Up Energy Improved Cookstoves Programme, Uganda – CPA No 001

Audit Analysis

The Up Energy Improved Cookstoves project in Uganda has VVB-verified additionality and a recently reassessed project-specific baseline, but is undermined by a large volume of material findings (15+ corrective actions and clerical issues), eleven cross-document contradictions in key MRV parameters, and an ambiguous leakage deduction. The verified emissions figure for the 2021 monitoring period substantially exceeds the pro-rata expectation derived from the lifetime ex-ante estimate, raising questions about the calibration of the ex-ante model. Overall, the project demonstrates a functional MRV framework but with significant data-quality and consistency issues that limit confidence in the reported figures.

Project Description

Red Flags

• ⚠Eleven cross-document contradictions in key parameters (fNRB value and method, usage rate, leakage deduction, usage monitoring method, crediting period, FPIC status, benefit sharing) indicate poor internal consistency across project documents
• ⚠Verified emissions of 45,228 tCO2e for a ~5-month monitoring period represent roughly 480% of the pro-rata expectation (~9,400 tCO2e) derived from the 113,098 tCO2e lifetime ex-ante estimate over a 5-year crediting period, suggesting either a very conservative ex-ante model or a verification scope mismatch
• ⚠15+ material findings and corrective actions in the verification report, including mismatches between the monitoring report and the ICS distribution database, incorrect fNRB and emission factor parameters, and a misstatement of the monitoring frequency (annual vs biennial)
• ⚠Usage monitoring method is contradictory: the 2022 verification report describes annual surveys, while the 2024 appendix states usage was 'assumed' rather than measured, undermining MRV reliability

Credit Vintages