Qori Q'oncha Cookstoves Carbon Project (Peru)
Retire verified Gold Standard carbon credits from this project to compensate measured emissions.
This page is for companies looking to retire Gold Standard–certified clean-cooking carbon credits with a strong track record. Qori Q'oncha, run by Microsol, is the longest-running Gold Standard cookstove programme in the Americas — in continuous operation since 2008 — serving high-altitude Andean households where stoves are used for both cooking and heating. Evertreen acts as an intermediary: we source and retire these credits on your behalf and do not own or operate the project. One credit = one tonne of CO₂e, an independently verified estimate.
At a Glance
- Project type: Clean cooking — improved cookstoves
- Standard: Gold Standard
- Location: Peruvian Andes (rural, high-altitude)
- Developer: Microsol
- Operating since: 2008 — longest-running GS cookstove programme in the Americas
- Verification: Gold Standard, independently verified
- SDGs: 3, 5, 7, 13, 15
- Evertreen's role: Intermediary — credit retirement available through Evertreen (we do not own or operate the project)
Who this project is for
Sustainability and procurement leads who want a long-established, gender-focused cookstove programme in Latin America with a strong health-and-livelihoods story.
What Qori Q'oncha is
Qori Q'oncha, developed by Microsol, has distributed improved cookstoves to rural high-altitude households across the Peruvian Andes since 2008, where temperatures regularly drop below 0°C and biofuels are used for cooking and heating. It is one of the most-cited cookstove programmes in Latin America; Gold Standard periodically updates the methodology to reflect current best practice. The stoves sharply reduce indoor air pollution (users self-report fewer respiratory illnesses), cut women's firewood-collection time — unlocking income, education and community participation — and reduce pressure on Andean forests.
What a carbon credit from this project represents
One credit = one tonne of CO₂e. A verified carbon credit represents one tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent removed or avoided, independently verified under the Gold Standard. CO₂ figures are estimates based on the project’s methodology, not exact measurements.
How it is certified and tracked
Qori Q'oncha is Gold Standard certified and independently verified, and has operated continuously since 2008 with the methodology periodically updated by Gold Standard to reflect current climate and social-impact best practice. Each issued credit carries a unique serial number and is retired in the Gold Standard Impact Registry when claimed. (Confirm the current vintage and status on the Gold Standard registry before purchase.)
How double counting is prevented
Each credit has a unique serial number and is retired only once in the Gold Standard Impact Registry when it is claimed, so the same tonne of CO₂e cannot be sold or counted twice.
Why this is a high-quality carbon project
- Gold Standard certified and independently verified
- Longest-running GS cookstove programme in the Americas (since 2008)
- Methodology periodically updated by Gold Standard to current best practice
- Strong, designed-in gender-empowerment outcomes
- Reduces Andean deforestation pressure
Evertreen’s role
Evertreen acts as an intermediary for this project. We source Gold Standard credits from Qori Q'oncha and retire them on your behalf. Evertreen does not own or operate the project. Credits are independently verified estimates of CO₂e and complement — they do not replace — reducing your own emissions.
What your company can claim
After Evertreen retires Qori Q'oncha credits on your behalf, your organisation can state that it has retired verified Gold Standard carbon credits to compensate a measured quantity of CO₂e, supported by the retirement documentation we provide. We do not overstate permanence or additionality, and present credits as a complement to cutting your own emissions.
Frequently asked questions
What is a carbon credit?
A verified carbon credit represents one tonne of CO₂e reduced or removed. Retiring it lets you compensate a measured quantity of your emissions. Credits are estimates based on an approved methodology.
Is Qori Q'oncha Gold Standard certified?
Yes — Gold Standard certified and independently verified, in continuous operation since 2008.
How is it verified and is double counting prevented?
It is independently verified under the Gold Standard; each credit has a unique serial number and is retired once in the Gold Standard Impact Registry, so the same tonne can’t be counted twice.
What can my company claim after retirement?
That it retired verified Gold Standard credits to compensate measured CO₂e. Credits complement, and do not replace, reducing your own emissions.
Does Evertreen own the project?
No. The programme is run by Microsol. Evertreen is an intermediary that sources and retires the credits on your behalf.
What are the co-benefits?
Less indoor air pollution and respiratory illness, less firewood-collection time for women (freeing time for income and education), and reduced pressure on Andean forests.
Retire Qori Q'oncha credits. Tell us the tonnes of CO₂e you need to compensate and Evertreen will source and retire Gold Standard credits on your behalf.
- Gold Standard certified
- Since 2008 · gender-focused
- Retired on your behalf
- Evertreen acts as intermediary
Reviewed by Evertreen. Last updated: June 2026.
Sources: Gold Standard Marketplace — Qori Q'oncha, Gold Standard. Photo: Alexander Gerst (CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons).
Part of Evertreen’s Verified Carbon Credits for Business.
