alexander, Chief Science and Learning Officer, Clean Cooking Alliance. “When based on realistic assumptions that reflect integrity, transparency, and accountability, like those of Gold Standard’s metered methodology, clean cooking projects can deliver huge climate wins for people and the planet.”

MicroEnergy Credits remains dedicated to pioneering programs with clean energy solutions to empower rural and low-income communities on their journey out of poverty. The induction cookstove carbon credits issuance is a testament to the company's ongoing efforts to make a positive impact on both the well-being of communities and the planet.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Garima Dawer

Director, Communications, MicroEnergy Credits

[email protected]

About MicroEnergy Credits 

MicroEnergy Credits is a social enterprise that helps MFIs launch and scale clean energy lending programs by connecting them to carbon markets. As a trusted provider of social impact carbon credits, MEC seeks to empower every community by providing access to affordable and innovative clean energy solutions. MEC aims to create a world free of both poverty and climate change. Our programs enable rural and low-income communities to take control of their clean energy future while providing corporations committed to positive climate action with carbon credits with verifiable impact. 

Over the past 16 years, we have impacted the lives of over 40 million people in the developing countries of Asia and Africa. Our MFI partners play a crucial role in the adoption of clean energy. As a supportive partner, MEC leverages its prowess in the carbon market to provide resources, training, and expertise to help our MFI partners make a difference on the ground. 

[i] [i] Chafe, Z., & Chowdhury, S. (2021). A deadly double dose for India’s poor. Nature Sustainability, 4(10), 835-836. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-021-00752-0

[ii] Rao, N. D., Kiesewetter, G., Min, J., Pachauri, S., & Wagner, F. (2021). Household contributions to and impacts from air pollution in India. Nature Sustainability, 4(10), 859-867. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-021-00744-0

How Does MEC Incorporate the Research from UC Berkeley (Gill-Wiehl et al) in its Work? 

As a project developer, MEC read Gill-Wiehl’s original research with interest. We are always trying to keep on the cutting edge using the best possible methodologies. Technology is continuously changing and we are evolving with it. As our CEO April Allderdice writes here, the methodologies will continue to change and improve over time. Moreover, it is our company's value that constructive criticism is a valuable catalyst for progress.  The great news is that MEC has already been applying most of the suggestions for monitoring integrity. Here are some of the suggestions from the paper that MEC is already implementing: