Positive Planet's August 2022 Offsetting Projects

Sierra Leone Safe Water Project

In Kono District, Sierra Leone, many existing safe water sources have fallen into disrepair due to the mismanagement of programmes. Households often consume dirty water as they lack the means for purification, regularly suffering from water-related illnesses. Alternatively, they purify the unclean water on highly inefficient three-stone fires fuelled by firewood releasing GHG emissions, something avoidable if clean water sources were in working order.

Benefits

CO2balance commenced the first phase of the Safe Water project in May 2019. Since then, it has provided the provision of clean drinking water and reduced the number of illnesses linked to drinking unsafe water. Additionally, it has provided local employment within the project areas through regular borehole maintenance work. The organisation also provides education in the local communities by hosting regular WASH (WAter, Sanitation & Hygiene) training and workshops.

Asahan 1 Hydroelectric Power Plant 2 x 90 MW

Next up, located in North Sumatera Province, Indonesia, the project takes advantage of the natural flow of the Asahan River which receives water from its natural source, Lake Toba.

The project aims to supply zero-emission energy to Sumatera Grid, a grid with relatively carbon-intensive electricity supply that is located in Sumatera island. The project is expected to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases by an estimated 945,875 tCO2e per year during the first crediting period and 1,021,075 during the second crediting period.

Benefits

The project complies with sustainable development criteria by positively generating renewable energy sources whilst helping to sustain and preserve its natural environment through good use of run-of-river technology. As well as alleviating the dependency on fossil fuel use in energy sectors, thus improving air quality.

Increasing employment opportunities also arise in the location of the project, with qualified locals being permanently employed for operations. Temporary jobs are also created throughout the project's construction stage.

MDL 0297 "LaGeo, S. A. de C. V., Berlin Geothermal Project, Phase Two"

Finally for August, the "LaGeo, S. A. de C. V., Berlin Geothermal Project, Phase Two". The project is a capacity addition to the current Geothermal Power Plant, located in El Salvador. In 2007, additional geothermal wells were drilled and a brand new 44MW power unit was installed. Since then, the sustainable electricity produced has been supplied to a national interconnected grid.

Benefits 

Sustainable developments as a result of the project include the protection of neighbouring wildlife through additional projects like the 'Georesguardo' - a wildlife protection park; and other projects such as a conservation and reforestation program in areas surrounding the plant. As well as boosting environmental sustainability by using cleaner sources of electricity, as opposed to electricity generated from imported fossil fuels.