Gold Standard has introduced a new methodology intended to broaden access to carbon finance for electricity projects that can demonstrate a need for funding to deliver additional climate benefits.
The Geneva-based nonprofit has just published its Grid Connected Renewables, Storage and Energy Transition (G-RESET) methodology after completing a public consultation. G-RESET covers new renewable generation, upgrades to existing facilities, energy storage, captive power supply and the aggregation of virtual power plants.
The methodology replaces geographic screening based on country income with project-specific assessments of eligibility and additionality. Developers must still demonstrate that carbon finance is necessary and that their projects satisfy the methodology’s requirements.
The framework addresses challenges including grid constraints, renewable-power curtailment, limited storage and insufficient flexibility, which can prevent clean electricity from reaching consumers when and where it is needed.
“G-RESET gives project developers a credible framework for financing projects that address these challenges, while ensuring that carbon finance supports only activities where it can unlock genuinely additional climate action,” said Sarah Leugers, Gold Standard’s chief growth officer.
Alongside G-RESET, Gold Standard published its final Activity Requirements for Energy Systems and Efficiency (ESE). The rules establish eligibility conditions, boundaries and safeguards for activities including renewables, storage, efficiency, green hydrogen and fossil-fuel retirement.
For grid-connected renewables, the requirements replace previous geographic and technology-penetration criteria with an eligibility test linked to mitigation outcomes in the host country’s conditional nationally determined contribution. Separate requirements for proving additionality and calculating eligible emission reductions remain unchanged.
Gold Standard also opened consultation on its proposed Small-scale Productive Access to Renewable Kilowatt-hours (SPARK) methodology.
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