Easy Solar Partners with CarbonClear to issue first of its kind carbon credits for solar installations in Sierra Leone
5th December 2022 — Easy Solar, a leading last-mile distribution company providing solar systems, productive use appliances, and consumer electronics across Liberia and Sierra Leone, is pleased to announce a partnership with CarbonClear, a Danish technology company providing 100% traceable carbon offsets through its proprietary CO2 registry, to accelerate climate finance to the off-grid sector in Sierra Leone. The partnership will generate first of its kind carbon offset credits on Easy Solar’s solar installations in the country.
CarbonClear has developed a unique platform that allows companies such as Easy Solar to access carbon credits through the verification and certification of carbon-offsetting solar systems. Micro Carbon Avoidances (MCAs) will be created through an integration between CarbonClear’s platform and the software platforms Easy Solar uses to monitor its pay-as-you-go operations. These MCAs will then be made available to organizations looking to compensate for their CO2 emissions. The carbon calculations applied are based on an established UN Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) methodology and are third-party verified by DNV.
By partnering with CarbonClear, Easy Solar can leverage its installed base of solar home systems and rooftop solar systems by monetizing the CO2 avoidance that results from its operations. Easy Solar’s Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer, Nthabiseng Mosia, believes that this partnership presents a unique window for the solar off-grid industry to begin to access climate finance mechanisms at scale. “There’s been much talk on the inequity of the climate crisis, and carbon credit programs such as these present a significant opportunity to mobilize capital into Africa, and the Global South as a whole, in a tangible way that wasn’t possible a couple of years ago.”
As commodity prices skyrocket and leaders worldwide worry about energy shortages and gasoline prices at the pump, millions of people in Africa still lack access to electricity. One-half of the people on the continent cannot turn the lights on, can’t keep food cool, or turn on a fan when temperatures go up. This presents an unprecedented crisis that must be addressed urgently. This partnership comes on the heels of this emergency, providing an avenue for Easy Solar to scale its operations to reach the last mile.
If we are to achieve SDG7 by 2030, collaborations such as this need to be replicated to ensure the accelerated adoption of affordable, clean, and reliable energy solutions in communities that need them the most. Though still in its early stages, the global voluntary carbon market holds much growth potential and is set to grow exponentially from a $1bn market to $35bn in 2030. This is bolstered by the recent COP27 announcement of the creation of the Africa Carbon Markets Initiative (ACMI), which aims to support the growth of carbon credit production and create jobs in Africa, providing an incredible opportunity for the continent to leapfrog the rest of the world in building sustainable industries and economies.
About Easy Solar
Easy Solar enhances people’s lives across West Africa by distributing solar energy solutions and other transformative durable goods. The company makes these affordable through various flexible financing options, empowered by pay-as-you-go technology and mobile money, and is accessible through an extensive network of agents and shops. Since 2016, the company has served over 720,000 people and has established more than 30 shops across Sierra Leone and 10 across Liberia.
For more information on Easy Solar and to view the site, please visit www.easysolar.org.
About CarbonClear
CarbonClear is a Danish technology company and carbon avoidance program which allows off-grid solar projects to access the carbon market. The issued carbon credits are annotated with a timestamp, and a geotag, making them transparent and trusted. The system and its underlying methodologies are backed by a thorough third-party verification by DNV.
