The CDM Executive Board accepted Connected Energy’s changes in full, paving the way for companies to remotely monitor carbon abatement and qualify for carbon financing.

Connected Energy, a company bringing remote sensing technology and software to energy companies serving last-mile customers, recently had their proposal for a new way of monitoring and reporting carbon abatement in biogas digesters accepted at the 110th meeting of the CDM Executive Board.

This approval means that new, remote metering solutions can be used by Gold Standard and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to monitor and report carbon abatement. This will result in more accurate carbon reduction quantification for biogas operators, as well as lower the costs for accessing carbon Results Based Finance. Lowering barriers to accessing carbon dollars should help off-grid rural end-users benefit from carbon markets, from which they are largely excluded at present. Specifically, carbon finance could help smaller biogas operators make their products more affordable to poorer, rural customers that lack access to clean cooking options.

Making carbon dollars more accessible to smaller operators is a key focus for Connected Energy. The company aims to make it easier and cheaper for energy access companies to tap into carbon markets serving customers in developing countries, and in doing so, to promote greater uptake of solar and biogas solutions.

“Not only is biogas an excellent way of abating greenhouse gas emissions, but when viewed holistically to include climate, biodiversity, health and livelihoods, biogas is the carbon reduction opportunity with the best bang for your buck, by far,” said Vijay Bhopal, Managing Director at Connected Energy. “We are thrilled with this breakthrough that will open up opportunities for the global biogas sector.”

“Access to clean cooking is a critical part of climate action, and this decision by the CDM makes it even easier for impact investors and others to maximize those benefits,” said Colm Fay, Senior Director for Market Strengthening at the Clean Cooking Alliance (CCA). “We congratulate the team at Connected Energy and are delighted that CCA could support this exciting development by bringing in technical assistance to help develop the functional requirements of their new Greenhouse Gas Abatement Tool.”   

Note: Connected Energy is a member of CCA’s Venture Catalyst portfolio. Their smart metering technology allows off-grid energy companies to remotely monitor and interactively control solar or biogas energy systems. They sell two products: Smart Biogas, a meter for real-time monitoring of biogas digesters with predictive maintenance capabilities; and Cloud Solar, a remote controller for solar charging of SHS or productive use appliances that allows companies to introduce pay-as-you-go offerings to their customers.

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