Eligibility assesment
What types of projects registered with other schemes are eligible to transition to Gold Standard for the Global Goals?
Eligible projects/component project activity (CPA) registered with other schemes that have a crediting period start date with the original carbon crediting scheme on or after 01 January 2016 are allowed to transition to Gold Standard for the Global ...
Are Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) project activities that make use of waste materials prior to the project eligible for certification?
No. Project activities planning to make use of waste materials that are already in use in the pre-project situation shall NOT be eligible unless convincing evidence is provided to show that the current users agree with the shift of use resulting from ...
Are waste incineration and gasification (Municipal Solid Waste incineration) activities eligible for certification?
Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) incineration activities must meet standard eligibility requirements in addition to the following: Stakeholder consultation – The Project Developer shall ensure meaningful, effective and informed participation from ...
Are fossil-fired project activities eligible for emission reductions?
Fossil-fired co-generation project activities shall be eligible for emission reductions from end-use energy efficiency improvements, i.e. related to on-site energy consumption. Emission reductions related to the export of heat or electricity ...
Are projects involving waste gas recovery and use in industrial processes eligible for emissions reductions?
Project activities involving the waste gases recovery and use in industrial processes shall be eligible for emission reductions related to on-site energy consumption. Emission reductions related to the export of heat or electricity generated from the ...
Are project activities involving waste heat recovery eligible for emissions reductions?
Project activities involving waste heat recovery in industrial processes shall be eligible for emission reductions related to on-site energy consumption. Emission reductions related to the export of heat or electricity generated from waste heat shall ...
Are methane recovery project activities eligible?
Methane recovery project activities shall be eligible for emission reductions from both methane avoidance (including from the flared biogas fraction) and non-renewable fuel substitution as long as evidence is provided on time for validation to ...
Are biomass projects that make use of palm oil or palm oil byproducts eligible for certification?
The eligibility of project activities making use of palm oil and/or palm oil mill by-products or residues for electricity and/or heat generation, and/or for biofuel production shall be evaluated on a case-by-case basis by Gold Standard, at the time ...
Is a biomass project eligible for Gold Standard registration if it uses biomass resources already in use?
Project activities expected to make use of biomass resources already in use shall NOT be eligible for Gold Standard registration unless convincing evidence is provided to demonstrate that the current users agree with the envisioned shift of use ...
Are non-renewable biomass projects eligible for Gold Standard certification?
No. Project activities making use of non-renewable biomass resources shall NOT be eligible for Gold Standard registration. Project developers shall, therefore, provide convincing evidence that the project activities make use of renewable biomass ...
Where can hydropower project activities be located to be eligible for certification?
Hydropower project activities located in High Conservation Values (HCVs) areas shall NOT be eligible for certification under Gold Standard for the Global Goals (GS4GG). Project Developers must assess if the project activity is in an HCV area. For ...
What are the Small Scale threshold eligibility requirements for Type II renewable energy projects (energy efficiency improvement)?
Type II Energy-efficiency improvement project activities that reduce energy consumption, on the supply and/or demand side, should have a maximum energy saving of 60 GWh per year (or an appropriate equivalent) in any year of the crediting period. In ...
What are the Small Scale threshold eligibility requirements for renewable energy projects?
Type I Renewable energy projects can have a maximum output capacity of 15 MW (or an appropriate equivalent). In this context: “Output” is the installed/rated capacity as indicated by the manufacturer of the equipment or plant, irrespective of the ...
Is our Land Use and Forestry (LUF) project eligible for generating verified emission reductions (VERs)?
Eligible LUF Projects are entitled to generate verified emission reductions (VERs—carbon credits). Eligibility criteria are: Projects cannot have their planting areas on areas that were forest in the 10 years previous to the project start date. A ...
Can SustainCERT tell us if our project is eligible for certification before starting the Review process?
There are too many unknown variables for SustainCERT to assess project eligibility before a project has undergone Preliminary Review, been validated by a third-party auditor, and internally reviewed.
Are projects that store carbon in wooden building elements eligible for Gold Standard certification?
No. Afforestation and reforestation projects may be eligible, but avoiding deforestation (e.g. REDD+) is not.
My grid-connected renewable energy project wishes to transition from another carbon crediting scheme to Global Standard Verified Emission Reductions (GS-VERs). Is my project eligible?
Possibly. Grid-connected Renewable Energy (RE) projects seeking to transition from another carbon crediting scheme to GS-VERs under Gold Standard for the Global Goals are exempted from the geographic, income, and penetration eligibility requirements ...
Is my grid-connected renewable energy project eligible for the issuance of Gold Standard Verified Emission Reductions (GS-VERs) or Gold Standard labels for Certified Emission Reductions (GS-CERs)?
Per the Renewable Energy Activity Requirements v1.2, paragraph 2.1.3, there is an eligibility clause that went in to effect 24 Jan 2020. Projects submitted for preliminary review after this date shall demonstrate compliance with this eligibility ...
Does the new renewable energy (RE) eligibility clause apply to RE projects supplying electricity to a mini-grid?
No. Renewable Energy projects supplying electricity to a mini-grid are exempted from this eligibility requirement and shall follow Gold Standard (GS) Community Services Activity Requirements to issue GS-Verified Emission Reductions (VERs) or ...
Does the new renewable energy (RE) eligibility clause apply to projects seeking Gold Standard (GS) Renewable Energy Labels?
No. Section 2.1.3 of the Renewable Energy Activity Requirements only affects the eligibility of projects issuing GS-Verified Emission Reductions (VERs) or GS-Certified Emission Reductions (CERs); projects applying other pathways are not affected.
What are the eligibility criteria for an Afforestation/Reforestation (A/R) project?
- Planting area should not have been forest for at least 10 years before the project start date AND at project start date (according to the definition of forest of the Designated National Authority (DNA)). To assess this, a spatial assessment is ...
Does the renewable energy eligibility clause apply to mini-grid projects?
No. Renewable energy projects supplying electricity to mini-grids are exempted from this eligibility. A mini-grid is defined as power system with a total capacity not exceeding 15 MW (i.e. the sum of installed capacities of all generators ...
Are there exceptions to the renewable energy eligibility clause?
Where exceptional circumstances exist, a project may seek an exception to paragraph 2.1.3. This include cases when a project serves impoverished beneficiaries at preferential electricity rates or the project is located in a conflict zone, or ...
Does the renewable energy eligibility clause apply to non-GS-VER/GS-CER (Gold Standard-Verified Emission Reductions/Gold Standard Certified Emission Reductions)?
This outcome only affects the eligibility of projects issuing GS-VERs or GS-CERs, projects applying other pathways (i.e, Gold Standard Renewable Energy Labels) are not affected.
Is my municipal solid waste (MSW) project eligible for Gold Standard certification?
In order to be considered eligible, the following criteria must be met: The project involves energy generation (electricity and/or heat) from MSW incineration. The MSW incineration shall be considered as recovery operations with respect to the waste ...
Are renewable energy projects from non-LDC countries still eligible for Gold Standard certification?
No. Starting on 24 January 2020, renewable energy projects are only eligible for Gold Standard certification if they are located in least developed countries (LDCs).
Which grid-connected renewable energy Programme of Activities (PoAs) are eligible for the issuance of Gold Standard Verified Emission Reductions (GS-VERs) or Gold Standard labels for Certified Emission Reductions (GS-CERs)?
Grid-connected renewable energy projects are deemed eligible for the issuance of GS-VERs or GS-CERs when located in a Least Developed Country (LDC), Small Island Developing State (SIDS), or a Land-Locked Developing Country (LLDC). This rule change ...
Do the Gold Standard renewable energy eligibility changes apply to projects supplying electricity to a mini-grid?
No. This type of project is exempt from the new eligibility requirements and shall follow Gold Standard (GS) Community Services Activity Requirements to issue GS-VERs (Verified Emission Reductions) or GS-CERs (Certified Emission Reductions).
Is my grid-connected renewable energy Programme of Activity (PoA) eligible for Gold Standard (GS) certification?
According to Renewable Energy Activity Requirements, version 1.2, paragraph 2.1.3; Grid-connected Renewable Energy projects, unless located in a Least Developed Country (LDC), Small Island Developing State (SIDS), or a Land-Locked Developing Country ...
How is the renewable energy eligibility clause applied to new Programmes of Activity (PoAs)?
The new eligibility requirements, as defined in Renewable Energy Activity Requirements, paragraph 2.1.3, set the following requirements for new PoAs: PoAs submitted for listing after the announcement was released on 24 October 2019, shall define ...
Is my project eligible for retroactive crediting?
The project will be eligible for retroactive crediting for a maximum of two years prior to the date of Gold Standard registration. However, the total duration of the crediting period of the project shall not exceed the standard crediting period ...
Can my project have an original methodology, or does an existing methodology have to be used?
To demonstrate Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Impacts, many projects follow a Gold Standard Approved Methodology. It is not required that your project use an existing methodology, but any original methodology must be submitted for review and ...
What types of projects are eligible for GS certification?
Projects must meet the Gold Standard’s Principles and Requirements. To see a list of Gold Standard-certified projects, please refer to the Impact Registry. If you do not see your project type, please contact help@sustain-cert.com