Today, German CDM project developer UPM GmbH (https://www.upm-cdm.eu) has obtained registration approval by the UNFCCC Executive Board (EB) for its Sichuan Rural Poor-Household Biogas Development Programme of Activities (PoA) in China (UNFCCC Ref. 2898).

This PoA aims to install efficient biogas digesters on the premises of up to one million poor farm households in selected least developed rural areas of China’s Sichuan Province. It is the first of its kind worldwide to be registered and only the second PoA in China and the 20th PoA at all to obtain CDM registration.

The programme’s proven and reliable biogas systems reduce methane emissions originating from the widely used animal manure storage pits and provide participating households with clean biogas for cooking. The combined reductions of methane emissions originating from the pits and carbon dioxide emissions from common household use of coal will create a projected overall greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction of approximately 20 million tCO2e for the entire PoA over the programme lifetime of 28 years.

UPM’s Household Biogas PoA provides reimbursement payments of carbon credit revenues to farmers that otherwise could not afford the digester system despite an existing national Chinese subsidy scheme. The programme also supports the development and training of certified technical service providers for the digester systems through the Rural Energy Offices in Sichuan and provides the project households with free annual maintenance service and on-demand technical support. Through these two approaches, the recipients are strongly supported to finance the purchase, installation and operation of the digester systems.

The use of biogas digesters and stoves has several advantages beyond GHG emissions reduction when compared to current prevailing habits of manure pit storage below animal confinements and the use of coal and/or firewood as cooking fuel. Specifically, the use of digesters in rural environments can benefit community members by:

• reducing the time spent by women collecting firewood or travelling to purchase fuel,
• reducing the amount of household income spent on cooking fuel,
• improving indoor air quality and sanitation systems
• providing high-quality fertilizer and
• creating jobs for biogas digester distributors and technical experts.

UPM’s Household Biogas PoA has been validated by TÜV Nord CERT GmbH. It foresees the inclusion of up to 200 CDM Project Activities (CPAs) with an annual credit volume of approximately 10,000 Certified Emission Reductions (CERs) per CPA. First credit issuance is scheduled for late 2012. The programme is also applying for the Gold Standard registration, which is expected for early 2013.

For further information on UPM and this PoA, please contact:

Henning Huenteler, General Manager, UPM China
hhuenteler(at)upm-cdm.eu, T: +86 10 6468 0500-16

For UNFCCC information on CDM PoAs in general as well as this PoA in particular, please visit the UNFCCC overview page on PoAs and the public available programme information on this PoA.