How CarbonPesa Turns Transactions into Climate Action
CarbonPesa sits inside the transaction flow between consumer and merchant. Our AI engine calculates the carbon footprint of each purchase in real time and facilitates the offset automatically, using verified carbon credits retired on blockchain.
From Payment to Impact in Seconds
Transact
A consumer initiates a payment through a CarbonPesa-enabled merchant till or paybill. The transaction works exactly like any other M-Pesa payment. No new app to download. No extra step at checkout. The payment data — amount, merchant category, timestamp, location — is captured in real time.
Analyze
CarbonPesa's proprietary AI/ML engine processes the transaction metadata to estimate the carbon intensity of the purchase. The model considers:
- check_circle Transaction type (goods, services, transfers)
- check_circle Merchant sector and supply chain profile
- check_circle Payment method and digital infrastructure impact
- check_circle Geographic and seasonal factors specific to Kenya's energy grid
The result is a precise carbon estimate in kg CO2e.
Neutralize
The system matches the calculated footprint to verified carbon credits from CarbonPesa's portfolio. Credits are sourced from high-integrity carbon projects and retired immediately on blockchain, creating a permanent, immutable record. The credit cannot be resold or double-counted.
Report
The consumer receives a digital receipt showing the carbon offset for their specific purchase. Merchants access a dashboard with aggregated carbon impact data, transaction-level breakdowns, and exportable ESG compliance reports.
The CarbonPesa AI Engine
Traditional carbon calculators rely on industry-average estimates. CarbonPesa does something different: we calculate the carbon impact of each specific transaction using machine learning trained on Kenyan supply chain data, energy grid composition, and merchant behavior patterns.
What the AI Analyzes
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receipt_long
Transaction attributes
Amount, merchant category, timestamp, payment method, location
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account_tree
Supply chain signals
Product-specific carbon intensity
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electric_bolt
Energy grid data
Kenya's electricity mix varies seasonally
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history
Historical patterns
Model learns from transaction data
Methodology
Greenhouse Gas Protocol — Scope 3
Our calculation methodology aligns with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol standard for Scope 3 emissions, ensuring internationally recognised accuracy.
Every Offset is Verified On-Chain
Proves the Offset is Real
Each retired credit is recorded on-chain with a permanent, immutable transaction hash that anyone can inspect.
Prevents Double-Counting
Once retired, a credit is burned. It cannot be resold, re-used, or applied to another claim — ever.
Enables Independent Verification
Any auditor, regulator, or counterparty can verify the offset record without relying on CarbonPesa as a trusted intermediary.
Merchants Get Paid Instantly
Carbon offsetting should never slow down commerce. Merchants receive M-Pesa payment within seconds. The micro-offset fee is handled automatically with no delay.
Instant Settlement
M-Pesa funds land in the merchant account within seconds — same as any standard paybill transaction.
Automatic Micro-Fee
The carbon offset fee is calculated and processed in the background. No manual steps for the merchant.
ESG Dashboard
Aggregated carbon impact data and transaction-level breakdowns available via the merchant portal.
Exportable Reports
Download compliance-ready ESG reports for regulators, investors, and sustainability audits.
Ready to See It in Action?
Talk to our team and find out how quickly CarbonPesa can be live inside your payment flow.
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