Biogas Development in China

This unique and groundbreaking large-scale biogas superpollutant development project in rural Sichuan, China, deploys household and community digesters to transform animal waste into clean, renewable energy, reducing dependence on coal and firewood. It demonstrates how innovative carbon finance can drive substantial methane emission reductions while simultaneously improving health, livelihoods, and broader sustainable development outcomes for low-income farming communities.

Biogas in China: A Superpollutant Mitigation Project

The superpollutant mitigation project aims to support up to one million low-income rural households in Sichuan, China, with advanced biogas digesters and smoke-free biogas cookstoves, which are installed and maintained by local technicians. The small-size biogas digesters tanks are fed with animal manure, previously just discharged into deep pits, and converted into clean and affordable biogas to be used conveniently for cooking, heating, or lighting instead of coal and firewood.

After switching to biogas, each participating smallholder farmer family saves about 2 tCO₂e of methane and carbon dioxide emissions every year. At present, this project substantially improves the lives of nearly 400,000 rural households and avoids approximately 800,000 tCO₂e per year. Celebrating 15 years of the project, the project has achieved 7.8 million tCO₂e emission reductions throughout its crediting period.

16 Years of Impact to Support Smallholder Farmer Households

The rural areas in Sichuan Province have been among the least developed in China. By 2010, the average annual per capita income for poor farmer households in Sichuan was approximately 500 euros, and the province contained 43 counties that had been officially defined as national poverty counties in order to qualify for economic assistance from the government. Sichuan is also highly vulnerable to natural disasters. In 2008, a heavy earthquake claimed the lives of nearly 70,000 people and left another 4.8 million homeless. In addition, an estimated 12 million animals of productive livestock were killed during this devastating event. In light of this event, German project developer UPM (Umwelt-Projekt-Management GmbH) decided to support as many smallholder farmer households in Sichuan as possible to overcome poverty while contributing to climate change mitigation. Two years later, they started developing the carbon project.

The Superpollutant Distinction

The project conservatively estimates its emission reductions, as it only accounts for avoided carbon dioxide emissions due to the fuel switch from coal to biomass and avoided methane emissions from digester treatment of animal manure while excluding any reduced combustion in biomass. Methane is considered a superpollutant because its 20-year Global Warming Potential (GWP) is 80 times higher than that of carbon dioxide. This means that even small amounts of methane can cause rapid spikes in global temperature. The impact of methane emission reductions is crucial because methane disappears from the atmosphere relatively quickly, thus providing a "fast-acting" climate benefit. If we cut methane emissions today, atmospheric concentrations drop rapidly, which can slow the rate of warming within a decade.

Improved health due to reduced indoor air pollution and better hygiene, particularly benefiting women and children spending much of their time at home.

All 400,000 women of the participating households have been trained in biogas utilization and save considerable daily cooking time which is now available for other productive or recreational purposes.

Improved waste management, less fertilizer and pesticide use as well as better sanitation systems protect soils and water resources and benefit both local people and environment.

All project households get access to clean, reliable, convenient and affordable biogas for cooking, lighting or heating.

Approximately 10,000 jobs related to biogas digester construction and maintenance have been created, in which 2,000 are permanent jobs and 8,000 are temporary jobs.

Approximately 800,000 tCO2e is reduced annually by the project; about 340,000 tonnes of coal is reduced annually because of fuel switching to biogas.

Expert Insight

By turning livestock waste into a reliable source of clean energy, this project demonstrates how climate action can deliver immediate benefits for rural communities. Each biogas digester not only reduces methane emissions, a powerful superpollutant, but also provides households with affordable, smoke-free energy for daily needs. With nearly 400,000 families already participating, the initiative shows how scalable solutions can simultaneously improve livelihoods, strengthen resilience, and contribute to meaningful climate change mitigation. For companies, purchasing carbon credits from this project helps mitigate a potent superpollutant, supports climate commitments, and delivers tangible social impact in rural communities across Sichuan, China.

Alessandra Souroujon
Carbon Project Manager

Collaboration with ClimateSeed: Measurable Environmental, Social & Economic Co- Benefits

UPM has been working with ClimateSeed since our inception in 2018, providing expertize in climate project development and carbon market solutions. One of the first household-based Programmes of Activities (PoAs) worldwide to be registered under CDM and the Gold Standard. Over the years, they have supported the implementation and certification of a range of high-quality carbon projects. This work has delivered measurable environmental, social, and economic co-benefits, ensuring that climate mitigation efforts are effective, credible, and aligned with global standards.

UPM: Leading International Consultancy

UPM is a leading international consultancy specializing in climate and environmental projects. With extensive expertise in carbon market development, renewable energy, and sustainable land-use initiatives, UPM supports governments, corporations, and communities in designing, implementing, and certifying high-quality climate action projects. The company focuses on delivering measurable environmental, social, and economic co-benefits while ensuring alignment with recognized standards, including the Gold Standard and VCS, helping clients achieve credible and impactful climate mitigation outcomes.

My name is Zhou Shuliang, and I am 63 years old. There are 2 people in my family, my wife, and me. I live in Yuhuang Village, Ganlu Town, Neijiang County, Neijiang City, Sichuan Province. We are still very happy with our biogas digester and hope we can still use it for a long time. Cooking with biogas is cheap and easy, there is no more smoke anymore in our kitchen and there is much less odour and flies on our farm. Everything is much cleaner and we are sick less often. So, we and our animals are much better off with biogas.

Zhou Shuliang

Farmer

My name is Xiao Fuzhang, and I am 52 years old. Mostly I live here alone, as my wife is taking care of the grandson in town. I live in Jiulian Village, Tianjia Town, Dongxing District, Neijiang City, Sichuan Province.I can still remember the time when we didn't have our biogas digester. Back then, a lot of pig slurry flowed onto the meadow right behind the pigsty. The stench was almost unbearable, especially in summer. Fortunately, that is over now. Today, our pigs’ manure is swept into the closed digester tank, and we get free biogas for cooking our meals and powerful digestate to fertilise our fields and the garden.

Xiao Fuzhang

Farmer