The E.A.R.T.H. Standard:
A New Era in Renewable Energy Incentives
What is the E.A.R.T.H. Standard?
The E.A.R.T.H. Standard is a comprehensive framework ensuring renewable energy projects deliver meaningful benefits beyond carbon reduction. Unlike conventional incentive schemes, E.A.R.T.H. integrates ecological preservation, social development, and business sustainability.
The framework features five Impact Criteria that only qualify projects with substantial environmental and social contributions. By addressing critical gaps in renewable energy incentives—particularly regarding additionality, biodiversity protection, and socioeconomic benefits— E.A.R.T.H. establishes a new benchmark for credibility and sustainability in the industry.
The Five Impact Criteria of the E.A.R.T.H. Standard
E
Efficient Energy
Supporting high-performance installations in optimal locations
The E.A.R.T.H. Standard prioritises renewable energy projects in regions with the highest energy efficiency. Renewable energy projects in areas where energy conversion rates are in the top 20% globally are prioritised, ensuring maximum effectiveness per installation. This means that incentives under E.A.R.T.H. are backed by projects that generate the most energy with the least environmental footprint.
A
Appreciate Nature
Ensuring no harm to ecosystems and biodiversity
Environmental protection is at the heart of the E.A.R.T.H. Standard. Unlike many renewable energy incentives that overlook deforestation or habitat disruption, E.A.R.T.H. mandates the appreciation of nature. This is a requirement that mandates that projects must not lead to the removal or displacement of any natural habitats or protected species. This ensures that natural environments remain uncompromised.
R
Reduced Emissions
Dirty grid avoidance for meaningful carbon reductions
E.A.R.T.H. ensures that projects create real emissions reductions by focusing on regions with high-carbon grids. Projects must remove electricity from grids with emissions factors above 200g CO₂e per kWh. This guarantees that E.A.R.T.H.-certified projects effectively replace the world's dirtiest energy sources with clean alternatives.
T
Thriving Organisations
Ensuring and enhancing business sustainability
Businesses applying to qualify their projects under the E.A.R.T.H. standard must be economically sustainable. The projects themselves must also improve the financial sustainability of businesses by either creating permanent jobs, increasing energy availability or reducing energy costs. This ensures that E.A.R.T.H.-certified projects contribute to long-term economic resilience, supporting businesses and communities alike.
H
Human Element
Creating measurable social benefits for communities
A fundamental difference between the E.A.R.T.H. Standard and conventional renewable energy incentives is the built-in socio-economic component. In addition to every project needing to improve the sustainability of businesses, the E.A.R.T.H. standard allocates a portion of the revenue generated from the renewables energy incentives directly to environmental programmes with community upliftment, ensuring a lasting positive impact.
Impact Potential Map
Optimising Renewable Energy Placement for Maximum Climate Benefit
Our Impact Potential Map visually demonstrates two critical components of the E.A.R.T.H. Standard: Efficient Energy and Reduced Emissions. The darker regions represent areas where renewable projects deliver the greatest climate impact through optimal solar irradiance combined with replacing high-emission electricity sources. This strategic placement approach is central to our methodology.
Why Location Makes an Impact
Grid Emission Factors
Installing renewables in carbon-intensive grids (such as those in parts of Africa and Asia with the top 20% highest emissions per kWh) displaces significantly more fossil-fuel electricity compared to already-clean grids (like those in the EU). This strategic placement can multiply climate impact by up to 55 times for identical installations.
More Sunshine = More Clean Energy
Solar panels placed in sunny regions (like Africa) generate up to 3 times more clean energy than identical panels installed in northern locations with less sunlight.
Targeting the Biggest Emission Source
Electricity production causes nearly one-third of global emissions. By focusing on clean energy projects, we address the largest single source of emissions for maximum impact.