The biogas project activity is located in rural areas of Kerala and Madhya Pradesh. Consumption of firewood for household purposes in the rural areas is the main cause of deforestation in the project areas of Kerala and Madhya Pradesh. The project has around 4,000 household biogas plants in various districts of two states of Kerala and Madhya Pradesh. In each of 4,000 households a biogas plant unit is installed, protecting the trees, thus reducing the release of greenhouse gases (GHS) to the atmosphere, and positively contributing towards the mitigation of climate change. The biogas unit is of different sizes (1, 2, 3, 4 & 6 cum capacity), depending on the number of persons in the household and the availability of dung from their domestic farm animals.

Biogas is generated in the bio-digesters (plants), in which bovine (cattle & buffalo) dung (manure) and other organic waste is fed and allowed to be digested under anaerobic (in the absence of air) condition for a prescribed number of days. The biogas thus generated is composed of a mixture of 55-60% Methane (CH4) and 35-40% Carbon dioxide (CO2) plus traces of other gases and is utilized for household purposes, mainly for cooking (using stove with specially designed burners) and to some extent for lighting (especially designed lamps with mantle). (ii) Apart from the initial and main stakeholders’ consultations, the project cycle for a Gold Standard (GS) project is not very much different from a regular CDM project. It is essential, however, that the project is sustainable, is without negative environmental impacts and complies with the UNFCCC additionality requirements.