PROJECT DESIGN DOCUMENT FORM FOR CDM PROJECT ACTIVITIES (F-CDM-PDD)
Version 04.1
PROJECT DESIGN DOCUMENT (PDD)
Title of the project activity TerraClear Ceramic Water Purifier Project in Lao PDR
Version number of the PDD 5.0
Completion date of the PDD 05/12/2014
Project participant(s) TerraClear
Host Party(ies) Lao PDR
Sectoral scope and selected methodology(ies) Sectoral Scope(s):
1 – Energy Industries (renewable/non-renewable sources)
3 – Energy Demand
Selected Methodology: Gold Standard Methodology “Technologies and Practices to Displace Decentralized Thermal Energy Consumption – 11/04/2011”
Estimated amount of annual average GHG emission reductions
SECTION A. Description of project activity
A.1. Purpose and general description of project activity
TerraClear, a social enterprise based in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), was established with the aim of leveraging carbon finance to introduce Ceramic Water Purifiers (CWPs) throughout Lao PDR. The CWPs treat contaminated drinking water at the point of use by effectively reducing turbidity and removing over 99% of bacteria,1234 while reducing household and institutional demand for biomass to conventionally treat drinking water by boiling. Both the Ministry of Food and Drug5 and the Ministry of Health in Lao PDR6 have certified the product, and the Ministry of Health endorsed the CWP as an effective water treatment product in Lao PDR.
The TerraClear Ceramic Water Purifier is the ideal form of water treatment for households in Lao PDR concerned about the health and safety of drinking water. The CWP is produced using a precise mixture that creates extremely small pores that are highly effective at the removal of bacteria and other suspended solids. Additionally, pores are infused with antibacterial silver to provide a permanent, secondary defense.
Households simply pour untreated water into the ceramic water filter. Water seeps through the ceramic filter, removing bacteria and other suspended solids, and treated water is stored in a large plastic receptacle, which is easily accessed by a spigot. The CWP system requires no energy input or consumables. Studies on similar filters have indicated effective life spans of up to five7 or seven years.8 TerraClear’s warranty system also guarantees the filter element for two (2) years to increase long-term usage. The filters are manufactured using locally available skills and materials, and are simple, low cost, and easy to use. The project activity only includes filters produced by TerraClear. This simple, locally made, zero emissions water filter provides households with a safe and convenient source of safe drinking water.
Purpose of the Project Activity
TerraClear aims to enhance the dissemination of Ceramic Water Purifiers (CWP) as a way to filter safe drinking water for end-users in Lao PDR. The CWP units treat contaminated drinking water and reduce conventional water treatment through boiling water with non-renewable biomass thus reducing carbon emissions. The project aims to address the issues described in the scenario existing prior to the implementation of the project activity below, by introducing CWPs to effectively remove over 99% of bacteria. The primary objective of the project activity is to disseminate over 100,000 CWPs between
1 Roberts M (2003) Ceramic Water Purifier – Cambodia Field Tests, IDE Cambodia, Phnom Penh, p 4-6
2 Brown J, Sobsey M, and Proum S (2007) Improving Household Drinking Water Quality: Use of Ceramic Water Filters in Cambodia, WSP Field Note, World Bank Water and Sanitation Program, Phnom Penh, p 22-32
3 Bloem SC (2008) Silver Impregnated Ceramic Water Filter - Flowrate versus the removal efficiency of pathogens,
Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Delft, Netherlands
4 Phimmason, B, PhD (2011) Experiment Using Water Filter Ceramic to Decrease Coliform Bacteria in Water,
Ministry of Health, National Centre for Environmental Health and Water Supply, Vientiane, Lao PDR
5 Government of Lao PDR (2011) Certificate of Testing for TerraClear CWP, Ministry of Health, Drug and Food
Testing Centre, Vientiane, Lao PDR
6 Government of Lao PDR (2012) Certificate of Testing for TerraClear CWP, Ministry of Health, National Centre
for Environmental Health and Water Supply, Vientiane, Lao PDR
7 Campbell (2005) Study on Life Span of Ceramic Filter - Colloidal Silver Pot Shaped (CSP) Model, Potters for
Peace, Managua, Nicaragua
8 Lantagne D (2001) Investigation of the Potters for Peace Colloidal Silver-Impregnated Ceramic Filter: Intrinsic
2012 and 2019, potentially providing safe water to 0.58 million people9 and reducing water boiling using non-renewable biomass.
The Scenario Existing Prior to the Implementation of the Project
Activity
Despite recent economic growth, Lao PDR remains one of the least developed countries in the world.10 The UNICEF/WHO Joint Monitoring Program (JMP) indicates that Lao PDR is not on track11 to meet its Millennium Development Goal (MDG) for 80% of the total population to have access to improved water by 2015.12 While the country has made progress towards this goal, out of a total population of 6.385 million people,13 35% of rural the population continues to lack access to improved water sources, causing widespread water-borne illnesses, especially in children.14 Diarrheal disease, frequently caused by water-borne disease, is a leading cause of childhood death in Laos. Poor sanitation and hygiene causes at least three million disease episodes and 6,000 premature deaths annually.15
Throughout the country, water supply and service quality is low, frequently failing to meet government standards. Rural Lao PDR lacks safe water infrastructure, particularly in areas with limited road access.16 The World Bank reported in 2010 that water quality in rural supply systems overall fails to meet national drinking standards. 17 Most households boil water, or drink directly from stream, pond or surface water.18 Water quality from streams, ponds, and surface water is often low, exposing households to risk of water-borne illness. While boiling water is a safe option, it often entails heavy opportunity costs for rural households. Household members must travel long distances to collect firewood or spend precious
9 Based on projected sales of 100,000 units over a 7 year period. Assume one water filter per household, assume
5.80 people per household as per TerraClear (2013) "TerraClear Ceramic Water Purifier Project in Lao PDR Baseline Survey Report": 100,000*5.80 = 580,000 people drinking safe water, or 0.58 million people.
10 UN Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and
Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS) (2013) List of Least Developed Countries [Online] Avaliable from: http://www.unohrlls.org/en/ldc/25/ (Accessed on: 4 March 2013)
11 WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply and Sanitation (2011) Data & estimates
table for Lao PDR in 2012 (relative national population of 71.5% with access to an improved source) [Online] Available from: http://www.wssinfo.org/data-estimates/table/ (Accessed on 13 August 2014)
12 Government of the Lao PDR and the United Nations (2008) Millennium Development Goals Progress Report Lao PDR 2008, p 76 [Online] Available from:
http://www.undp.org/content/dam/laopdr/docs/Reports%20and%20publications/MDG%20Progress%20Report%2 02008.pdf (Accessed on 8 August 2013)
13 Lao Statistics Bureau (2011) Yearbook [Online] Available from:
http://www.nsc.gov.la/index2.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=37&Itemid=38 (Accessed on 11/14/2012)
14 WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply and Sanitation (2014) Lao People’s Democratic
Republic: Estimates on the use of water sources and sanitation facilities (1980 – 2012), p “Trends_W” [Online] Available from: http://www.wssinfo.org/documents/?tx_displaycontroller[type]=country_files (Accessed on: 13 August 2014)
15 Colin, J (2012) Lao PDR - Findings from hygiene and sanitation financing study in Lao PDR, Water and
sanitation program, The World Bank [Online] Available from:
http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2012/10/16900829/lao-pdr-findings-hygiene-sanitation-financing-study-lao-pdr (Accessed on 1 March 2013)
16 ISF‐UTS (2011) Lao PDR Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Sector Brief, prepared for AusAID by the Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney, p 2 [Online] Available from: http://www.isf.uts.edu.au/pdfs/ISF_LaoPDRWASH.pdf (Accessed on: 1 March 2013)
17 World Bank (2010) Lao PDR - Water supply and sanitation sector review, Washington D.C. - The Worldbank, p
20 [Online] Available from: http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2010/12/16277528/lao-pdr--water-supply-sanitation-sector-review (Accessed on 1 March 2013)
18 TerraClear (2013) TerraClear Ceramic Water Purifier Project in Lao PDR Baseline Survey Report, Thakek, Lao
amounts of their income on wood and charcoal.19 Boiling water also increases the time households are exposed to smoke, creating a dangerous trade-off between water-borne illness and respiratory health. Urban areas have higher rates of access to improved water sources, estimated at 83.7% in 2012 by the UNICEF/WHO Joint Monitoring Program (JMP).20 However, this access is inconsistent, providing water only a few hours a day, and is often not disinfected properly. Urban households rely heavily on wells, water tanks, and bottled water.21
Because universal access to safe drinking water infrastructure may be decades away for many Laotians due to financing constraints, 22 Point of Use (POU) water treatment is the best option in terms of cost and treatment capabilities. According to TerraClear’s Baseline Survey Report, the most commonly practiced POU water treatment is boiling, used by 81.3% of people; in addition another 9.6% do not treat the water they consume.23 Boiling water, however, is quantitatively prohibitive in that a family cannot boil more water at one time than their largest cooking container. In addition, households do not properly store boiled water, which often becomes contaminated during storage.24
Fuel used for water boiling in Laos is predominantly nonrenewable biomass. The TerraClear’s Baseline Survey Report shows that the fuels used are: firewood (81.6%), charcoal (7.8%), and combined wood and charcoal (10.5%).25
Due to the poor quality of available drinking water sources and the lack of centralized systems for delivering safe water to households, most Laotians must collect water, store it, and treat it, if they are to have safe drinking water. Most households use biomass fuels to boil water for drinking using traditional or un-improved cook stoves, 26 creating a significant amount of GHG emissions.
TerraClear designed the Ceramic Water Purifier to address these basic safe water supply problems with a simple, low-cost, and long-term solution. The CWP provides safe water in the home, reducing exposure to water-borne illnesses. It allows rural households to use any untreated water available, reducing travel time for safe water. Households no longer have to spend time or money in an effort to boil water, and they have less exposure to smoke. Urban households can know their drinking water is safe, and no longer spend money on bottled water.
19 TerraClear (2013) TerraClear Ceramic Water Purifier Project in Lao PDR Baseline Survey Report, Thakek, Lao
PDR, p 26-32
20 WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply and Sanitation (2012) Data Resources and
Estimates –Table [Online] Available from: http://www.wssinfo.org/data-estimates/table/ (Accessed on 13 August 2014)
21 ISF‐UTS (2011) Lao PDR Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Sector Brief, prepared for AusAID by the Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney, p 2 [Online] Available from:
http://www.isf.uts.edu.au/pdfs/ISF_LaoPDRWASH.pdf (Accessed on: 1 March 2013)
22 Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Ministry of Health (2012) National Plan of Action for Rural Water Supply,
Sanitation and Hygiene: Rural Water Supply and Environmental Health Sector, Vientiane, Lao PDR, p 17
23 TerraClear (2013) TerraClear Ceramic Water Purifier Project in Lao PDR Baseline Survey Report, Thakek, Lao
PDR, p 33
24 PATH (2011) Project Brief: Newly Designed Ceramic Water Pot for Low-income Households, p 2 [Online]
Available from: http://www.path.org/publications/files/TS_swp_cwp_br.pdf (Accessed on: 4 March 2013)
25 TerraClear (2013) TerraClear Ceramic Water Purifier Project in Lao PDR Baseline Survey Report, Thakek, Lao
PDR, p 23
26 TerraClear (2013) TerraClear Ceramic Water Purifier Project in Lao PDR Baseline Survey Report, Thakek, Lao
The Baseline Scenario
The baseline scenario and the scenario existing prior to the implementation of the project activity are the same.
Contribution to Sustainable Development and the Millennium
Development Goals
Water-borne disease is a leading cause of illness and death in the developing world, contributing to the death of two million children every year, on average. Globally, 780 million people are without access to safe drinking water and more than 2.5 billion lack access to basic sanitation.27 Lack of access to water killed more children annually than AIDS, malaria and measles combined, while the lack of sanitation affects 2.6 billion people - 40 per cent of the global population. The UN has acknowledged that safe, clean drinking water and sanitation are integral to the realization of all human rights.
The socioeconomic benefits of access to clean drinking water are well documented, and include reduced time spent provisioning water, reduced cost for families, reduced child and adult morbidity and mortality, improved attendance at school and increased productivity. Because the technology uses gravity, the project also contributes to environmental sustainability by reducing household dependence on non-renewable biomass for boiling water.
This project directly addresses several of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), including goal 4 (Reduce Child Mortality) and 7 (Ensure Environmental Sustainability). This project has the potential to have significant impact on goal 7’s objective to halve, by 2015, the proportion of the population without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation. The project has integrated the principles of sustainable development into its programs by contributing to the reversal of the loss of environmental resources, the reduction of disease and child mortality, the improvement of maternal health, and the development of a global partnership for development.
The project activity is in line with Lao’s 7th National Socio-Economic Development Plan (2011-2015) (NSEDP), which embodies the Government’s most important development goals and related plans for their achievement. This document envisages achieving the MDGs by 2015 and graduating from the status of least‐developed country (LDC) by 2020.28 The 7th NSEDP 2011‐2015 outlines Water and Sanitation as a priority area and sets the target of 80% of the total population with access to clean water as the Millennium Development Goal.29 The National Plan of Action for Rural Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2012) outlines the strategy for achieving the MDG. Section 4.4.3 specifically states “[The National Plan of Action] also sees an increasing role for the emerging private sector in providing services
27 UNICEF and World Health Organization (WHO) (2012) Progress on Drinking Water and Sanitation: 2012
Update, p 5 [Online] Available from:
http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2012/9789280646320_eng_full_text.pdf (Accessed on 21 February 2013)
28 Lao People’s Democratic Republic (2011) The Seventh Five-Year National Socio-Economic Development Plan
(2011-2015) Ministry of Planning and Investment, Vientiane, Lao PDR, p 79 [Online] Available from: http://www.undp.org/content/dam/laopdr/docs/Reports%20and%20publications/LA_7th%20NSEDP_Eng.pdf (Accessed on: 8 August 2013)
29 Lao People’s Democratic Republic (2011) The Seventh Five-Year National Socio-Economic Development Plan
(2011-2015) Ministry of Planning and Investment, Vientiane, Lao PDR, p 217 [Online] Available from: http://www.undp.org/content/dam/laopdr/docs/Reports%20and%20publications/LA_7th%20NSEDP_Eng.pdf (Accessed on: 8 August 2013)
to assist rural communities to gain access to materials and services needed to achieve the sector objectives.”30
Description of partners involved with TerraClear
Nexus – Carbon for Development is a cooperative of development organizations that support vulnerable communities by scaling up successful climate-friendly projects. This nonprofit and collaborative structure enables members to share expertise and services, access technical assistance and international funding opportunities such as carbon finance. Acting together and committing to a common vision, Nexus members benefit from economies of scale, reduced risks, and a strong voice in the global community. For TerraClear, Nexus provides financial and technical input into the preparation of the carbon finance application. Nexus builds the capacity of TerraClear staff through mentoring and training to manage the project through the carbon finance project cycle. Nexus also provides carbon asset management services through a dedicated sales platform and sales team.
Blue Moon Fund (BMF) is a philanthropic organization characterized by its holistic approach, its risk taking, its nimbleness and its commitment to cutting-edge ideas in both programs and investments. bmf takes advantage of market mechanisms that are applicable across geographies and have the potential for long term sustainability. bmf is funding the time, studies and documentation necessary to bring the project to a pre-validation stage which is the first step in the carbon project cycle.
Nordic Climate Facility (NCF) is engaged in challenging and innovative climate change approaches. NCF facilitates the exchange of technology, know-how and innovative ideas between the Nordic countries and low-income countries in the sector of climate change. This is aimed to increase low-income countries’ abilities to mitigate and adapt to climate change and contribute to sustainable development and the reduction of poverty. NCF is financed by the Nordic Development Fund and is implemented jointly with the Nordic Environment Finance Corporation (NEFCO). The Nordic Climate Facility commenced supporting TerraClear for a new phase of the project by strengthening the business through a large increase in production capacity and greater outreach to the rural poor. In addition, the NCF are assisting with the implementation of the carbon project.
ACC International Relief (ACCIR) is the Aid and Development arm of the Australian Christian Churches. ACCIRs mission is to transform communities and nations, one life at a time, by developing holistic sustainable solutions to combat injustice, poverty and reinstate the value of life. Their aim is to promote equal access to the rights and services that protect life and human dignity. ACCIR have provided support for the development of a TerraClear WASH program, the development of Clean Water Technicians (CWTs), and for other community support programmes.
Implementation Status of the Project Activity
The project proponent has a purpose-built factory for the production of the CWPs near Pakse, Lao PDR. In addition, the project proponent has constructed an assembly/warehouse/office facility in Thakek, Lao PDR. TerraClear currently has a number of sales staff selling water purifiers several provinces of Lao PDR. At the time of validation, the project sold 6,164 CWPs in Lao PDR.
The project proponent has implemented a 2-year warranty on the product, and developed information pamphlets and stickers for guidance on use of the CWP and the project proponent’s contact information.
30 Lao People’s Democratic Republic (2012) National Plan of Action for Rural Water Supply, Sanitation and
Hygiene: Rural Water Supply and Environmental Health Sector, Ministry of Health, Vientiane, Lao PDR, p 11 [Online] Available from: http://www.irc.nl/docsearch/title/181349 (Accessed on 8 August 2013)
Estimate of Annual Average and Total Greenhouse Gas Emission
Reductions (7 year crediting period)
Years Estimation of annual emission reductions in tonnes of CO2e Jul 16 – Dec 2012 451 2013 5,657 2014 17,440 2015 35,376 2016 56,329 2017 70,433 2018 78,137 Jan – Jun 05 2019 49,534
Total estimated reduction (tonnes of CO2e) 313,357
Total number of crediting years 7 years
Annual average of the estimated reductions over
the crediting period (tonnes of CO2e) 44,765
A.2. Location of project activity A.2.1. Host Party(ies)
Lao PDR
A.2.2. Region/State/Province etc.
All provinces of the Laos People’s Democratic Republic. A.2.3. City/Town/Community etc.
All cities, towns, and communities of the Laos People’s Democratic Republic. A.2.4. Physical/Geographical location
Lao People’s Democratic Republic (national) TerraClear’s Office:
Kuwahlavong Road Lak 2 Viengxai, Tha Kaek Khammouen, Lao PDR TerraClear’s Factory: Lomsaknuea Village (Km10) Bachiengchaluensouk Champasak, Lao PDR
The coordinates below correspond to the location of TerraClear’s factory.
Coordinates
Latitude 15.096911
Figure 1: Map of Location of TerraClear Factory A.3. Technologies and/or measures
Description of the TerraClear Ceramic Water Filter
The TerraClear Ceramic Water Purifier is a zero emissions, point-of-use ceramic water purification system. The product consists of a pot-shaped ceramic filter element set in a plastic receptacle tank with a lid and spigot to protect filtered water from recontamination. Ceramic filtration is the use of porous ceramic (fired clay) to filter microbes or other contaminants from drinking water. Raw water seeps through the ceramic filter element by gravity at a post-production rate of 1.5 to 3 liters per hour producing potable water. The water is also naturally cooled by this process through evapotranspiration. The CWP can filter up to 55 liters per day and store up to 36 liters of safe water in the receptacle tank. Maintenance consists of scrubbing the ceramic filter element to unclog pores and washing the receptacle tank to prevent bacterial growth. The product is a low technology solution to Laotian households’ lack of access to safe water: the filter is fed by gravity and the replaceable spigot is the only moving part.
The filters themselves are kiln-fired clay impregnated with colloidal silver. TerraClear manufactures the filter elements at a purpose built factory near Pakse, Lao PDR. Locally sourced clay and rice husks are ground to a specific size and mixed at precise levels. This precise ceramic mixture of clay and rice husks is then molded into pots and fired in brick kilns. During the firing process, the rice husk burns and creates the extremely small pores which, due to size exclusion, act as physical barriers to micro-organisms, making the filter effective at removing bacteria, protozoa, helminths, turbidity and other suspended solids. After firing, the filters are brushed with colloidal silver, infusing the clay pores to provide a permanent, secondary defense, reducing bacteria by over 99% when used properly. Locally produced ceramic pot-style filters have the advantages of being lightweight, portable, relatively inexpensive, chemical-free, low-maintenance, effective, and easy to use. The plastic filter elements are manufactured in Thailand and imported to Lao PDR.
The ceramic filter element has a potential useful life of 5 years or longer. 3132 Lifespan mainly depends on the quality of the input water and the care taken to avoid breakage. End-users have the possibility to replace broken parts or the entire unit at no cost through a warranty system thus extending the lifespan of the CWP. The receptacle and spigot are expected to last five years.
The water treated by a CWP has no significant taste issues. CWPs have functional stability, meaning they only have one moving part (the spigot) and require no external energy source (such as a UV lamp) or consumables (such as chlorine packets, or media that must be regenerated or replaced).
Several ministries of the Government of Lao PDR have certified the TerraClear CWP. Initial testing and certification was provided by the Ministry of Food and Drug, providing a “Pass” for the following tested parameters: Hardness, pH, Total Coliforms, E. Coli, and Feacal Coliforms.33 The Ministry of Health has also endorsed the product following a study of the filters in 2012, which tested for E. Coli and Total Coliforms from a number of water sources, including: Shallow well, Spring water/Mountain source, River water, Borehole, Town water, Pond Water, and River water (Mekong River, Ngeum River, and Hongseang River). The certificate from the Ministry of Health states that “the water filter is appropriate for every water situation throughout the country.”34
Figure 2: Parts of the Filter
Parts of the TerraClear CWP
Figure 2 includes the most basic parts of a TerraClear CWP. TerraClear also sells refillable 20 liter bottles which can be used to collect untreated water and positioned on the system to automatically flow into the filter as clean water is drunk. In addition, TerraClear makes several sizes of stand available for end-user purchase. These additional items are displayed in Figures 3, 4 and 5 below. The additional features do not affect the estimates of emissions reductions, as all CWPs will have the exact same ceramic pot.
31 Lantagne, D (2001) Investigation of the Potters for Peace Colloidal Silver Impregnated Ceramic Filter – Report
1: Intrinsic Effectiveness, p 58 [Online] Available from:
http://web.mit.edu/watsan/Docs/Other%20Documents/ceramicpot/PFP-Report1-Daniele%20Lantagne,%2012-01.pdf (Accessed 20 August 2013)
32 Campell, E. (2005) Study on Life Span of Ceramic Filter Colloidal Silver Pot Shaped (CSP) Model, Part V,
[Online] Available from: http://potterswithoutborders.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/filter-longevity-study.pdf (Accessed on 20 August 2013)
33 Government of Lao PDR (2011) Certificate of Testing for TerraClear CWP, Ministry of Health, Drug and Food
Testing Centre, Vientiane, Lao PDR.
34 Government of Lao PDR (2012) Certificate of Testing for TerraClear CWP, Ministry of Health, National Centre
Figure 3, 4 and 5: Optional features of the CWP
Diagram of how the technology works:
The technologies and measures and know-how of the project activity are transferred through several channels:
1. TC is engaged with the Ceramics Manufacturing Working Group (CMWG), an international body consisting of members of government, academia, non-governmental organizations, and filter manufacturers.
2. Factory workers are trained on the Standard Operating Procedures and technical details of the factory and water quality lab, thereby transferring know-how;
3. TerraClear provides detailed technical training on the CWP and strategic sales training to most Sales Agents and Clean Water Technicians (CWTs);
4. End-users of the TerraClear CWP learn how to use the CWP through one or more of the following:
a. Training from TerraClear CWTs
b. TerraClear CWP Instruction Manual (included with every CWP and presented graphically for the illiterate)
c. TerraClear CWP pictorial instruction sticker fixed to the side of each CWP unit; d. Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) community training events or other community development programmes.
As described in Section B.4 below, the baseline scenario is the existing kitchen practice of treating water for drinking by boiling it on stoves using high emission fuels including non-renewable biomass. The project proponent has identified the following stove technologies used to boil water in the baseline:
3-stones stoves
Traditional bucket stoves
Improved cook stoves
The baseline scenario is a continuation of current practice, thus identical to the scenario existing prior to the implementation of the project activity. There is no need to repeat the description of the scenarios as both are the same.
The application of the selected baseline and monitoring methodology for small-scale project activities in the Project Standard are considered below in Section B.4 and B.7, respectively. The monitoring of the project activity is done in accordance with the applied methodology, through a series of monitoring surveys and tests. For a complete list and more detail on monitoring survey and tests, see section B.7.2 and B.7.3.
A.4. Parties and project participants Party involved
(host) indicates a host Party
Private and/or public entity(ies) project participants
(as applicable)
Indicate if the Party involved wishes to be considered as project participant (Yes/No)
Lao PDR TerraClear No
A.5. Public funding of project activity
Since 2009, TerraClear has relied on donor funding from the following sources: ACC International Relief
ACC International Relief has partnered with TerraClear since 2010, supporting a number of activities including the WASH training program, training and development of Clean Water Technicians (CWTs) as well as supporting a number of TerraClear’s community based programmes.
In December 2011, the Blue Moon Fund agreed to provide TerraClear with a grant to develop the pre-validation documentation for TerraClear to implement a carbon project.
Nordic Climate Facility
In May 2013, the Nordic Climate Facility commenced supporting TerraClear to start a new phase of the project by strengthening the business through a large increase in production capacity and greater outreach to the rural poor. In addition, the NCF are assisting with the implementation of the carbon project. SECTION B. Application of selected approved baseline and monitoring methodology B.1. Reference of methodology
The following approved Gold Standard Foundation baseline and monitoring methodology is applied to the project activity:
Title: Voluntary Gold Standard methodology: “Technologies and Practices to Displace Decentralized Thermal Energy Consumption” Version 01, 11/04/2011
Reference: Gold Standard Website:
http://www.cdmgoldstandard.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/GS_110411_TPDDTEC_Methodology.pdf
Additionality for the project activity is demonstrated using the UNFCCC CDM “Methodological Tool: Tool for the demonstration and assessment of additionality, Version 07.0.0” and the guidelines for additionality as per the Gold Standard methodology “Technologies and Practices to Displace Decentralized Thermal Energy Consumption – 11/04/2011” on page 9.
B.2. Applicability of methodology
The Voluntary Gold Standard methodology: “Technologies and Practices to Displace Decentralized Thermal Energy Consumption” Version 01, 11/04/2011, is applicable to programs or activities introducing technologies that reduce or displace greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the thermal energy consumption of households and non-domestic premises, including the introduction of safe water supply and treatment technologies that displace water boiling.
The project activity is implemented by a project proponent, and individual households and institutions do not act as project participants.
The following are the applicable conditions and how they are met: 1. The project boundary can be clearly identified,
and the technologies counted in the project are not included in another voluntary market or CDM project activity (i.e. no double counting takes place). Project proponents must have a survey mechanism in place together with appropriate mitigation measures so as to prevent double-counting in case of another similar activity with some of the target area in common.
The project boundary is clearly identified as described in section B.3 of the PDD.
PP has put in place appropriate mitigation measures to prevent double counting as described in section B.7.3.
2. The technologies each have a continuous useful energy output of less than 150kW per unit (defined as total energy delivered from start to end of
Water filters do not deliver energy output but only displace thermal energy supplied in the baseline scenario which delivers less than 150kW per
operation of a unit divided by time of operation). For technologies or practices that do not deliver thermal energy in the project scenario but only displace thermal energy supplied in the baseline scenario, the 150kW threshold applies to the displaced baseline technology.
technology. As per the research from Aprovecho Research Center35, a three stone stove (open fire) has an output of 7.50kW, a 5L Portable rocket stove with skirt (improved cook stove) has an output of 5.00kW and a large 45L Institutional stove has an output of less than 20kW per unit. A household traditional stove like that in the baseline will deliver less energy output than an improved or institutional stove. Therefore, all technologies in the baseline deliver energy output well below the threshold.
3. The use of the baseline technology as a backup or auxiliary technology in parallel with the improved technology introduced by the project activity is permitted as long as a mechanism is put into place to encourage the removal of the old technology (i.e. discounted price for the improved technology) and the definitive discontinuity of its use. The project documentation must provide a clear description of the approach. The project documentation must provide a clear description of the approach chosen and the monitoring plan must allow for a good understanding of the extent to which the baseline technology is still in use after the introduction of the improved technology, whether the existing baseline technology is not surrendered at the time of the introduction of the improved technology, or whether a new baseline technology is acquired and put to use by targeted end users during the project crediting period. The success of the mechanism put into place must therefore be monitored, and the approach must be adjusted if proven unsuccessful. If an old technology remains in use in parallel with the improved technology, corresponding emissions must of course be accounted for as part of the project emissions
The technology used will displace GHG emissions from the use of fuel to boil water but will not replace the cook stoves which will still be used for cooking purposes. The fuel used to boil water will be monitored and the emissions arising from this activity will be included in the emissions reductions calculations as described in sections B.3, B.4, B.6, and B.7.
4. The project proponent must clearly communicate to all project participants the entity that is claiming ownership rights of and selling the emission reductions resulting from the project
PP clearly communicated to the stakeholders that PP will claim ownership rights at the stakeholder consultation.36 In addition, the PP explains that the PP retains the rights of ownership of the GHG
35 Aprovecho Research Center (2007) Laboratory Testing of Rocket Stoves of Various Capacities as Compared to the Three Stone Fire, Graph titled Firepower, Various Stove Capacities, p 5 [Online] Available from:
http://www.google.com.kh/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CCcQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F
%2Fwww.aprovecho.org%2Flab%2Frad%2Frl%2Femissions-eval%2Fdoc%2F71%2Fraw&ei=qSQTUq7wD6iZiQeM3IHoCg&usg=AFQjCNF7HjnJtOYQ0HiyArNtMzCnCODS Ww&sig2=ie1-r5Yku6rhqhWB_EDkhw&bvm=bv.50952593,d.aGc (Accessed on: 20 August 2013)
activity. This must be communicated to the technology producers and the retailers of the improved technology or the renewable fuel in use in the project situation by contract or clear written assertions in the transaction paperwork, If the claimants are not the project technology end users, the end users should be notified that they cannot claim for emission reductions from the project.
reductions to purchasers through sales and/or warranty documentation.37
5. Project activities making use of a new biomass feedstock in the project situation (e.g. shift from non-renewable to green charcoal, plant oil or renewable biomass briquettes) must comply with relevant Gold Standard specific requirements for biomass related project activities, as defined in the latest version of the Gold Standard rules. If the biomass feedstock is sourced from a dedicated plantation, these criteria must apply to both plantations established for the project activity AND existing plantations that were established in the context of other activities but will supply biomass feedstock.
a. Adequate evidence is supplied to demonstrate that indoor air pollution (IAP) levels are not worsened compared to the baseline, and greenhouse gases (as listed in section II.1) emitted by the project fuel/stove combination are estimated with adequate precision. The project fuel/stove combination may include instances in which the project stove is a baseline stove. b. Records of renewable fuel sales may not be
used as sole parameters for emission reduction calculation, but may be used as data informing the equations in section II of this methodology if correlated to data on distribution and results of field tests and surveys confirming (a) actual use of the renewable fuel and usage patterns such as average fraction of non-renewable fuels used in mixed combustion or seasonal variation of fuel types, (b) GHG emissions, (c) evidence of CO levels not deteriorating, or (d) any further factors effecting emission reductions significantly.
The project activity does not make use of any fuel and therefore this condition does not apply to this project.
From Annex 3 of the GS Methodology:
The methodology allows project technologies and practices that reduce the amount of CO2 emitting fuel consumed by changing kitchen practice from water boiling as a purification technique to the introduction of new ‘zero-emission technology’
The project technology will reduce the amount of CO2 emitting fuel consumed by changing kitchen practice from water boiling as a purification technique (see Section B.4 for a description of the baseline scenario) to a gravity household water filter, a ‘zero emission technology’ that provides
Boil Water Cooking, other use
Inside Project Boundary Outside Project Boundary
% fuel used to boil water
% fuel used to cook and other use that provides safe water, e.g. gravity household
water filters, borehole pumps (not fossil fuel driven) and their repair/maintenance/operation, ultraviolet radiation treatment, chlorine tablets, etc.
safe water (See section A.4 for description of the project technology). Therefore, the project technology is applicable.
From Annex 3 of the GS Methodology:
Only end users that boil water or are currently using unsafe water are eligible for crediting.
The project only credits end users that boil water or are currently using unsafe water as established by the baseline survey. Details can be found in Section B.4.
B.3. Project boundary
The project reduces the amount of greenhouse gases (GHGs) emitted through the use of fuel wood to boil water with inefficient cook stoves, by introducing widespread use of a zero-emission water treatment technology. To ensure conservative estimates of emission reductions, the project will not account for GHG reductions attributable to production and transportation of baseline fuels.
a. The project boundary is the physical, geographical sites of the project technologies and potentially of the baseline and project fuel collection and production (e.g. charcoal, plant oil), as well as solid waste and effluents disposal or treatment facilities associated with fuel processing.
i. The project boundary is delimited by the percentage of biomass fuel used to boil water and is illustrated in the figure below:
Figure 7: Project Boundary
b. The target area is defined by the regions or towns within a single country, or across multiple adjacent countries, where the considered baseline scenario(s) is (are) assessed to be uniform across political borders. The target area provides an outer limit to the project boundary in which the project has a target population.
i. The target area extends to the entirety of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, which is the outer limit to the project boundary in which the project has a target population, as illustrated in the figure below:
Figure 8: Project Target Area
c. In cases where woody biomass (including charcoal) is the baseline fuel, the fuel production and collection area is the area within which this woody biomass can reasonably be expected to be produced, collected and supplied. In cases the project activity introduces the use of a new biomass feedstock in the project situation, the fuel production and collection area is the area within which the biomass is produced, collected and supplied.
i. Woody biomass (including charcoal) is used in the baseline as a fuel to boil the water; however, for conservativeness, the PP will not include fuel production and collection within the project boundary. The project activity does not introduce the use of a new biomass feedstock in the project situation, so the fuel production and collection area is not included in the project boundary.
Source GHGs Included? Justification/Explanation B ase li ne sc enari o
Heat delivery from the stoves to boil the water occurs
CO2 Yes Important source of emissions CH4 Yes Important source of emissions N2O Yes Important source of emissions Production of fuel CO2 No Not accounted for conservativeness
CH4 No Not accounted for conservativeness N2O No Not accounted for conservativeness Transport of fuel CO2 No Not accounted for conservativeness CH4 No Not accounted for conservativeness N2O No Not accounted for conservativeness
Proj
ec
t sc
enari
o
Heat delivery from the stoves to boil the water occurs
CO2 Yes Important source of emissions CH4 Yes Important source of emissions N2O Yes Important source of emissions Production of fuel
CO2 No Not accounted for conservativeness CH4 No Not accounted for conservativeness N2O No Not accounted for conservativeness Transport of fuel CO2 No Not accounted for conservativeness CH4 No Not accounted for conservativeness N2O No Not accounted for conservativeness B.4. Establishment and description of baseline scenario
As described in Annex 3 of the methodology, the baseline scenario is “the existing kitchen practice of treating water for drinking by boiling it on stoves using high emission fuels including non-renewable biomass and fossil fuels.”38 The project proponent will only claim emission reductions for residents who currently boil, or would boil water if barriers were reduced in the baseline.
Through a baseline survey, the project proponent has established the baseline scenario in Lao PDR. The baseline research shows that 81.3% of the target population treats water for drinking by boiling, while 89.8% would boil if barriers were reduced. Of the population boiling water, 100% are using high emission fuels including non-renewable biomass and fossil fuels to boil it. 39
Below is a further description of the baseline scenario, including detailed information on how the baseline was established, and how key parameters for calculating baseline emissions were established.
Baseline Scenario Emissions
According to the methodology, the quantity of fuel consumed in the baseline scenario (Bb,y) is “back-calculated” by multiplying the safe water consumption of end users observed in the project scenario (liters per person per day) by the amount of fuel required to boil a specific quantity of water.
Total Safe Water Consumed in the Baseline
To account for suppressed demand for water services in Lao PDR, where there is not a satisfactory level of service in terms of treated water available for consumption in the baseline, inhibited by insufficient
38 The Gold Standard Foundation (2011) Technologies and Practicies to Displace Decentralized Thermal Energy
Consumption – 11/04/2011, p 34 [Online] Available from: http://www.cdmgoldstandard.org/project-certification/gs-methodologies (Accessed on: 22 February 2013)
39 TerraClear (2013) TerraClear Ceramic Water Purifier Project in Lao PDR Baseline Survey Report, Thakek, Lao
energy, income, and infrastructure to meet basic water treatment needs (see Section A.1 and below), the baseline is the total amount of treated water for consumption per person per day in the project scenario. In this case, according to the methodology, the total safe water consumed in the project scenario is the amount of safe water supplied by the project technology and consumed in the project scenario, plus the amount of raw water boiled after introducing the project technology (represented as Qp,y + Qp,rawboil,y). The methodology states that, “[t]his total [Qp,y +Qp,rawboil,y] is assumed to be equivalent to water boiled in the baseline.”40
Therefore, the water boiled in the baseline scenario is the quantity of safe water in liters consumed in the project scenario and supplied by the CWP per person per day. This is equal to the amount of raw water treated (Qp,y) plus the amount of raw water boiled after the introduction of the water treatment technology (Qp,rawboil,y), and is capped at 7.5 liters/person/day (lppd).
TerraClear’s research shows that households typically boil 15.1 liters of water for drinking per household per day. With an average of 5.8 people per household, the number of liters boiled for drinking per person per day is 2.7 lppd.41
The project, ex-ante, assumes that treated water for consumption in the baseline is 2.7 lppd and well below the 7.5 lppd cap.
Therefore, Qp,y = 2.7 lppd
Establishing a value for the amount of raw water still boiled after the introduction of the project technology ex-ante is extremely difficult, even through survey methods, as there are virtually no secondary sources on raw boiling after the introduction of a ceramic water purifier. To be conservative, ex-ante, the project proponent assumes a value of 0 for Qp,rawboil,y.
Therefore, Qp,rawboil,y = 0 lppd
The total safe water consumed in the baseline, therefore, is 2.7 lppd. Ex-ante, these values are conservative and are assumed to be constant over a 7 year crediting period (i.e. no significant changes are expected in 7 years). The data will be monitored and adjusted according to field test results.
Quantity of fuel required to boil 1 liter of water in the baseline scenario (Wb,y)
To determine the quantity of fuel required to purify by boiling one liter of water for 10 minutes using technologies and fuels representative of the baseline scenario, two data sets are required:
1) The fuel mix/ stove mix in use in the baseline scenario is required, as established by the Baseline Survey.
2) Biomass fuel needed to boil one liter of water for 10 minutes (Water Boiling Test) Fuel Mix/Stove mix
In Lao PDR, the baseline scenario is the demand for non-renewable biomass used to treat drinking water by boiling on 1) tripod stoves (3 stones stoves); 2) a range of rudimentary and inefficient cooking stoves or “traditional stoves” and 3) improved cooking stoves.
40 The Gold Standard Foundation (2011) Technologies and Practicies to Displace Decentralized Thermal Energy
Consumption – 11/04/2011, p 35 [Online] Available from: http://www.cdmgoldstandard.org/project-certification/gs-methodologies (Accessed on: 22 February 2013)
41 TerraClear (2013) TerraClear Ceramic Water Purifier Project in Lao PDR Baseline Survey Report, Thakek, Lao
The baseline data comes from a representative sample of end users of 166 households in Lao PDR42 a number in line with the methodological requirements.43 The results for type of stove and fuel usage for boiling drinking water from the baseline study are in the table below. It displays the percentage of different types of stoves and fuel usage by households. This data has been used to establish the baseline scenario in Lao PDR.
The baseline survey report indicates that the population generally use the Taodom, Bucket stoves, tao payat or Tripod technologies. Examples of the various stove technologies are shown below in Figures 9 – 11 below.44
Figure 9: Examples of 3-stone stoves, tri-pod stoves, and traditional bucket stoves
42 TerraClear (2013) TerraClear Ceramic Water Purifier Project in Lao PDR Baseline Survey Report, Thakek, Lao
PDR, p 16.
43 The Gold Standard Foundation (2011)Technologies and Practicies to Displace Decentralized Thermal Energy
Consumption – 11/04/2011, p 12 [Online] Available from: http://www.cdmgoldstandard.org/project-certification/gs-methodologies (Accessed on: 22 February 2013)
44 TerraClear (2013) TerraClear Ceramic Water Purifier Project in Lao PDR Baseline Survey Report, Thakek, Lao
Figure 10: Examples of Variations in Traditional Bucket Stoves (Tao Lai and Tao Dom)
Figure 11: Example of the Tao Payat Stove
According the USAID Cookstove Market Assessment,45 the tripod stove is a very common stove in Lao consisting of three metal legs and a ring to support the pot, that is highly inefficient and similar in
45 USAID Advance (2013) Lao PDR Market Assessment – Sector Mapping, p 36, [Online] Available from:
http://www.cleancookstoves.org/resources_files/laos-market-assessment-sector-mapping.pdf (Accessed on 06 August 2014)
principle to the 3-stone fire. The Tao Dam (taodom) stove is a commonly used ceramic cylinder-shaped stove which is more efficient than a tripod, but less efficient than an improved cookstove. Other bucket stoves include the Taolai and the Taolo stoves, with similar construction and features to the TaoDom (made of ceramic and concrete as can be seen in the images above). The tao payat is a bucket-type stove but more efficient than the other traditional bucket stoves, therefore the PP has classed this as an improved cookstove.
The results for stoves used for boiling water in the baseline survey are below:
Table 1: Stove Use for Boiling Water in the Baseline46
The main fuel used for cooking and therefore boiling water in the baseline is demonstrably non-renewable biomass of wood and charcoal (100%). Table 1 below shows the breakdown of fuel type against type of stove. Note that the baseline survey did not encounter any households using LPG or electricity, so these were excluded from the table below.
Fuel Type Tripod Bucket Stove
Tao
Payat Taodom Other NA
Non-Response Total Charcoal Count 0 8 1 1 0 3 0 13 % 0.0% 4.8% 0.6% 0.6% 0.0% 1.8% 0.0% 7.8% Wood Count 107.5 6 7 4 1 9 1 136 % 64.8% 3.6% 4.2% 2.4% 0.6% 5.4% 0.6% 81.9% W+C Count 9.5 2 0 2 1 2 1 17 % 5.7% 1.2% 0.0% 1.2% 0.6% 1.2% 0.6% 10.2% Total Count 117 16 8 7 2 14 2 166 % 70.5% 9.6% 4.8% 4.2% 1.2% 8.4% 1.2% 100.0%
Table 2: Stove and Fuel Use for Boiling Water in the Baseline47
46 TerraClear (2013) TerraClear Ceramic Water Purifier Project in Lao PDR Baseline Survey Report, Thakek, Lao
PDR, p 20.
The project proponent has simplified the baseline survey results for a more simple and conservative baseline scenario. The results from households using charcoal and wood and charcoal to boil water will be assumed to be using wood as their main fuel as a conservative measure, thus claiming fewer emissions reductions as wood has a lower emission factor than charcoal. Thus all users of wood, charcoal are treated as a single scenario. Should the share of charcoal users increase significantly this will be included as a separate scenario.
In addition, bucket stoves and taodom stoves will be considered as “traditional stoves” with a similar efficiency as their construction material and shape are similar. Households who responded as using an “Other” stove were users of tripods and traditional stoves; the project proponent has considered these as improved cookstoves along with the Tao Payat stoves, the most efficient stove found in use, again as a conservative measure. Respondents who did not respond or were not boiling (16) are also excluded from the baseline scenario, as the baseline scenario is the existing kitchen practice of treating water for drinking by boiling it on stoves using high emission fuels including non-renewable biomass and fossil fuels. The following table displays the result of these changes:
Fuel Type Tripod
Traditional Stove Improved Cookstove Total Charcoal 0.0% 6.0% 0.7% 6.7% Wood 78.0% 9.3% 6.0% 93.3% Total 78.0% 15.3% 6.7% 100.0%
Table 3: Baseline Stove and Fuel Mix48 Baseline Water Boiling Test
According to the methodology, "the baseline water boiling test (BWBT) is conducted to calculate the quantity of fuel required to purify by boiling one litre of water for 10 minutes using technologies and fuels representative of the baseline scenario (Wb,y). The BWBT should be conducted using the 90/30 rule for selection of samples, accounting for variability in the types of prevalent baseline technologies."49 The BWBT assesses the amount of wood fuel needed to boil one liter of water for 10 minutes; these values have been estimated using data from GS1020, Production and dissemination of Ceramic Water Purifiers by Hydrologic, in the Kingdom of Cambodia.50 This is only used as an estimate; the BWBT (a baseline field test) in the field will be completed before the first verification as per the methodology.51 The table below shows the estimated wood and charcoal used to boil 1 liter of water for traditional and improved stoves:
Fuel Use Traditional Stove
Improved Stove
Wood (tonnes/Liter)
48 TerraClear (2013) Baseline Stove-Fuel Mix Simplification, Simplification Tab.
49 The Gold Standard Foundation (2011) Technologies and Practicies to Displace Decentralized Thermal Energy
Consumption – 11/04/2011, p 39 [Online] Available from: http://www.cdmgoldstandard.org/project-certification/gs-methodologies (Accessed on: 22 February 2013)
50 Lopes, Paulo (2012) “ER calculations 2012-11-30 Verification” Nexus – Carbon for Development and Hydrologic
Social Enterprise, tab WBT
51 The Gold Standard Foundation (2011) Technologies and Practicies to Displace Decentralized Thermal Energy
Consumption – 11/04/2011, p 49 [Online] Available from: http://www.cdmgoldstandard.org/project-certification/gs-methodologies (Accessed on: 22 February 2013)
0.00024 0.00021 Charcoal (tonnes/Liter) 0.00014 0.00009 Table 4: Fuel Use to Boil 1 Liter52
Ex-ante, these ratios are conservative and are assumed to be constant over a 7 year crediting period (i.e. no significant changes are expected in 7 years). The data will be adjusted according to the Baseline Water Boiling Test (BWBT) results.
Number of Person.days (Nj,y)
The project developer has assumed that end-users will use the CWP every day of the year. Therefore, the Number of person.days consuming water supplied by project scenario p through year y is equal to: Number of persons per household * 365 days/year.
Based on baseline research, the project proponent expects an average number of persons per household to be 5.80.53
Therefore, Nj,y = (5.80*365) = 2117.00
Fraction of population boiling or that would boil in the baseline
The project proponent will only claim emission reductions for residents who currently boil, or would boil their water if barriers were reduced, in the baseline.
Baseline research showed that the prevalence of water boiling for treating drinking water in households in Lao PDR is 81.3%.54
High rates of water boiling expresses suppressed demand in the baseline. Of the interviewed households, 16 HHs (9.6%) reported not using any drinking water treatment methods at all. Fourteen of the HHs (87.5%) that do not treat their water indicated that they would treat it if given the proper resources.55 This situation shows that those who should have boiled water as a method of treatment do not do so, because of constraints of infrastructure and poverty (including access to information, time and fuel requirements). It is highly probable, considering the health benefits of water boiling, that given sufficient time, knowledge and finance, they would boil water as a treatment method.
Therefore, there is “suppressed demand” for boiling, meaning they would have used this method if they were wealthier, so they are part of the baseline.56 These results show that there is “suppressed demand” for boiling, given that 87.5% (14) of the HHs indicated that they would treat it if given the proper resources. This means that they would have used this method if they had adequate resources, which
52 TerraClear (2013) Validation ER Calculations, “WBT” Tab.
53 TerraClear (2013) TerraClear Ceramic Water Purifier Project in Lao PDR Baseline Survey Report, Thakek, Lao
PDR, p 4
54 TerraClear (2013) TerraClear Ceramic Water Purifier Project in Lao PDR Baseline Survey Report, Thakek, Lao
PDR, p 31.
55 TerraClear (2013) TerraClear Ceramic Water Purifier Project in Lao PDR Baseline Survey Report, Thakek, Lao
PDR, p 33.
56 The Gold Standard Foundation (2011) Technologies and Practicies to Displace Decentralized Thermal Energy
Consumption – 11/04/2011, p 37 [Online] Available from: http://www.cdmgoldstandard.org/project-certification/gs-methodologies (Accessed on: 22 February 2013)
includes these HHs within the baseline. Thus, 89.8% (149)57of the 166 HHs boil or would have boiled water without the project.
Assuming that these groups would have boiled water (i.e. the demand for water boiling is suppressed due to lack of infrastructure and poverty, and information on the importance of water treatment) the methodology allows for the rate of water boiling in the baseline to be assumed to be 81.3% (135/166) + 8.4% (14/166) = 89.8% (149/166).
Therefore, for the baseline: Cj = (1 - 0.898) = 0.102
GHG Emissions from Fuel Production
Fuel included in the baseline calculation is mainly biomass (more than 90%), therefore, GHG emissions during the production of fuels are not considered. This is because of the difficulty and likely inaccuracies in calculation of production and transportation emissions. Additionally, GHG emissions due to fuel transportation are not considered to maintain conservativeness. Furthermore, in large part these emissions would occur regardless of the project activity.
Non-Renewable Biomass
The PP will use a CDM approved fNRB value of 0.87, as outlined in Annex 22 of the CDM Executive Board’s 67th meeting report.58
Based on this method, the fNRB will be 87% for Lao PDR. For detailed information, please see Appendix 3 and the excel file of data and calculations.59
A summary of the calculations is provided in the Table below.
Calculations
Fraction of Non-renewable biomass is calculated as follows:
fNRB = NRB/(NRB + DRB)Where:
fNRB Fraction of non-renewable biomass (fraction or %) 87%
NRB Non-renewable biomass (t/yr) 66,892,235.00
DRB Demonstrably renewable biomass (t/yr) 9,686,865.00
NRB = R - DRB
Where:
R Total annual biomass removals (t/yr) 76,579,100.00
R = MAI + ΔF
57 As shown in TerraClear (2013) TerraClear Ceramic Water Purifier Project in Lao PDR Baseline Survey Report, Lao PDR, p 33: 89.8% was calculated by adding the number of HHs currently boiling water (135) and the HHs that had indicated that they would treat water if given the proper resources (14). This percentage is a factor of the total number of HHs surveyed (166).
58 Clean Development Mechanism Executive Board (2012) EB 67 Report, Annex 22, Information Note: Default
Values of Fraction of Non-renewable biomass for Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States, p 5. [Online] Available from: http://cdm.unfccc.int/Reference/Notes/meth/meth_note12.pdf (Accessed on: 1 March 2013)
Where:
MAI Mean Annual Increment of biomass growth (t/yr) 64,579,100.00
ΔF Annual change in living forest biomass (t/yr) 12,000,000.00
MAI = F * GR
Where:
F Extent of forest (ha) 15,751,000.00
GR Annual Growth rate of biomass (t/ha-yr) 4.10
DRB = PA * GR
Where:
PA Protected Area Extent of Forest (ha) 2362650.00
Table 5: fNRB Calculation Summary
As per the GS methodology, the non-renewable biomass fraction is fixed based on the results of the NRB Assessment. Over the course of a project activity the project proponent may at any time choose to re-examine renewability by conducting a new NRB assessment.60
Fixed baseline
The CWP units will be continually distributed from the start of the crediting period. The baseline will remain unchanged during the 7 year crediting period, thus a fixed baseline will be applied.
B.5. Demonstration of additionality
Demonstration and assessment of additionality using UNFCCC Tool
Additionality for the project activity is demonstrated using the UNFCCC CDM “Methodological Tool: Tool for the demonstration and assessment of additionality, Version 07.0.0” and the guidelines for additionality as per the Gold Standard methodology "Technologies and Practices to Displace Decentralized Thermal Energy Consumption – 11/04/2011" on page 9.
Step 1: Identification of alternatives to the project activity consistent with current laws and regulations
Sub-Step 1a: Define alternatives to the project activity
I. The proposed project activity undertaken without being registered as a carbon project.
II. Energy for boiling water delivered at household level through the use of fossil fuels or electricity. III. An alternative point-of-use water treatment system using renewable energy.
IV. The continuation of the current situation (no project activity or other alternatives undertaken). Sub-Step 1b: Consistency with mandatory laws and regulations
There are no national laws or regulations in Lao PDR that would restrict the implementation of any of these alternative project activities, as long as the activity produces drinking water in compliance with
60 The Gold Standard Foundation (2011) Technologies and Practicies to Displace Decentralized Thermal Energy
Consumption – 11/04/2011, p 26 [Online] Available from: http://www.cdmgoldstandard.org/project-certification/gs-methodologies (Accessed on: 22 February 2013)
drinking water standards. Nothing prevents these activities from complying with drinking water standards, therefore all alternative scenarios considered are in compliance with mandatory regulations. Water in Lao PDR is governed by several laws, but the main laws which would impact the above scenarios are as follows:
Water and Water Resources Law
Hygiene and Disease Prevention Law
The Water and Water Resources Law defines types of water use and water ownership within Lao PDR. This defines use by the family, or small-scale use of water resources as legal activity. The law stipulates in Article 32 that “the agency responsible for water shall determine the quality standards for drinking water ...”61
The Hygiene and Disease Prevention Law stipulates in Article 12 that “Drinking water must originate from such sources but must be boiled, distilled, and properly produced and delivered in accordance with technical standards and the principle of hygiene as determined by the Ministry of Health.”62 The Ministry of Health issued the Decree for drinking water quality standard in Lao PDR, No. 953/MOH on October 14, 2003.63
These laws and regulations would not prevent the implementation of scenarios I, II, or III, as long as the project technologies met the MOH drinking water standards. The proposed project activity has been tested by the MOH and certified to meet drinking water standards.64
Alternative IV, however, is not completely in compliance with this law, as many people in Laos drink from groundwater sources (not listed as an approved drinking water source in the Water and Water Resources Law) and/or drink water which does not meet MOH drinking water standards65 (as stipulated in the Water and Water Resources Law). However, noncompliance with this regulation is common,66 so this alternative can be deemed in compliance, as it is the current practice in Lao PDR.
Step 2: Investment Analysis
The project participant has elected not to complete this step.
61 Lao People’s Democratic Republic (1996) Law on Water and Water Resources, National Assembly, No. 02-96, 11
October 1996, Article 32, p 10-11. (Translation Endorsed by the Law Committee of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR).
62 Lao People’s Democratic Republic (1996) Law on Hygiene, Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, National
Assembly, No. 01/NA, 10 April 2001, Article 12, p 4. (Translation Endorsed by the Law Committee of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR).
63 WEPA (2013) State of water environment, water-related issues and policies: Policies: Legislative framework: Lao
PDR. [Online] Available from: http://www.wepa-db.net/policies/measures/currentsystem/laos.htm (Accessed on 25 September 2013)
64 Government of Lao PDR (2012) Certificate of Testing for TerraClear CWP, Ministry of Health, Vientiane, Lao
PDR
65 Only 69.9% of households use an improved source of water according to “Ministry of Health and Lao Statistics
Bureau (2012) Lao Social Indicator Survey 2011-2012, p 23 [Online] Available from: http://www.measuredhs.com/pubs/pdf/FR268/FR268.pdf (Accessed on 26 July 2013)
66 Only 53.2% of households members in households use unimproved drinking water sources use an appropriate
water treatment method according to “Ministry of Health and Lao Statistics Bureau (2012) Lao Social Indicator Survey 2011-2012, p 26 [Online] Available from: http://www.measuredhs.com/pubs/pdf/FR268/FR268.pdf (Accessed on 26 July 2013)
