Verra has launched the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) Methodology VM0050, named ‘Energy Efficiency and Fuel-Switch Measures in Cookstoves, v1.0’. This new methodology offers a robust and comprehensive framework for calculating emission reductions from cookstoves using energy efficiency and fuel-switch measures, such as replacing fossil fuels and non-renewable biomass. VM0050 is designed to enhance the credibility of carbon reduction efforts in the cookstove sector.
The need for sustainable cooking practices is urgent in many developing countries, as such initiatives can improve livelihoods, promote gender equity, enhance health and air quality, preserve ecosystems, and reduce CO2 emissions.
“By enabling projects to credibly calculate the emission reductions from cookstove activities, this methodology continues Verra’s pioneering work in the cookstove space, driving finance to important climate action activities while also facilitating urgent sustainable development and health benefits,” said Toby Janson-Smith, Chief Program Development and Innovation Officer, Verra.
VM0050 builds on Verra’s extensive experience in this sector, updating existing methodologies to incorporate the latest best practices, science, and technology in cookstove project design and implementation. The methodology also integrates new approaches, such as Digital Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (DMRV), which enhance the integrity of cookstove projects and improve the measurement of emission reductions.
Key updates include streamlined monitoring methods, such as the use of stove use monitors and fuel weight sensors, which provide more accurate data on fuel consumption and stove use. It also offers updated guidance on sampling and measurement procedures and introduces revised default values for parameters like baseline device efficiency and wood-to-charcoal conversion factors.
Verra has submitted VM0050 for assessment under the Core Carbon Principles (CCP) Assessment Framework of the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM) and is committed to achieving CCP eligibility. Additionally, Verra is aligning VM0050 with the Clean Cooking Alliance’s forthcoming Comprehensive Lowered Emissions Assessment and Reporting (CLEAR) methodology, showing a commitment to continuous improvement in the cookstove sector.