Nepal Biogas Support Program - CPA 5: 19,842 digesters

Audit Analysis

A large-scale Nepal biogas PoA (19,842 digesters) under Gold Standard with VVB-confirmed additionality, a locally measured FNRB, and a quantified 5% leakage deduction. However, the absence of a stated buffer pool, a project-specific baseline last reassessed in 2018, an extensive list of material findings (18 items including calculation errors and missing QA/QC), and a 5.9× over-delivery relative to the pro-rata lifetime expectation introduce meaningful uncertainty. The project is functional but carries moderate quality and permanence risks.

Project Description

Red Flags

• ⚠Verified ERR of 381,686 tCO₂e for the 2022 monitoring period is approximately 5.9× the pro-rata expectation of ~65,103 tCO₂e (455,721 lifetime ex-ante ÷ 7-year crediting period), raising questions about the conservatism of the ex-ante estimate or potential calculation issues
• ⚠18 material findings in the 2025 verification report, including errors in ER calculation spreadsheets, use of an expired MR template (v2.0), missing QA/QC procedures, and untrained personnel involved in monitoring
• ⚠Additionality test type is not stated in any document; the 2020 validation report recorded additionality as unverified, while the 2025 verification report confirms it — the basis of the later confirmation is unclear
• ⚠CCP status and CORSIA eligibility are both not stated, leaving dual-channel and double-claiming risk unassessed

Credit Vintages