Inclusive Energy Ltd. Partnered with CCA to Develop Smart Meters for Biogas Companies Serving Last-mile Markets
Inclusive Energy Ltd. is a UK-based start-up specializing in smart metering technology for biogas digesters and solar energy systems. Their remote monitoring system aims to provide operating companies with more accurate data on system usage at a lower cost than physical monitoring.
Companies working in the biogas systems market often face the challenge of high operating costs – which limits their outreach to rural areas – as well as high monitoring and verification costs for those wishing to access carbon finance or other outcome-based financing – which again limits scalability of operations.
To address this issue, the Clean Cooking Alliance (CCA)’s Venture Catalyst Program has partnered with Inclusive Energy Ltd. to support the development, scaling, and distribution of their Smart Biogas 2.0 Meter to companies serving last-mile consumers. This innovative, remote solution analyzes how systems are being used, and alerts the operator when faults or operational issues occur. The automated collection of baseline and biogas system usage data not only provides operators with improved data (compared to what can be collected manually) but reduces expenses and increases profitability of the system.
Through financial and technical assistance, CCA and Inclusive Energy Ltd. are working to:
- Integrate carbon finance functionality into the Smart Biogas 2.0 Meter,
- Assess the applicability of Clean Development Mechanisms (CDM) and Verified Carbon Standards (VCS) to support remote sensing and automation,
- And develop an improved user experience for the Smart Biogas 2.0 software platform.
As a result of this work, the CDM Executive Board recently accepted Inclusive Energy Ltd.’s new way of monitoring and reporting carbon abatement in biogas digesters. Now, the company’s remote metering technology can be used by Gold Standard and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to monitor and report carbon abatement.
“Smart Biogas is bringing a new, and digitized, approach to biogas which we believe will further unlock scale in the market and create a massive carbon finance opportunity. CCA’s support has been crucial to our success so far.”
– Vijay Bhopal, Managing Director of Inclusive Energy Ltd.