Ashesi has several processes to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. These include a consistent maintenance culture to minimize GHG and black carbon emissions from on-site diesel-fired generators. The on-site generators supplement inadequate national grid power supply and power outages/blackouts/blownout, contributing to GHG emissions per capita. The GHG emission reduction actions include regular preventative maintenance (pm) to optimize the generation efficiency, reduce fuel consumption, and avoid visible smoke particulate and black carbon emissions.

See evidence of this in the Ashesi Climate Risk Management (CRM) report, 2019 Section 5.1.

A second process is the substitution of Grid electricity with renewable energy (Solar PVe and Solar Water Heaters). Ashesi’s strategic plan to transition to net-zero intends to increase the penetration of RE to 60 percent of total electricity consumption by 2030. Solar PVe accounts for 13-15% of total grid electricity consumption. In 2022/23, the substituted grid Electricity amounted to 276,325 kWh. Ashesi achieved carbon emission reduction of about 110 tons of CO2 based on a national grid emission factor of 0.40 tonne per MWh.

See evidence of this in the Ashesi report of electricity consumption by Sources and see the Figure below

At Ashesi, we also practice minimizing leakage to reduce HFC-R410 refrigerant emissions from Air-conditioning. The installed AC equipment is the Daikin Brand, made in Belgium which has that feature. Ashesi has a maintenance contract with the installer that complies with the recommended Preventative Maintenance (PM). The PM emphasizes leakage detection to avoid emissions into the atmosphere.

See evidence Ashesi Climate Risk Management (CRM) report, 2019 Section 5.1.

Ashesi is also piloting energy efficiency improvement projects in stationary air-conditioning under the Kigali Accord cooling Efficiency. The project achieves 50-58% reduction in AC amperage (amp) and 30-35% real-time electricity savings. The project replaces a high GWP refrigerant R410A with a low GWP project refrigerant with high compression efficiency. The project reduces greenhouse gas emissions from substituting higher GWP refrigerant, avoids actual leakage, and saves in the carbon content of the grid electricity.

Evidence is found in the IFC/WB Annual Monitoring Report (AMR), 2022, Section 6.2.5 pg. 45.