VM0050 consolidates elements of several existing cookstove methodologies (such as VMR0006 Energy Efficiency and Fuel Switch Measures in Thermal Applications, v1.2, VMR0011 Switch from Non-Renewable Biomass For Thermal Applications by the User, v1.0, AMS-I.E. Switch from non-renewable biomass for thermal applications by the user and AMS-II.G. Energy efficiency measures in thermal applications of non-renewable biomass) and features several updates that strengthen it, including the following:
Verra is committed to regularly updating VM0050.
To requantify Verified Carbon Units (VCUs) (for past verification periods) that were previously issued under a methodology other than VM0050, the project proponent must follow the Methodology Change and Requantification Procedure (PDF). This process allows project proponents to update the methodology they are using (in this case, to VM0050) and requantify the greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions from past verification periods in accordance with that methodology.
To requantify previously issued VCUs, the following eligibility criteria must be met:
The project must meet all applicability conditions of VM0050.
The requantification procedure includes the following key steps:
Note: Retired VCUs are not eligible for reconciliation.
Transitioning from an old methodology to VM0050 for current and future monitoring periods requires applying a project description deviation, as outlined in the Procedure to Change Methodology through a Project Description Deviation (PDF).
The procedure includes the following key steps:
Apply the New Methodology (VM0050):
Note: A methodology deviation cannot be used to circumvent the need for required data under the new methodology.
Update Project Documentation:
Assessment by a Validation/Verification Body (VVB):
The following are the timelines and related considerations when a project seeks to transition to VM0050:
As of October 9, 2024, VM0050 has replaced VMR0006 and VMR0011.
Projects seeking registration under VMR0006, v1.2 must have requested listing before October 9, 2024, and completed validation by May 31, 2025.
Starting with the 2027 vintage year, all projects in the VCS Program must use VM0050. The updated project description may be validated and submitted together with monitoring and verification reports for that vintage, even if submitted up to five years after the last verification.
Projects registered in the VCS Program under AMS I.E. or VMR0011 may update to VM0050 for past monitoring and verification reports and requantify GHG emission reductions in accordance with VM0050 per the Methodology Change and Requantification Procedure (PDF).
Yes, the methodology has been approved by the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM) (external) as meeting the criteria of its Core Carbon Principles (CCPs) Assessment Framework, marking a major milestone for clean cooking projects and the voluntary carbon market (VCM). See the approval decision document (external).
Per the ICVCM decision (external), projects using VM0050, v1.0 will have to conform with the following additional criteria to be eligible for CCP labels:
Please refer to the methodology page here for more details.
To apply for CCP labels for the credits they generate, projects using VM0050 must follow the ICVCM Core Carbon Principles (CCP) Label Guidance is available on the VCS Rules and Requirements page (under “Guidance”).
All projects using VM0050 that intend to request CCP labels at issuance must complete a VM0050 CCP Eligibility Verification Report Checklist Template (.docx) and attach it as an appendix to the project’s verification report. These criteria are checked at the verification review by a validation/verification body (VVB) and Verra.
The following process enables project proponents to retain Sustainable Development Verified Impact Standard (SD VISta) labels on Verified Carbon Units (VCUs) issued to projects that had SD VISta labels applied to VCUs during a previously verified monitoring period.
Where the change in methodology does not impact any of the project benefits quantified and/or certified under the SD VISta Program, project proponents should do the following:
Where the change in methodology impacts the benefits quantified and/or certified under the SD VISta Program, project proponents should do the following:
3.1 Impacts on Stakeholders
3.2 Stakeholder Impact Monitoring
4.1 Impacts on Natural Capital and Ecosystem Services
4.2 Natural Capital and Ecosystem Services Impact Monitoring
In accordance with the Methodology Change and Requantification Procedure, the following applies:
Note that project proponents do not pay additional fees for the retention of SD VISta labels on VCUs from projects that have undergone/completed the requantification procedure.
Biomass, as defined in VM0050, refers to non-fossilized and biodegradable organic material from plants, animals, or microbial origin, including agricultural and forestry residues, by-products, waste streams, and certain types of biomass from dedicated plantations. To qualify as renewable within the scope of VM0050, the biomass used must meet the applicability conditions presented in section 4 (conditions 3-6) of VM0050 (PDF) that ensure environmental integrity and sustainability of the project.
Special consideration is given to projects introducing renewable charcoal as fuel. As well as being derived from renewable biomass, only charcoal produced through efficient and low-emission processes such as retort or improved sedentary kilns is considered renewable. Furthermore, any methane generated during the charcoaling process must be captured and destroyed or used for energy purposes.
Under VM0050, project proponents can determine the fraction of non-renewable biomass (fNRB) using one of the following three options:
Note: Verra may revise VM0050 to include or remove some of the options for calculating fNRB. Future updates to VM0050 could incorporate other approaches, such as the MoFuSS project-specific scenarios (including webMoFuSS) or even the marginal fNRB approach, if deemed consistent with the principles of the VCS Program.
Yes. TOOL30 remains a valid tool for calculating the fraction of non-renewable biomass (fNRB) under VM0050. While the recent decision (PDF) by the Executive Board of the Clean Development Mechanism introduced an expiry clause for certain tools, Verra considers TOOL30 acceptable for continued use until more robust and scientifically credible approaches become available.
However, Verra will reassess its use and inclusion in the future and encourages project developers to monitor future methodology updates and official guidance.
Proponents applying draft UNFCCC national default values (Option 1 for fNRB in VM0050) must apply the latest approved default values in any requests for verification approval. Where switching to the approved default fNRB is the only proposed change to the design of a registered project, project proponents do not need to follow the methodology and/or project description deviation process.30
Under VM0050, the baseline scenario is determined using the three-step process mentioned below.
Please refer to section 6.1 of the methodology for the description of these steps.
Specifically, under step 1, the baseline alternatives must be defined using the results of a baseline survey of the target population. The results must be cross-checked with relevant and current information from science-based literature about the specific project region, official publications (e.g., surveys, studies), or official statistics from government entities or other reputable agencies.
Where the baseline survey determines that multiple fuels are used in the baseline, projects may establish the proportion of baseline fuel usage in terms of energy supplied by each identified fuel. The average energy consumption of each baseline device type and its respective fuel type is determined by using the fuel used by the baseline device type and its corresponding net calorific value.
Baseline reassessment under VM0050 requires follow-up baseline surveys that must be conducted at least every five years in control households that do not participate in the project.
The project proponent may conduct additional surveys at any time, including when submitting a request for crediting period renewal. The sample size of control households that do not participate in the project must be determined following the most recent version of the CDM Standard for Sampling and Surveys, with the following minimum statistical standards: 90% confidence and 10% precision (90/10). Proponents must also ensure the representativeness of key variables such as fuel type, cooking technology, and household size.
When projects have not conducted baseline KPTs for previous monitoring periods, projects can either use the default baseline fuel consumption values or conduct new KPTs as indicated in section 8.1.1 of VM0050.
The use of direct measurement techniques yields more precise and reliable data on stove usage and fuel consumption. These approaches accurately capture cooking duration and usage trends and provide detailed information about how the project stoves are operated, resulting in credible and robust calculation of emission reductions achieved by projects.
For projects using direct measurement techniques (such as stove use monitors or electricity meters), cookstove usage rates are not capped. This may result in a project achieving more emission reductions than a use of surveys, where the usage rate is capped at 90%. VM0050 requires that specific customer support actions are undertaken across the entire target population and demonstrated at verification. If this is not the case, usage rates are capped at 75% for projects employing surveys.
Project proponents must address stove stacking by comparing the quantity of baseline energy consumption (ECi,y) to energy used in the project scenario by the project stove (ECp,y) using back-calculation. Where the results indicate that baseline energy consumption (ECi,y) was higher than that indicated by back-calculation from the project stove, tit is assumed that the project stove does not completely replace household energy consumption from cooking and the use of pre-project devices continues, i.e., stove stacking is occurring. In such a case, a conservative cap is applied to the baseline. Whether stove stacking is occurring is further substantiated through project KPTs. Data on continued use of pre-project and other cooking devices will be used over time to evaluate the appropriateness of the conservative cap.
VM0050 addresses the rebound effect by requiring the project to account for project emissions from the use of all project stoves, even if the project stoves provide a higher level of cooking service than the baseline.
The approach of allowing the use of fossil fuels aligns with VM0050’s support for cleaner, transitional fuels while maintaining a long-term trajectory toward full decarbonization. The inclusion of LPG recognizes the practical infrastructure realities in many regions where immediate shifts to renewable fuels or electricity may not yet be feasible.
By setting a fixed end date for the use of fossil fuels in project stoves and requiring high efficiency of cookstoves, VM0050 ensures that LPG use functions as a bridge in the transition away from inefficient cooking methods using traditional biomass and toward low-carbon cooking solutions using renewable energy sources. Please refer to section 4 of VM0050 for further information.
VM0050 explicitly requires project proponents to assess and mitigate the risk of double counting between cookstove activities and existing or planned REDD+ projects or jurisdictional REDD+ programs. To address this, the methodology mandates that during validation and at each renewal of the crediting period request, the project proponent must evaluate and report (only) on whether the expected biomass fuel source area of the cookstove project overlaps with any REDD+ project boundaries in the same country. This includes REDD+ projects and jurisdictional programs that are registered or recognized with Verra’s VCS Program or other standards programs.
Please note that this is a reporting-only requirement for now; however, Verra will use the experience gained from this process to design appropriate methods to mitigate the risk of double-counting in the future.
Yes, the presence (or lack) of alternative sources of revenue must be verified by the VVB. This includes instances where the project claims “no alternative funding”, including financial incentives, subsidies, sale of fuel, or any commercial relationship with fuel providers, etc. If other funding is found to be available, the project must apply the project method (barrier or investment analysis).
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