- First-of-its-kind carbon credits: UpEnergy issues Africa’s first electric cooking carbon credits under Gold Standard’s new metered methodology, ensuring real-time tracking and verification.
- Scalability & impact: The Beyond Biomass program aims to distribute 250,000 clean cookstoves by 2028, reducing emissions and improving health for over 1 million people.
- Economic & social benefits: Families save time and money, while local job creation boosts economic development.
Game-changing carbon finance:
UpEnergy, a social enterprise focused on climate finance and energy poverty reduction, has issued Africa’s first-ever electric cooking carbon credits under Gold Standard’s new Methodology for Metered & Measured Energy Cooking Devices. This milestone ensures precise tracking of energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions, setting a new standard for clean cooking projects.
“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
A smarter approach to emissions reduction:
The Beyond Biomass program, now active in Tanzania and Uganda, and soon expanding to Ghana and Zambia, integrates real-time sensor tracking into electric pressure cookers designed for African homes. This approach improves accuracy in emissions reductions and enhances household cooking efficiency.
- 10,000 clean cookstoves deployed; 250,000 targeted by 2028.
- Projected Verified Emission Reduction (VER) credits over the next decade.
- Cookers store consumption data for 13 months, enabling behavioral insights.
Beyond carbon credits—real-life impact:
The transition from biomass to electric cooking brings significant household benefits:
- Time savings: Cooking time cut by 37 minutes daily—equating to over 9 saved days annually, particularly for women.
- Financial relief: Households save $0.26 (Tanzania) and $0.51 (Uganda) per day by reducing charcoal use.
- Job creation: Over 180 direct and indirect local jobs generated.
“Our commitment to integrity extends beyond electric cooking… Our goal remains the same: to drive decarbonization in the Global South while supporting a just energy transition.” — Mitch Sauers, CEO of UpEnergy
Looking ahead:
UpEnergy continues investing in indoor air quality measurement technology, tracking PM2.5 and carbon monoxide levels to better understand health impacts. Following its 2024 carbon credit breakthrough, the company is further advancing fuel-efficient cookstove technology with temperature sensors for precise data collection.
By blending cutting-edge monitoring with meaningful community benefits, UpEnergy is not just reducing emissions—it’s transforming lives in the Global South.
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