AWMS Methane Recovery Project BR06-S-29, Sao Paulo, Brazil

Audit Analysis

A CDM methane-avoidance biodigester project in São Paulo with a VVB-confirmed combined additionality test, but significant gaps in leakage treatment, permanence safeguards (no buffer pool), and a notable under-delivery of roughly 43% of the pro-rata ex-ante expectation for the monitored period. Five corrective actions were raised during validation, including a mismatch between biodigester commissioning and the crediting start date, which weakens confidence in the baseline and additionality claims.

Project Description

Red Flags

• ⚠Leakage is explicitly not addressed in the monitoring report, a material gap for a methane-avoidance project where displaced gas could be released elsewhere
• ⚠No buffer pool or permanence mechanism is documented despite inherent reversal risk if the biodigester ceases operation
• ⚠Verified ERR of 13,891 tCO2e for the 17-month monitoring period is only ~43% of the pro-rata expectation (~32,300 tCO2e) derived from the validation report's 228,194 tCO2e lifetime estimate, suggesting possible over-crediting in the ex-ante baseline
• ⚠Five corrective actions were raised at validation, including a mismatch between biodigester implementation and the crediting start date (CAR 4), raising questions about whether the project was fully operational when credits began accruing

Credit Vintages