This project reduces the carbon intensity of the energy infrastructure powering Indonesia’s rapid economic development. The Asahan power plant utilizes Indonesia’s abundant hydro resources to provide renewable electricity to the grid. The rural communities that live in the North Sumatra region will benefit from a more reliable electricity supply and new income-generating opportunities.

Over the past half century Indonesia experienced tremendous economic development. The Southeast Asian country ranks as the fourth-fastest growing large economy in the world from 1968 to today. This rapid economic growth coincided with enormous gains in poverty alleviation, with poverty in Indonesia declining from 60% to less than 10% over the same time frame. 

As part of its development, Indonesia brought electricity to nearly all of its citizens. This is a particularly impressive feat considering the country’s millions of inhabitants are spread across 6,000 islands. Even as Indonesia’s power infrastructure expanded, the country has struggled with energy shortages and power outages. The Sumatra grid in particular suffered some of the longest blackouts.

Economic growth and electricity access are critical for sustainable development. But they often come with a problematic side effect for the planet – increased greenhouse gas pollution. Over the past 20 years, Indonesia’s energy sector CO2 emissions more than doubled. Today, power generation is the largest contributor to Indonesia’s emissions from fossil fuel combustion.

With 50,300 miles (81,000 kilometers) of coastline, the Indonesian archipelago is highly vulnerable to rising sea levels and other impacts of climate change. The archipelago straddles the equator, resulting in a tropical climate. Existing challenges like extreme rainfall, landslides, and heat waves will only be exacerbated by global warming. 

Indonesia’s abundant natural resources offer great potential for renewable energy like hydro, geothermal, and solar. Yet most of these resources remain untapped. Nearly all (80%) of Indonesia’s electricity is generated by fossil fuels, with two-thirds coming from highly polluting coal-fired power plants. On the flip-side, only 6% of Indonesia’s hydro resources have been utilized. 

This project supports the operation of a 180 MW hydroelectric power plant on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. The run-of-river power plant uses the natural flow of the Asahan River to produce renewable energy. This powerful river is fed by Lake Toba, the largest lake in Southeast Asia which was formed by a supervolcano eruption 74,000 years ago. 

Each year the Asahan hydropower plant provides around 1.2 million MWh of electricity per year to the Sumatra grid. This added electricity generation capacity supports rural communities in North Sumatra that are prone to power shortages. It also reduces the carbon intensity of the electric grid.

Run-of-river systems like the Asahan plant are a more environmentally sustainable type of hydropower. Instead of building  an artificial reservoir and dam, run-of-the-river systems harvest energy through a penstock that allows the free flow of water from the river. As a result, the power plant’s construction had minimal impacts on the surrounding environment. Run-of-river systems also avoid the methane emissions produced by decomposing organic material that gets trapped behind dams.  

Along with supporting Indonesia’s renewable energy transition, this project creates employment opportunities in rural areas. The project facilitates community upskilling by training local workers to operate and maintain the plant. Over 15,000 jobs were created by the construction of the hydro power plant. When the plant became operational, over 2,500 people were hired, mostly from North Sumatra.  

The project will also implement community development initiatives in local villages. This includes constructing a small dam to supply drinking water and donating equipment to a senior high school.

This project supports the construction and operation of a hydro plant that will generate renewable energy for the Chilean national grid. Along with avoiding emissions from fossil fuels, the project also promotes stewardship of the region’s water resources and ecosystems. The rural communities that live in the area benefit from improved infrastructure as well as employment and skill development opportunities.

Like most countries, Chile is highly reliant on fossil fuels to power homes and key industries, like copper mining. In 2010, at the onset of this project, nearly two thirds (60%) of Chile’s electricity generation came from fossil fuels. As Chile is only a minor producer of fossil fuels, most of this energy must be imported from other countries.

In recent decades, Chile’s population and economy experienced significant growth. As this happened, the amount of electricity consumed steadily increased. Today, total electricity consumption in Chile is five times higher than it was 30 years ago. This power demand is expected to continue to rise by just over 2% every year for the next 20 years.

To keep up with this rising demand for electricity, Chile must develop new sources of energy. To avoid harmful CO2 emissions, the country must transition away from fossil fuel power plants towards renewable energy solutions, such as hydroelectric power.

This project avoids carbon emissions through the construction and ongoing operations of a small-scale hydroelectric power plant. The power plant, which opened in 2010, is located in the rural community of San Clemente in central Chile. It’s a small, ‘run-of-the-river’ hydro plant, meaning it utilizes the water diverted from the Sanatorio Brook to generate electricity. These types of hydro plants are considered to be a more environmentally friendly alternative to large hydroelectric dams, as they do not typically alter the natural flow of the river and have a smaller impact on aquatic ecosystems.

Thanks to the natural flow of the brook, the hydro plant is expected to generate 28,470 MWh of electricity each year. This equates to the amount of electricity that it takes to power roughly 2,000 households. The electricity from the San Clemente hydro plant flows into the Sistema Eléctrico Nacional (SEN), an interconnected grid that spans nearly the entire length of Chile and supplies 99% of the country’s electric power. This renewable power replaces energy that would otherwise have been partially generated by fossil fuel-fired power plants. Resultantly, the project is expected to prevent 16,560 metric tons of greenhouse gasses from entering the atmosphere each year. 

Along with swapping fossil fuels for renewable energy, the project is also creating other environmental benefits. Located in the fertile Maule region, the lands surrounding the hydro plant are patterned with agricultural fields. Here, farmers grow pine crops, berries, apples, and other crops. Irrigating these crops places pressure on the area’s water resources. To conserve water, the project developer signed an agreement with the association of local farmers which encourages water saving and irrigation efficiency. During the 2016-2017 season, this led to 29% less water used for irrigation. To further raise environmental awareness, a teaching manual was developed for local schools that will help students learn about their region and how to care about the environment.

The project also generates benefits for the local community, which has a high level of poverty and unemployment compared to the national average. More than 120 workers, most of whom were local, were hired for the initial construction of the hydro plant. Additionally, the increase in people living in the area and the hydro plant’s ongoing operation injects more dollars into the local economy. In 2019, the project developer purchased $2 million of goods and services from suppliers across the region. A certification program was also created to engage local entrepreneurs in nature tourism, such as kayaking on a nearby reservoir. In total, 23 local tourism entrepreneurs were certified through the program.

Along with these economic benefits, the project developer also supported local communities in recovering from natural disasters. In 2010 a severe magnitude 8.8 earthquake struck off the coast of south-central Chile, damaging nearly 400,000 homes. Again, in 2017, some of the worst forest fires in Chile’s history ravaged the region. In the aftermath of these events, the project developer built more than 30 houses for community members who had lost their homes. 

The project led to the extension of the potable water network to supply water to more households. Other community initiatives supported by the project developer include purchasing supplies for a local school and building a community center with games for children.

This project is generating renewable energy from pig manure in Thailand. By capturing methane and generating electricity from biogas, this project reduces the amount of greenhouse gas emissions produced by pig farming. Furthermore, the new treatment system provides an affordable source of fertilizer while lessening pollution and other negative impacts on the surrounding environment and community.

Agriculture is responsible for just over 14% of Thailand’s greenhouse gas emissions. It is the leading source of methane, accounting for 70% of the country total. When it comes to pig farming, manure management is the primary source of emissions.

In Thailand, the most common way that farmers treat their pig manure is via anaerobic lagoon systems that store the slurry in uncovered ponds. As the manure breaks down, it releases harmful methane emissions into the air which have 21 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide. 

However, emissions aren’t the only harmful side effect of this process. When waste is contained in open ponds it can cause foul odors that bother neighboring residents. There is also a greater risk of overflows during the rainy season which can lead to wastewater pollution.

Through this project, one pig farm in Thailand’s Ratchaburi province is employing a different, more sustainable method to treat its pig waste. By replacing their old lagoon system with a closed anaerobic system, SPM Farm is able to capture the methane rich biogas that is produced during treatment. This biogas is then combusted using spark ignition engines to produce electricity that can be used on-site. This new source of power replaces the electricity that currently comes from the grid. Furthermore, any excess electricity produced by the farm will be sent to the national grid. By generating a renewable source of energy and reducing the farm’s reliance on fossil-fuel, this project will avoid over 3,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions each year.   

Along with generating electricity, the waste treatment process also produces a fertilizer that can be supplied to local farmers at low cost and is distributed for free to schools where it is used to grow food for students. 

Because it is enclosed, the new treatment system also helps to prevent some of the other negative impacts of manure management, including wastewater overflows, groundwater contamination, and unpleasant odors. This project is intended to drive further adoption of waste-to-energy systems by building confidence among Southeast Asian farmers in the efficacy, cost and safety of this newer type of technology.

This wind farm generates enough renewable energy to power over 45,000 homes. By generating clean wind energy, this project reduces the USA’s heavy reliance on fossil fuels and avoids harmful CO2 emissions.

Over 80% of the energy used in the USA is generated from fossil fuels such as crude oil, coal and natural gas. The excavation and processing of these fuels can take an enormous toll on landscapes. The pipelines, access roads and other infrastructure that powers the fossil fuel industry can destroy natural habitats and displace communities.  Acidic run-off from coal mining operations can end up in rivers and streams, polluting drinking water and freshwater ecosystems. 

Fossil fuels are burned to create energy to heat and light homes and businesses, and to power a huge number of other appliances. This burning creates a vast amount of carbon dioxide emissions which are trapped in the earth’s atmosphere and increase global warming and climate change.

The Big Smile Wind Farm at Dempsey Ridge is located on more than 7,500 acres of agricultural and grazing land in Oklahoma. Sixty-six wind turbines will deliver enough renewable energy to power more than 46,000 U.S. homes. By generating clean, wind energy, the project reduces reliance on environmentally damaging fossil fuels. Careful steps were taken to minimize the environmental impacts of the wind farm and prevent harm to birds, bats, and natural habitats. 

More than 130 people were employed during the construction phase of the project. The ongoing operation of the wind farm will also create 13 new full-time local jobs. Additionally, the wind farm will provide an additional revenue stream for local farmers who are paid to host the turbines on their property. In addition to the lease agreements with landowners, the project will produce increased revenues for local counties through investments in local infrastructure and property tax revenues. 

As their blades rotate in the strong South Dakota winds, the 108 turbines at Crow Lake Wind Farm generate clean electricity that displaces energy sourced from dirty fossil fuels. Along with avoiding emissions, the turbines are also used to educate students at a nearby technical college and prepare them for careers as wind technicians, and the ongoing operation of the wind farm supports local jobs.

With its sprawling prairies and some of the strongest winds in the United States, South Dakota is an ideal location for wind energy generation. Yet for many years, the state’s wind energy potential was largely untapped. In 2010, only 14% of South Dakota’s electricity came from wind energy while the remainder was primarily from fossil fuels and hydroelectric sources.  

Over the past decade, many new wind farms were built across South Dakota. Now, thousands of wind turbines dot the state’s rural farmlands and open plains. As a result, more than half (54%) of South Dakota’s electricity is now produced by clean, renewable wind energy.

This carbon offset project supports the Crow Lake Wind Farm which sits on 36,000 acres of land near Chamberlain, South Dakota. The wind farm consists of 108 turbines which began operating in 2011. Prior to its construction, an environmental impact assessment was conducted to minimize negative impacts on grasslands, bird populations, and other natural resources. 

Altogether, the wind turbines are expected to produce around 513,000 megawatt hours of clean electricity each year. This is enough to power more than 43,000 average American homes. This energy is delivered to a bulk transmission system which provides electricity to numerous states including Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, and Minnesota. By displacing energy from fossil fuel power plants with zero emissions wind energy, the Crow Lake Wind Farm avoids an average of 430,000 metric tons of carbon emissions each year.    

Along with generating clean energy, the wind farm also supports career development for local communities. Since one of the wind turbines at Crow Lake is owned by a local technical college, students can gain hands-on experience climbing and maintaining it as they train to become wind turbine technicians. The wind farm itself directly employs 11 people. 

The Soma Wind Farm reduces Turkey’s reliance on fossil fuel power plants by generating over 450,000 MWh of clean, renewable wind energy each year. Along with fighting climate change, the project also supports employment and skills development related to the construction and operation of the wind farm.

The Soma Enerji Elektrik Üretim Wind Farm Project is a grid-connected onshore wind farm project in the Manisa and Balıkesir Provinces of Turkey. Consisting of 119 wind turbines the site has a maximum power generation capacity of 140.1 MW when fully operational. Annually, the site generates over 450,000 MW of energy. With an expected lifespan of 30 years the Project Activity is expected to continue to realize emission reductions from decreased reliance on fossil fuel burning plants well after the crediting period ceases. 

Soma – Polat contributes to a local sustainable development by creating jobs in Turkey and the surrounding the region while procuring available services like subcontractors and equipment manufacturing. On-site operations also increased knowledge regarding local development of replicable technology to assist in transfer of similar projects to proximal regions in Turkey.