Keeling Curve

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Project Summary / Description:

Grassroots Energy offers two climate change solutions in a circular economy model: clean fuel and regenerative agricultural inputs. Grassroots Energy generates Renewable Natural Gas (RNG), an ultra-low-carbon clean fuel from agricultural residues at distributed scale that is a 100% replacement to fossil fuels without compromising on performance. We are focusing on three segments: mini grids, cooking and Industrials. The residue from operations is processed into organic fertilizers which sequestrates carbon and improves farm yields.

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Best Estimate of GHG Avoidance/Reduction of This Project (Tonnes CO2 Equivalent/Year):

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Impact on Underrepresented Groups:

The innovation positively impacts three segments of people: first, segments who are now able to use clean fuel for cooking or electricity generation. Second, beneficiaries and and the enablers in the community that provide services. 

Profiling of the beneficiaries: 
The income levels of the end users vary between $3 to $5 per day. 
Collecting the agri and dairy waste on a regular basis helps to remove pathogens improving hygiene in the villages. 
Direct users can vary from 20-60 years and indirect beneficiaries include children. 

RNG offers a relatively inexpensive route to low carbon energy. A distributed RNG generation creates high quality clean fuel, removes carbon emissions from the decomposing waste and generates organic compost for local farmers to participate and increase their incomes. An inclusive and holistic approach to clean energy can result in sustainable communities with fuel savings upto 30-50%. 

Beneficiary Segments: 

Segment 1 ‚ Cooking: 
A typical end user would be a household or micro enterprise where cooking is an important activity. The current usage is either traditional fuels or LPG. The calorific value of RNG is similar with LPG. 

Impact: 
Reliable availability of RNG creates significant value for rural communities at the local level where consumers pay for fuel generated. Furthermore, there is a reduction in carbon from waste mitigation and avoidance of fossil fuel usage. Given the economic and environmental benefits, RNG can help people to accelerate the path to end energy poverty with clean fuel. 

Segment 2 ‚ Electricity Generation: 
The missing part of the mini grid segment is need for replacement of diesel. RNG has fuel characteristics (high calorific value) of diesel. RNG is 30% economical and is accessible in the vicinity where it is generated. 

Impact: 
Replacement of diesel with a clean fuel is a large unmet demand from many mini grid operators. Clean fuel will help mini grid operators to reduce emissions from diesel usage while saving operating costs. Providing reliable clean fuel ensures the households get cheaper energy, and micro enterprises can see longer hours of operations resulting in increased incomes. 

Beneficiary Users: 

1. Women and children: 80% of the users in the segment will be women. Providing the existing users of traditional fuels helps to leapfrog to the high-quality clean fuel and widen the options beyond LPG. 

2. Across community: The electricity generated by the mini grid operator is supplied to the community, which includes households and micro enterprises. They use the clean energy over the diesel fuel, saving costs and increased reliability. 
3. Farmers: providing the feedstock for productive use is an additional revenue for the farmers. In addition, using the enriched organic compost, farmers use in the soil or spraying, which can increase yields by 20%. 

4.Service providers: Jobs are created which can help the solution to proliferate in the local community and operate on a daily basis. The local jobs ensure the attritions are low and pride in solving the local social issues.

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