Projects

Less has chosen to exclusively sell Gold Standard-certified offsets. These offsets are sourced from renewable energy projects which reduce greenhouse gas emissions by displacing fossil fuel-based (coal, oil and natural gas-based) electricity generation.

The Gold Standard is an internationally recognized carbon offset standard for quality, endorsed by leading environmental groups including WWF International, the David Suzuki Foundation, and the Pembina Institute. Gold Standard-certified projects are international projects which are additional and independently validated by accredited third party Verifiers (known as Designated Operational Entities)to ensure greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions have occurred according to the approved Kyoto methodologies. Verification of projects that meet Gold Standard certification confirms that the emission reductions not only create positive impacts on the environment, but also on the social networks and the local economy in which they operate.

Unlike offsets from projects located in Canada, Gold Standard offsets are recognized by the international community as being additional to Canada’s commitments under the Kyoto Protocol, thereby helping Canada exceed its commitment to Kyoto.

Featured Project: Malavalli Renewable Power Plant
The Malavalli Renewable Power Plant is a 4.5MW biomass-based renewable energy generating facility located in Karnataka, India, about 125 km from the city of Bangalore. The project uses waste from crop production – sugar cane matter and coconut fronds – to generate electricity. Prior to the project’s implementation, this waste was either burnt on the fields or left to decay. These practices would have released carbon dioxide and methane, both harmful greenhouse gases, into the air.

The Malavalli project enables local farmers and labourers to become entrepreneurs in the procurement business through the sale of their crop waste. The project promoters also established Grameena Abhivrudhi Mandali, a non-profit community-based organization that manages power distribution, billing and revenue collection for the project.

Additional sustainability benefits include the implementation of a 100% ash utilization scheme. This program involves the production of organic fertilizer, which is redistributed to local farmers, thereby promoting organic farming.

Project Design Document, Validation & Verification Reports
Less project methodology (ACM0006)
Video on Malavalli Project