Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/285of 3 February 2026supplementing Regulation (EU) 2024/3012 of the European Parliament and of the Council by establishing the certification methodologies for permanent carbon removals activities
European Union
Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/285 of 3 February 2026 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2024/3012 of the European Parliament and of the Council by establishing the certification methodologies for permanent carbon removals activities THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, Having regard to Regulation (EU) 2024/3012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 November 2024 establishing a Union certification framework for permanent carbon removals, carbon farming and carbon storage in products OJ L, 2024/3012, 6.12.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/3012/oj. , and in particular Article 8(2) thereof, Whereas: (1) Regulation (EU) 2024/3012 establishes a voluntary Union framework for the certification for permanent carbon removals, carbon farming and carbon storage in products in order to support the achievement of the Union objectives under the Paris Agreement adopted under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Agreement adopted under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which was approved by means of Council Decision (EU) 2016/1841 of 5 October 2016 on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union, of the Paris Agreement adopted under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (OJ L 282, 19.10.2016, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2016/1841/oj). , in particular the collective achievement of the climate neutrality objective, at the latest by 2050, as laid down in Regulation (EU) 2021/1119 of the European Parliament and of the Council Regulation (EU) 2021/1119 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 June 2021 establishing the framework for achieving climate neutrality and amending Regulations (EC) No 401/2009 and (EU) 2018/1999 (European Climate Law) (OJ L 243, 9.7.2021, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2021/1119/oj). . To that end, Regulation (EU) 2024/3012 lays down quality criteria for carbon removal activities with regard to quantification, additionality, storage, liability, and sustainability. It is necessary to set out the certification methodologies under which operators of permanent carbon removal activities taking place in the Union can demonstrate compliance of the activities with those quality criteria, and the carbon removals generated by such activities can be eligible for certification under the Union framework. (2) The review carried out by the Commission of existing methodologies for the certification of permanent carbon removals and the ensuing work conducted by the Expert Group on Carbon Removals have identified three types of permanent carbon removal activities for which the scientific knowledge and technological maturity allow for the development of certification methodologies for the purpose of Regulation (EU) 2024/3012 that ensure the robust and transparent quantification of the net carbon removal benefit, namely direct air capture with carbon storage (DACCS), biogenic emissions capture with carbon storage (BioCCS), and biochar carbon removal (BCR).
(3) It is appropriate to periodically review this Regulation, at least every four years, in all its aspects. Account is to be taken of technological and scientific progress and innovation, in particular improvements in monitoring, reporting and verification, with regard to DACCS, BioCCS and BCR activities and to other permanent carbon removal activities. Developments in Union legislation need to be equally considered, among others, the review of sustainability requirements under Directive (EU) 2018/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council Directive (EU) 2018/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2018 on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources (OJ L 328, 21.12.2018, p. 82, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2018/2001/oj). . In order to reflect experience with the implementation of this Regulation, knowledge sharing events are to be organised for collecting feedback and sharing best practices. (4) Currently DACCS, BioCCS and BCR activities are affected by a market failure; that is to say that they provide benefits on climate change mitigation that are associated with costs but do not generate adequate revenues for their operators, translating into a funding gap See Commission Decision of 2 July 2024 on State Aid SA.107009 (2024/N) – Sweden, Swedish biogenic CCS auction (C(2024) 4582 final), points 29 ff. . Operators capturing and storing biogenic or atmospheric CO2 are unable to receive allowances or reductions in their obligations under Directive 2003/87/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council Directive 2003/87/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 October 2003 establishing a scheme for greenhouse gas emission allowance trading within the Community and amending Council Directive 96/61/EC (OJ L 275, 25.10.2003, p. 32, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2003/87/oj). . Therefore, operators of DACCS, BioCCS and BCR activities currently lack economic reasons to invest. This funding gap can be overcome through public support and revenues generated through the selling of certified units, or a possible combination of the two funding mechanisms See Commission Decision of 2 July 2024 on State Aid SA.107009 (2024/N) – Sweden, Swedish biogenic CCS auction (C(2024) 4582 final), point 179. . For those activities it is therefore appropriate to set a standardised baseline of zero CO2 equivalent as this is highly representative of the current standard performance of comparable practices and processes in similar social, economic, environmental, technological and regulatory circumstances. Therefore, in line with the rules on additionality in case of use of a standardised baseline set out in Regulation (EU) 2024/3012, such activities are considered additional. (5) To ensure the permanence of the CO2 storage, DACCS and BioCCS activities should store CO2 in geological storage sites permitted under Directive 2009/31/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council Directive 2009/31/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 April 2009 on the geological storage of carbon dioxide and amending Council Directive 85/337/EEC, European Parliament and Council Directives 2000/60/EC, 2001/80/EC, 2004/35/EC, 2006/12/EC, 2008/1/EC and Regulation (EC) No 1013/2006 (OJ L 140, 5.6.2009, p. 114, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2009/31/oj).
that provide the liability framework for any leakage of CO2. It should be possible for DACCS and BioCCS activities to use a shared transport infrastructure and to dispatch CO2 to several storage sites that store CO2 from multiple sources. (6) BCR activities produce a quantifiable fraction of stable biochar that is expected to store carbon for at least several centuries and that can therefore generate permanent carbon removal units. The production and use of biochar should be monitored up to the point it is applied to soils or incorporated in products for the uses permitted under the BCR methodology. In cases where the application of BCR in soils has not been directly supervised, the operators should grant access to the site for at least one year following the application, so that an effective use of BCR in line with conditions for permanent storage of carbon can be verified. Considering the low risk of reversal of the fraction of biochar that has been identified as stable, and the use of a conservatism factor in the quantification of the permanent fraction of the biochar, no further monitoring should be required beyond the point at which the biochar is demonstrated to have been applied to the land or incorporated into a product. (7) In order not to disincentivise the capture of CO2, the sustainability requirements for biomass applied in respect of BioCCS activities should not go beyond those applicable to biomass applied to bioenergy installations that do not capture CO2. It is appropriate to recall that in case of public support provided by Member States, operators need to comply with the cascading principle in accordance with Article 3(3) of Directive (EU) 2018/2001 and as implemented by Member States. (8) To preserve ecosystems, biodiversity and natural carbon sinks, the BioCCS and BCR activities should not create unsustainable demand for biomass raw material and should be conducted in accordance with the principle of the cascading use of biomass and should provide a transparent reporting of the type of biomass consumed by the activity. (9) BioCCS activities with the primary purpose of producing heat or electricity from biomass combustion should demonstrate that the biomass consumption capacity of the facility has not increased by more than the amount necessary to supply energy for the capture of biogenic CO2 emissions. (10) BCR activities in which biochar is the primary product of the activity, accounting for 50 % or more of the total energy outputs of the co-products, can only use feedstocks coming from waste or residue as defined in Article 2, points (23) and (43), respectively, of Directive (EU) 2018/2001 for the production of biochar. (11) Where the increase in biomass consumption required to provide on-site heat or electricity used for DACCS or BioCCS activities, or for the production of biochar in BCR activities, is limited to waste and residual biomass or is consistent with the principle of cascading use of biomass and does not result in displacement of existing biomass uses or increased pressure on land, such increase is not expected to be associated with significant indirect land use changes (ILUC) emissions. Currently on-site heat or electricity is not supplied in any significant amounts by consumption of food and feed-crop based biofuels, bioliquids or biomass fuels and it is considered unlikely this will change following the incentive effect of Regulation (EU) 2024/3012. Therefore, no ILUC associated emissions are expected to significantly affect the quantification of the net carbon removal benefit for DACCS, BioCCS and BCR activities.
(12) In order to enhance transparency and to recognise best practices in the sourcing of biomass feedstocks, operators of DACCS, BioCCS and BCR activities should report on the biomass feedstocks consumed by their activities. This information should feed into the assessment of how permanent carbon removal activites could affect ecosystems, the availability of feedstocks for other sectors, and the risk that feedstocks are sourced beyond local availability in the context of the review of the certification methodologies and for the purposes of their potential amendments. (13) In order to preserve soil health, it is important to recall that biochar produced through BCR activities is to comply with Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December 2006 concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH), establishing a European Chemicals Agency, amending Directive 1999/45/EC and repealing Council Regulation (EEC) No 793/93 and Commission Regulation (EC) No 1488/94 as well as Council Directive 76/769/EEC and Commission Directives 91/155/EEC, 93/67/EEC, 93/105/EC and 2000/21/EC (OJ L 396, 30.12.2006, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2006/1907/oj). , Directive 2008/98/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council Directive 2008/98/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 November 2008 on waste and repealing certain Directives (OJ L 312, 22.11.2008, p. 3, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2008/98/oj). , Regulations (EC) No 1069/2009 Regulation (EC) No 1069/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 October 2009 laying down health rules as regards animal by-products and derived products not intended for human consumption and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1774/2002 (OJ L 300, 14.11.2009, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2009/1069/oj). and (EU) 2019/1021 Regulation (EU) 2019/1021 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 June 2019 on persistent organic pollutants (OJ L 169, 25.6.2019, p. 45, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2019/1021/oj). of the European Parliament and of the Council and Directive (EU) 2025/2360 of the European Parliament and of the Council Directive (EU) 2025/2360 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 November 2025 on soil monitoring and resilience (Soil Monitoring Law) (OJ L, 2025/2360, 26.11.2025, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2025/2360/oj). , HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
Article 1
Definitions For the purposes of this Regulation, the following definitions shall apply: (1) atmospheric CO2 means CO2 well mixed in the free atmosphere at ambient air temperature, where the concentration of CO2 is not affected by local point sources but may vary because of regional anthropogenic and natural emission sources; (2) biochar means a carbonaceous material that is produced by thermal treatment of biomass or biomass fuels;
(3) biochar carbon removal activity or BCR activity means an activity resulting in the production and permanent storage of biochar by its application to soils or by its incorporation into materials; (4) biogenic emissions capture with carbon storage activity or BioCCS activity means an activity resulting in a process of capturing biogenic CO2, followed by transport and permanent storage of that biogenic CO2 by injection at a geological storage site for which a valid permit exists in accordance with Article 8 of Directive 2009/31/EC; (5) biogenic CO2 means CO2 produced from a source of biomass, biofuel, bioliquid or biomass fuel by a chemical or biological process acting on the carbon atoms therein, including combustion, oxidation, anaerobic digestion and fermentation; (6) ‘direct air capture with carbon storage activity or DACCS activity means an activity resulting in a process that captures atmospheric CO2 from ambient air, followed by transport and permanent storage of that atmospheric CO2 by injection at a geological storage site for which a valid permit exists in accordance with Article 8 of Directive 2009/31/EC.
Article 2
Certification methodology for permanent carbon removals generated by direct air capture with carbon storage activities
- A DACCS activity shall comply with the following requirements: (a) the eligibility criteria laid down in Section 1.1.1 of the Annex; (b) the activity and monitoring periods laid down in Sections 1.2.1.1 and 1.2.1.2 of the Annex; (c) the rules for identifying the carbon removal sinks and GHG emission sources laid down in Section 2.1.1 of the Annex; (d) the rules for calculating the baseline laid down in Section 2.1.2 of the Annex; (e) the rules for calculating the total carbon removals, laid down in Section 2.1.3 of the Annex; (f) the rules for calculating the greenhouse gas associated, laid down in Section 2.1.4 of the Annex; (g) the rules on long-term storage and liability, laid down in Section 3.1 of the Annex; (h) the rules on the minimum sustainability requirements laid down in Section 4.1 of the Annex; (i) the rules on the monitoring and reporting requirements laid down in Sections 1.3.2 and 1.3.3 of the Annex.
- The operator of a DACCS activity shall ensure that the facility capturing the CO2 is located in the Union.
Article 3
Certification methodology for permanent carbon removals generated by biogenic emissions capture with carbon storage activities
- A BioCCS activity shall comply with the following requirements: (a) the eligibility criteria laid down in Section 1.1.1 of the Annex; (b) the activity and monitoring periods laid down in Section 1.2.1 of the Annex; (c) the rules for identifying the carbon removal sinks and GHG emission sources laid down in Section 2.1.1 of the Annex; (d) the rules for calculating the baseline laid down in Section 2.1.2 of the Annex; (e) the rules for calculating the total carbon removals laid down in Section 2.1.3 of the Annex; (f) the rules for calculating the greenhouse gas associated laid down in Section 2.1.4 of the Annex;
(g) the rules on long-term storage and liability laid down in Section 3.1 of the Annex; (h) the rules on the minimum sustainability requirements laid down in Section 4.1 of the Annex; (i) the rules on monitoring and reporting requirements laid down in Sections 1.3.2 and 1.3.3 of the Annex. 2. The biogenic CO2 captured in a BioCCS activity shall be generated as a by-product of production processes of goods, energy and services and shall not generate biogenic CO2 from biomass, biofuel, bioliquid or biomass fuel solely for the purpose of capture and storage. 3. The operator of a BioCCS activity shall ensure that the facility capturing the CO2 is located in the Union.
Article 4
Certification methodology for permanent carbon removals generated by biochar carbon removal activities
- A BCR activity shall comply with the following requirements: (a) the eligibility criteria laid down in Section 1.1.2 of the Annex; (b) the activity and monitoring periods laid down in Section 1.2.2 of the Annex; (c) the rules for identifying the carbon removal sinks and GHG emission sources laid down in Section 2.2.1 of the Annex; (d) the rules for calculating the baseline laid down in Section 2.2.2 of the Annex; (e) the rules for calculating the total carbon removals laid down in Section 2.2.3 of the Annex; (f) the rules for calculating the greenhouse gas associated laid down in Section 2.2.4 of the Annex; (g) the rules on long-term storage and liability laid down in Section 3.2 of the Annex; (h) the rules on the minimum sustainability requirements laid down in Section 4.1 of the Annex; (i) the rules on monitoring and reporting requirements laid down in Sections 1.3.2 and 1.3.3 of the Annex.
- A BCR activity shall ensure that the biochar production facility and the storage of the biochar are located in the Union.
Article 5
Entry into force This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States. Done at Brussels, 3 February 2026. For the Commission The President Ursula von der Leyen
Annex
ANNEX DEFINITIONS For the purposes of this Annex, the following definitions shall apply: (1) associated GHG emissions means the increase in direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions over the entire lifecycle of the activity which are attributable to its implementation; (2) capital emissions means the emissions associated with the construction of facilities and equipment associated with an activity; (3) captured CO2 means CO2 captured and concentrated from a point source of CO2 or from the atmosphere; (4) capture facility means a facility that captures CO2 from the atmosphere or from a biogenic-CO2 containing stream and conditions it to a form that is ready to be transported or stored, including in terms of CO2 purity and pressure; (5) certification period means the period between a re-certification audit of an activity and the most recent preceding certification audit or re-certification audit of that activity;
(6) CO2 fugitives means any irregular or unintended CO2 emissions from sources that are not localised, or are too diverse or not substantial enough to be monitored individually; (7) CO2 venting means an intentional release of CO2 occurring for operational or safety reasons; (8) exit point means a point at which CO2 is transferred out of the capture facility for the purpose of either transport or storage, which excludes any smokestack, flue or other outlet at the capture facility from which CO2 is released into the atmosphere; (9) fossil CO2 means CO2 generated from fossil carbon, which is inorganic and organic carbon that is not zero-rated carbon under Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2066 Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2066 of 19 December 2018 on the monitoring and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions pursuant to Directive 2003/87/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and amending Commission Regulation (EU) No 601/2012 (OJ L 334, 31.12.2018, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2018/2066/oj). ; (10) permanent geological storage means storage of CO2 at a geological storage site permitted under Directive 2009/31/EC; (11) point source of CO2 means a natural or anthropogenic source of gases that has a CO2 concentration higher than that in the free atmosphere due to the generation of CO2 by an oxidation process or other chemical process or the release of CO2 from some form of storage or containment; (12) useful heat means heat generated to satisfy an economically justifiable demand for heat, for heating or cooling purposes.
- DESCRIPTION OF THE CARBON REMOVAL ACTIVITY 1.1. Eligibility 1.1.1. Carbon removal activities with CO2 capture and geological storage Only the capture facilities may be operators of DACCS or BioCCS activities. DACCS and BioCCS activities may transfer all or part of the captured CO2 to storage sites for permanent storage to generate permanent carbon removal units. If part of the captured CO2 is transferred for utilisation or is transferred for storage but recognised under an alternative framework, no permanent carbon removal units will be generated in respect of that fraction of the CO2. 1.1.2. Biochar carbon removal activity A BCR activity shall consist of biochar production at one or more biochar production facilities that are owned by the same legal entity and that apply the same biochar production technology as each other. Biochar produced at different locations may never be assigned to the same production batch (see Section 2.2.5.1) even if the feedstock and production conditions are similar. Biochar from a single activity may be applied in soils or incorporated in products at several sites. 1.1.2.1. Eligibility criteria for the production The biochar production process shall: (a) heat biomass or biomass fuel to temperatures of at least 350 °C; (b) be designed with the intention of fully capturing or destroying any methane produced with the biochar; (c) utilise the co-produced heat for biomass drying or to satisfy another economically justifiable demand for heat, for heating or cooling purposes. As an exception to this rule, mobile biochar facilities may operate without utilisation of produced heat if it would be impractical in their specific context for the heat to be utilised. Certification schemes may provide more detailed requirements on minimum heat utilisation efficiency.
1.1.2.2. Eligible forms of biochar applications 1.1.2.2.1. Biochar applied in soils Biochar may be applied to soils to provide permanent carbon storage. Operators of activities where biochar is applied to soils shall ensure that there is no significant risk that the net climate benefit of the BCR is offset by heat absorption due to albedo decreases. (a) Biochar applied in agricultural and forest soils Biochar application shall be eligible for certification if it has been, either directly without first intermixing it with any other product, or after intermixing with a matrix consisting of soil or one or more additional soil amendment products in compliance with Article 5 of Regulation (EU) 2019/1009 of the European Parliament and of the Council Regulation (EU) 2019/1009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 June 2019 laying down rules on the making available on the market of EU fertilising products and amending Regulations (EC) No 1069/2009 and (EC) No 1107/2009 and repealing Regulation (EC) No 2003/2003 (OJ L 170, 25.6.2019, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2019/1009/oj). , or after feeding to animals and recovery as manure: (i) applied to agricultural soils; (ii) applied to forest soils; (iii) applied to soil in greenhouses. Total application of biochar to agricultural and forest soils shall be limited to no more than 50 tonnes per hectare cumulatively over time [t/ha], including any forms of biochar application whether or not they are certified and including applications that were made prior to the adoption of this methodology. Operators shall maintain geographically specific application records to enable cumulative application to be monitored. (b) Biochar applied in soils other than agricultural and forest soils Biochar application shall be eligible for certification if it has been, either directly without first intermixing it with any other product, or after intermixing with a matrix consisting of soil or other appropriate materials: (i) used in landscaping, for daily cover at landfill sites or for filling holes, including disused mines and oil wells; (ii) applied to urban soils, including growing media used in flowerbeds or for urban tree planting and in public parks and public or private gardens. Operators of activities that produce biochar that is used for landscaping, landfill or hole filling shall intermix the biochar with at least one other material prior to application and shall ensure that the intermixture cannot self-sustain combustion. 1.1.2.2.2. Biochar incorporated in products Only BCR activities that incorporate biochar in cement, concrete or asphalt shall be eligible for certification. 1.2. Activity period, monitoring period and certification period 1.2.1. DACCS and BioCCS activities 1.2.1.1. Activity period The duration of any activity period for DACCS and BioCCS activities shall not exceed 15 years. At the end of every activity period operators may start a new activity period by submitting a new activity plan.
1.2.1.2. Monitoring period The monitoring period for DACCS and BioCCS activities shall be the period up until the point at which responsibility for all geological storage sites utilised by the activity has been transferred to the relevant competent national authorities in accordance with Article 18 of Directive 2009/31/EC. 1.2.1.3. Certification period The duration of the certification period for DACCS and BioCCS activities shall not exceed 1 year. Where it is not possible to precisely identify the period in time during which CO2 captured during a given certification period physically enters permanent storage, operators may estimate emissions associated with transport and storage based on data recorded during the certification period without including in the calculation a temporal delay between the time at which the CO2 was captured and the time at which it is injected, by assessing the average associated emissions (including fugitive emissions, leakage or venting) during transport and storage of CO2 per tonne of CO2 handled during the certification period. 1.2.2. BCR activity 1.2.2.1. Activity period The duration of any activity period for a BCR activity shall not exceed 5 years. At the end of every activity period operators may start a new activity period by submitting a new activity plan. 1.2.2.2. Monitoring period The monitoring period for BCR activities shall be: (a) for activities that use biochar by application to soil, where application to soil is directly overseen by the certification body the period up to application, otherwise the period up to one year after the end of the certification period during which the biochar is reported to have been applied to the soil; (b) for activities that use biochar by incorporation in products, the period up to the point at which it is demonstrated that the biochar has been incorporated. 1.2.2.3. Certification period The certification period for a BCR activity shall not exceed one year. Carbon removals and associated emissions shall be recorded in the certification period in which the CO2 is permanently stored by application of biochar to soils or incorporation of biochar in products. 1.3. Planning and reporting 1.3.1. Activity plan Before the certification audit, the operator shall submit to the certification body an activity plan that includes the information necessary to assess compliance with the requirements of this methodology, as referred to in the third paragraph. Where an operator wishes to change the activity plan during the activity period, that operator shall submit a rationale behind the changes to the certification bodies without delay and shall include any adjustment to the initial plan, in particular the recalculation of the expected greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and removals and impacts on sustainability requirements. The activity plan shall include: (a) a general description of the activity, the technologies and the infrastructure to be utilised; (b) details of all entities of the carbon removal value chain involved in delivery of the activity;
(c) identification and demonstration of compliance of the activity with any relevant local, regional and national laws, statutes and regulatory frameworks; (d) a list of emission sources and sinks that are relevant to the activity, in accordance with Sections 2.1.1 and 2.2.1; (e) estimates of total carbon removals and GHG associated emissions of the activity for the activity period, in accordance with points (k), (l) and (m) of Annex II to Regulation (EU) 2024/3012; (f) a description of any materiality assessment undertaken in accordance with Section 2.3.1; (g) a description of the assessment of uncertainty, in accordance with Section 2.3.6; (h) proof of compliance with the minimum sustainability requirements, in accordance with Section 4.1; (i) funding sources received or applied for with regard to the activity, in accordance with Sections 2.1.2 and 2.2.2; (j) any other information necessary for the certification body to conduct the certification audit in accordance with Article 9 of Regulation (EU) 2024/3012. 1.3.2. Monitoring plan Before the certification audit, operators shall submit a monitoring plan to the certification body. That monitoring plan shall comply with the following criteria: (a) it shall include a description of the activity to be monitored; (b) it shall include a description of the procedure for managing the assignment of responsibilities for monitoring and reporting, and for managing the competences of responsible personnel; (c) it shall include, where applicable, the default values used for calculation factors indicating the source of the factor, or the relevant source, from which the default factor will be retrieved periodically; (d) it shall include, where applicable, a list of laboratories engaged in carrying out relevant analytical procedures; (e) it shall include, where measurements are taken, a description of the measurement method including descriptions of all written procedures relevant for the measurement; (f) it shall include, where applicable, a detailed description of the monitoring methodology where transfer of CO2 is carried out, including a description of continuous measurement systems used and of procedures for preventing, detecting and quantification of leakage events from CO2 transport infrastructure; (g) it shall apply, where applicable, the minimum frequencies for analysis listed in Annex VII to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2066; (h) it shall apply the standard for quality assurance laid down in Article 60 of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2066; (i) it shall include a record keeping requirement for all relevant data and information consistent with the record keeping requirements laid down in Article 67(1) of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2066. In the case that it is not possible to fully detail the monitoring plan when an operator applies for certification, the monitoring plan shall be submitted as completely as possible, clearly indicating any non-final aspects and providing an indication of how the operator expects these aspects to be addressed. The activity may be certified on this basis provided the certification body accepts that the omissions are properly justified. The monitoring plan shall be finalised and presented to the certification body prior to the first re-certification.
Certification schemes may provide additional guidance on the elements to be included for each type of activity, minimum measurement frequencies for measurements not listed in Annex VII to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2066, and/or best practice requirements for quality assurance. Operators shall obtain, record, compile, analyse and document monitoring data, including assumptions, references, activity data and calculation factors in a transparent manner that enables the checking of performance achieved during at the various activity stages, and, when requested, report this information to the certification bodies or certification schemes . Each parameter monitored shall be accompanied with the following information: (a) entity responsible for collection and archiving; (b) data source; (c) equipment, measurement methods and procedures used for monitoring, including details on accuracy and calibration; (d) monitoring frequency; (e) quality assessment and quality check procedures. All measurements shall be conducted with calibrated measurement equipment according to industry standards, following the requirements in Articles 42 of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2066, and any necessary data aggregation shall be undertaken following the requirements in Article 44 of that Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2066. 1.3.3. Monitoring report Before each re-certification audit, the operator shall submit to the certification body a monitoring report including the net carbon removal benefit, the total amount of gross carbon removal generated by the activity, the amount of greenhouse gases associated to the activity and all the necessary information relating to the quantification of the net carbon removal benefit and any relevant information on the compliance of the activity with storage, liability and sustainability requirements. In particular, the monitoring report shall include the following: (a) all the parameters specified in Sections 2.1.5.3, 2.1.6.4, 2.1.7.3, 2.1.8.5, 2.2.5.6, 2.2.6.2 or 2.2.7.3 measured and calculated for the quantification of carbon removals and GHG emissions associated with the activity. All removals and emissions of CO2 and emissions of other GHGs shall be assessed over the certification period that is to be audited and reported in the monitoring report. Emissions of GHGs other than CO2 shall be converted to tonnes of CO2eq by use of the 100-year Global Warming Potentials set out in Annex I to Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/1044 Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/1044 of 8 May 2020 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2018/1999 of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to values for global warming potentials and the inventory guidelines and with regard to the Union inventory system and repealing Commission Delegated Regulation (OJ L 230, 17.7.2020, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_del/2020/1044/oj). ; (b) the biomass feedstock or feedstock mix consumed as required under Section 4.2(a)(ii); (c) the quantity of carbon farming sequestration units that have been purchased in accordance with Section 4.3.3;
(d) financing received or applied for with regard to the activity, in accordance with Sections 2.1.2 and 2.2.2; (e) for BCR activities, the results of laboratory analyses required in Sections 4.4.1, 4.4.2 and 4.4.3. 2. QUANTIFICATION OF BASELINE, TOTAL CARBON REMOVAL AND ASSOCIATED GHG EMISSIONS 2.1. DACCS and BioCCS activities 2.1.1. GHG sources and sinks DACCS or BioCCS activities shall consider the GHG sources and sinks included in Table 1. Table 1 Sinks and sources that shall be included for DACCS and BioCCS activities Phase of the activityEmission sources and sinksGases includedCO2 captureCapture facility: Operation of equipment used to capture CO2 from the ambient air or from biogenic emissions, including equipment used to generate airflow, and equipment associated with regeneration processes to recover the fluids or other media used in the carbon capture process.Greenhouse gasesCapture facility: Any CO2 conditioning equipment used to further process the CO2 stream before transfer to transport or storage infrastructure.Greenhouse gasesCapture facility: Any associated energy generation equipment powering the capture process that is under the control of the operator of the capture facility.Greenhouse gasesCapture facility: Any treatment equipment for processing wastes or byproducts of the carbon capture process.Greenhouse gasesCapture facility: Fuel combustion, electricity consumption, heat consumption.Greenhouse gasesBiomass supply: Emissions associated with additional biomass, biofuels, bioliquids and biomass fuels consumed for the operation of the capture facility (e.g. emissions for the harvest or transport of biomass).Greenhouse gasesInput emissions: Production and supply of inputs used by the capture facility.Greenhouse gasesWaste treatment: Processing and treatment of any wastes (including wastewater and exhaust gases) generated by the capture facility.Greenhouse gasesCapital emissions: Emissions associated with the construction and installation of the capture facility.Greenhouse gases Transport of CO2Transportation: Fuel consumption and electricity consumption of road and rail transportation, maritime transportation and other vehicles.Greenhouse gasesInfrastructure: Fuel consumption, electricity consumption and heat consumption in infrastructure and buildings functionally connected to the pipeline transport network (e.g. booster/compressor stations, heaters, CO2 hubs, intermediate storage).Greenhouse gasesLosses: CO2 fugitive, vented, and leakage emissions from the transport network.CO2 onlyInjection at the geological storage siteStorage site: Removal by CO2 injection.CO2 onlyStorage site: Fuel consumption, electricity consumption, heat consumption.Greenhouse gasesLosses: CO2 fugitive and vented emissions from injection and from the storage site prior to entering permanent geological storage.CO2 onlyInput emissions: Production and supply of any inputs used by the storage site.Greenhouse gasesWaste treatment: Processing and treatment of any wastes (including wastewater and exhaust gases) generated by the storage site.Greenhouse gasesCapital emissions: Emissions associated with the construction and installation of the storage site.Greenhouse gases
2.1.2. Baseline A standardised baseline set to 0 tonnes of CO2 per year [tCO2/year] shall apply for DACCS and BioCCS activities. Where the activity is financed through a combination of public and private funding when submitting the activity plan to the certification scheme, operators shall indicate any form of public financing received or applied for with regard to the activity. This information shall be included in the certificate of compliance. 2.1.3. Quantification of the total removals of the activity Operators may use one of two approaches for the calculation of the total carbon removal (CRtotal), either the approach specified in Section 2.1.3.3 or that in Section 2.1.3.4, depending on whether the CO2 captured by the activity would be kept fully segregated from CO2 from other sources through the transport infrastructure and at the storage site. 2.1.3.1. Identification of captured CO2 streams A capture facility may capture CO2 that is: (a) solely atmospheric or biogenic CO2; (b) a combination of biogenic CO2 and fossil CO2 from a mixed CO2 stream; (c) fossil CO2 captured from a process associated with the capture process. The fractions of CO2 captured by the activity shall be given the following designations. The total amount of CO2 captured at the capture facility and transferred for transport or storage shall be designated CO2captured,total and calculated in accordance with equation [1]. CO2captured,totaliCO2OUT,activity,i[1] where: CO2OUT,activity,i=minus the amount of CO2 from the capture activity leaving the capture facility at each exit point i, which shall be measured. Any leakage of CO2 occurring between the point of capture and the point of leaving the capture facility is implicitly excluded from the term CO2captured,total. The amount of atmospheric or biogenic CO2 that is captured at the capture facility and is transferred for transport or storage shall be designated CO2captured,atmobio and shall be calculated in accordance with equation [2]. CO2captured,atmobioCO2captured,total – CO2captured, fossil[2] where: CO2captured, total=is defined in equation [1];CO2captured, fossil=is defined in equation [3]. In some activities, fossil CO2 will be captured alongside CO2 of atmospheric or biogenic origin. Where fossil CO2 is emitted as a result of the capture process it may be captured, either separately from the capture of CO2 of atmospheric or biogenic origin (separate capture) or simultaneously with the capture of CO2 of atmospheric or biogenic origin (co-capture). If it is then permanently stored it may be excluded from the calculation of GHGassociated. For BioCCS activities only it is also permissible to capture CO2 from a mixed stream consisting of a combination of biogenic CO2 and fossil CO2. Fossil CO2 captured from the capture process is associated with the activity, and emissions from transporting and storing that CO2 shall be included in GHGassociated. Fossil CO2 captured from a mixed stream by a BioCCS activity is not associated with the activity, and emissions from transporting and storing that CO2 shall not be included in GHGassociated. The amount of fossil CO2 that is captured at the capture facility shall be calculated in accordance with equation [3].
CO2captured,fossilCO2captured,fossil,assoc + CO2captured,fossil, mixed[3] where: CO2captured,fossil,assoc=minus the amount of fossil CO2 emitted as a result of the capture process that is captured, calculated using equation [4];CO2captured,fossil, mixed=minus the amount of fossil CO2 captured from a mixed stream as part of a BioCCS activity, calculated using equation [5]. The amount of CO2 emitted as a result of the capture process that is captured, CO2captured,fossil,assoc, shall be determined in accordance with equation [4] as the sum of the separately captured and co-captured components. CO2captured,fossil,assocCO2fossil,assoc,co – captured +sourcesCO2fossil,assoc,source[4] where: CO2fossil,assoc, co – captured=minus the amount of CO2 emitted as a result of the capture process that is co-captured with the atmospheric or biogenic CO2. The certification body shall confirm this amount is not more than the fossil CO2 emissions at the capture facility reported in the calculation of GHGassociatedCO2 fossil, assoc, source=minus the measured amount of CO2 from a source emitted as a result of the capture process that is captured separately from the capture of CO2 of atmospheric or biogenic origin;sources=an index of the point sources from which fossil CO2 from processes associated with the activity is separately captured. The amount of fossil CO2 that is captured from a mixed stream as part of a BioCCS activity shall be calculated in accordance with equation [5]. CO2captured,fossil,mixed1 – FB × CO2captured,total – CO2captured,fossil,assoc[5] where: FB=the fraction of captured CO2 from a mixed stream that is of biogenic origin. This shall be calculated in accordance with Article 39 of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2066. See Section 2.1.6.2;CO2captured,total=is defined in equation [1];CO2captured,fossil,assoc=is defined in equation [4]. The amount of captured CO2 for which transport or storage emissions shall be counted towards the term GHGassociated shall be designated CO2activity and shall be calculated in accordance with equation [6] as the sum of the atmospheric or biogenic CO2 captured by the activity and transferred for permanent storage to be counted towards total carbon removals and the associated share of the amount of fossil CO2 captured at the capture facility from processes that are specifically associated with the activity. CO2activityFCRCF × CO2captured,atmobio + CO2captured,fossil,assoc[6] where: FCRCF=is defined in Section 2.1.3.2;CO2captured,atmobio=is defined in equation [2];CO2captured,fossil,assoc=is defined in equation [4]. 2.1.3.2. Fraction of captured CO2 to be counted towards the total carbon removal An operator may choose to dispatch some fraction of the captured CO2 of atmospheric or biogenic origin for purposes other than storage at an eligible site, or may choose to count part of the CO2 that is permanently stored under a scheme other than the Regulation (EU) 2024/3012. The operator shall designate the fraction of the captured CO2 of atmospheric or biogenic origin that shall be counted towards the total carbon removal as FCRCF, which shall be 1 in the case that all of the captured CO2 of atmospheric or biogenic origin shall be transferred to permanent storage and generate permanent carbon removal units.
2.1.3.3. Segregated CO2 stream If all of CO2captured,total is sent for storage and this CO2 is at all times segregated from CO2 from other sources during transit in the transport infrastructure and during storage and injection at the storage sites, CRtotal shall be measured as the quantity of CO2 entering storage, adjusted where necessary to exclude any CO2 in the segregated stream that is not atmospheric or biogenic in accordance with equation [7]. CRtotalFC × FCRCF × CO2captured,atmobioCO2captured,total×SCO2injected,S[7] where: CO2injected,S=minus the amount of CO2 (of all origins) from the segregated stream that is injected at each storage site S, which shall be measured during injection;CO2captured,atmobio=is defined in equation [2];CO2captured, total=is defined in equation [1];S=an index of utilised storage sites, at which CO2 from the activity is fully segregated from any CO2 from other sources up to and including the point of injection;FC=the conservatism factor calculated based on the uncertainty in the measurement of the activity calculated in accordance with Section 2.3.6;FCRCF=is defined in Section 2.1.3.2. 2.1.3.4. Non-segregated CO2 stream As an alternative to Section 2.1.3.3, the operator may or, where the CO2 captured by the activity is not fully segregated from other CO2 in the transport infrastructure or at the storage site, shall, calculate CRtotal in accordance with equation [8]. CRtotalFC × FCRCF × CO2captured,atmobio + CO2transport,losses + CO2storage,losses[8] where: CO2captured,atmobio=is defined in equation [2];CO2transport, losses=amount of atmospheric or biogenic CO2 lost during transport from the capture facility to the storage sites, calculated following the rules in Section 2.1.7.1;CO2storage, losses=amount of atmospheric or biogenic CO2 lost at the storage sites prior to entering permanent geological storage, calculated following the rules in Section 2.1.8.3;FCRCF=is defined in Section 2.1.3.2;FC=the conservatism factor calculated based on the uncertainty in the measurement of the activity calculated in accordance with Section 2.3.6. 2.1.4. Quantification of the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the activity The greenhouse gases associated shall be calculated according to equation [9]. GHGassociatedFCRCF × GHGcapture + GHGtransport + GHGstorage[9] where: GHGcapture=GHG emissions associated with the capture facility, calculated following the rules in Section 2.1.5.2 in the case of atmospheric CO2 capture and following the rules in Section 2.1.6.3 in the case of biogenic CO2 capture;GHGtransport=GHG emissions associated with CO2 transport from the capture facility to the storage sites, calculated following the rules in Section 2.1.7.2;GHGstorage=GHG emissions associated with the storage sites, calculated following the rules in Section 2.1.8.4;FCRCF=is defined in Section 2.1.3.2. 2.1.5. Capture of CO2 directly from the air 2.1.5.1. Quantification of total CO2 captured The total amount of CO2 captured at the capture facility, CO2captured,total, shall be calculated in accordance with equation [1] and the quantity of CO2 of atmospheric origin captured, CO2captured,atmobio, shall be calculated in accordance with equation [2].
2.1.5.2. Quantification of associated GHG emissions The GHG associated emissions with the capture shall correspond to the sum of emissions associated with the capture facility itself and relevant processes to produce inputs to the capture facility and shall be calculated in accordance with equation [10]. GHGcaptureGHGfacility + GHGinputs[10] where: GHGfacility=total GHG emissions from all relevant activities within the boundaries of the capture facility, in tonnes of CO2e [tCO2e], including emissions associated with conditioning CO2 prior to transfer to transport infrastructure or to a storage site;GHGinputs=total emissions associated with inputs to the capture facility, in tCO2e. 2.1.5.2.1. Emissions from the capture facility The emissions GHGfacility associated with the capture facility shall be calculated in accordance with equation [11]. GHGfacilityGHGon – site + GHGelec + GHGheat + GHGcapital + GHGdisposal[11] whereby: GHGon – site refers to emissions due to fuel consumption and any other GHG emissions as part of the capture activity at the capture facility, calculated in accordance with equation [12]. GHGon – sitefuelsQfuel × EFfuel + GHGother + CO2stored,fossil[12] where: Qfuel=quantity of the fuel consumed in the certification period, expressed in an appropriate unit;EFfuel=emission factor, expressed in tCO2e per unit [tCO2e/unit], selected in accordance with the rules in Section 2.3.4.4;GHGother=any other GHG emissions that are part of the capture process at the capture facility;CO2stored,fossil=minus the quantity of fossil CO2 from capture-related processes at the capture facility captured and permanently stored, in tonnes CO2. It shall be calculated as CO2captured,fossil,assoc (as defined in equation [4]), plus any CO2 losses occurring prior to storage (the calculation of losses from captured fossil CO2 must be consistent with the calculation rules for losses of atmospheric or biogenic CO2 in Sections 2.1.7 and 2.1.8). GHGelec refers to emissions due to net electricity consumption at the capture facility, calculated in accordance with equation [13]. GHGelecelectricity sourceQelec × EFelec[13] where: Qelec=net quantity of electricity consumed in the certification period, selected in accordance with Section 2.3.2, expressed in an appropriate unit;EFelec=emission factor for the consumed electricity, expressed in tCO2e/unit, selected in accordance with Section 2.3.4.1. GHGheat refers to emissions due to net consumption of useful heat at the capture facility, calculated in accordance with equation [14]. GHGheatheat sourceQheat × EFheat[14] where: Qheat=net quantity of useful heat consumed in the certification period, selected in accordance with Section 2.3.2, expressed in an appropriate unit;EFheat=emission factor for the consumed heat, expressed in tCO2e/unit, selected in accordance with Section 2.3.4.2. GHGcapital refers to capital emissions from construction and installation of the carbon capture facility and shall be calculated in accordance with the principles detailed in Section 2.3.5.
GHGdisposal refers to emissions from the treatment or disposal of any wastes generated by the direct air capture facility. This shall include emissions associated with the supply of any energy and inputs consumed in the course of waste disposal and any other GHG emissions associated with the disposal process. The certification schemes may provide guidance to allow operators to estimate disposal emissions where direct measurement would be unduly burdensome, and operators may use default values for disposal emissions where these are provided by the certification scheme for specific activity types. 2.1.5.2.2. Emissions from inputs Where there are inputs including chemicals consumed by the capture facility the emissions associated with the consumption of these inputs during the certification period shall be calculated in accordance with equation [15]. GHGinputsinputsQinput × EFinput[15] where: Qinput=quantity of the input consumed in the certification period, expressed in an appropriate unit;EFinput=emission factor for the input consumed, expressed in tCO2e/unit, selected in accordance with the rules in Section 2.3.4.4. Operators may group any number of inputs whose collective emissions are considered non-material on the basis of a materiality assessment and substitute for them an emission term equal to 2 % × CRtotal, i.e. a group of inputs for which, when taking a high-end estimate of expected associated emissions, is in accordance with equation [16]. inputsQinput × EFinput2 % × CRtotal[16] 2.1.5.3. Monitoring and reporting In accordance with Section 1.3.3, operators shall include in the monitoring report before each re-certification audit the measured or calculated parameters listed in Table 2. Where a parameter is noted as to be monitored, it shall be included in the monitoring plan in accordance with Section 1.3.2. Table 2 Parameters for inclusion in the monitoring report EquationParameterUnitDefinitionNotes[1],[2],[7]CO2captured,totaltCO2The total amount of CO2 that is captured at the capture facility and transferred for transport or storageCalculated using eq. [1][1]CO2OUT,activity,itCO2Amount of CO2 from the capture activity leaving the capture facility at each exit point iTo be monitored[2],[6], [7],[8], [27],[28], [35]CO2captured,atmobiotCO2Amount of CO2 of atmospheric or biogenic origin captured at the capture facility and transferred for transport or storageCalculated using eq. [2][2],[3]CO2captured,fossiltCO2Amount of fossil CO2 from processes associated with the activity that is captured at the capture facility and transferred for transport or storageCalculated using eq. [3] [3],[4],[6]CO2captured,fossil,assoctCO2Amount of fossil CO2 emitted as a result of the capture process that is capturedCalculated using eq. [4][4]CO2fossil,assoc, co – capturedtCO2Amount of CO2 emitted as a result of the capture process that is co-captured with the atmospheric or biogenic CO2To be monitored or calculated[4]CO2 fossil, assoc,, sourcetCO2Amount of CO2 emitted as a result of the capture process that is captured separatelyTo be monitored[6],[27], [28],[35]CO2activitytCO2The amount of CO2 for which transport and/or storage emissions shall be counted towards the term GHGassociatedCalculated using eq. [6][6],[7], [8],[9], [27],[28]FCRCFratioThe fraction of the captured CO2 of atmospheric or biogenic origin that shall be counted towards the total carbon removal[9],[10]GHGcapturetCO2eTotal GHG emissions associated with the capture of CO2 from ambient airCalculated using eq. [10][10],[11]GHGfacilitytCO2eTotal GHG emissions from all relevant activities within the boundaries of the capture facilityCalculated using eq. [11][10],[15]GHGinputtCO2eTotal GHG emissions associated with inputs to the capture facilityCalculated using eq. [15][11],[12]GHGon – sitetCO2eEmissions due to fuel consumption at the capture facilityCalculated using eq. [12][11],[13]GHGelectCO2eEmissions due to net electricity consumption at the capture facilityCalculated using eq. [13][11],[14]GHGheattCO2eEmissions due to net consumption of useful heat at the capture facilityCalculated using eq. [14][11],[73]GHGcapitaltCO2eCapital emissionsCalculated using eq. [73][11]GHGdisposaltCO2eEmissions from waste disposalTo be monitored[12]Qfuelappropriate unitQuantity of the fuel consumed in the certification periodTo be monitored[12]EFfueltCO2e/unitEmission factor for consumed fuel
[12]GHGothertCO2eAny other GHG released during the capture processTo be monitored or calculated[12]CO2stored,fossiltCO2Quantity of fossil CO2 from fuel combustion at the capture facility captured and permanently storedTo be monitored[13]Qelecappropriate unitNet quantity of electricity consumed in the certification periodTo be monitored[13]EFelectCO2e/unitEmission factor for consumed electricity[14]Qheatappropriate unitNet quantity of useful heat consumed in the certification period[14]EFheattCO2e/unitEmission factor for consumed heat[15]Qinputappropriate unitQuantity of the input consumed in the certification periodTo be monitored[15]EFinputtCO2e/unitEmission factor for input consumed[73],[74]GHGmaterialstCO2eEmissions from the materials utilised in the construction of the facilityCalculated using eq. [74][74]QmaterialstQuantity of materials utilised in the construction of the facilityEFmaterialstCO2e/t of materialEmission factor for the utilised materials 2.1.6. Capture of CO2 from biogenic emissions 2.1.6.1. Quantification of total CO2 captured The total amount of CO2 captured at the capture facility, CO2captured,total, shall be calculated in accordance with equation [1] and the quantity of CO2 of biogenic origin captured, CO2captured,atmobio shall be calculated in accordance with equation [2]. 2.1.6.2. Capture of CO2 from partially biogenic streams Activities that capture biogenic CO2 as part of a mixed stream that also contains CO2 of fossil or other origin may be certified for the biogenic part. Such activities include, among others, activities capturing CO2 from co-fired bioenergy facilities or from waste-to-energy facilities processing partially biogenic waste, as well as from energy-intensive industries, including but not restricted to cement, lime, metal and silicon producers that use partially biogenic fuel or feedstock. Only the biogenic part of the captured CO2 may be counted towards CRtotal. Emissions associated with the carbon capture facility shall be allocated proportionately between the biogenic fraction that shall be included in CO2captured,atmobio and the non-biogenic fraction that shall not be included in the quantification. After transfer of the CO2 from the point of capture into transportation infrastructure or a storage site, either a segregated system or mass balance accounting shall be used to identify a quantity of biogenic CO2 entering permanent storage that is consistent with the amount of biogenic CO2 captured (minus any losses). 2.1.6.3. Quantification of associated GHG emissions The calculation of the GHGcapture term shall consider only the emissions specifically associated with operating the capture process and the transfer of the CO2 for storage or transport. The calculation shall include emissions associated with any static and mobile machinery utilised to enable the capture process. Emissions associated with the normal operation of the facility generating the biogenic CO2, that do not result from the operation of the capture process, shall not be included in the quantification. In the case that an emission source (e.g. on-site mobile machinery) serves both the capture process and one or more other processes at the facility, then a pro-rata fraction of the emissions from that source shall be attributed to the capture process.
GHGcapture shall be calculated in accordance with equation [17]. GHGcapture1 –CO2captured,fossil,mixedCO2captured,total × GHGfacility + GHGinputs[17] where: CO2captured,fossil, mixed=is defined in equation [5];CO2captured, total=is defined in equation [1];GHGfacility=total GHG emissions from all relevant activities required for CO2 capture at the capture facility, in tCO2e, including emissions associated with conditioning CO2 prior to transfer to transport infrastructure or a storage site;GHGinputs=total emissions associated with inputs to the capture facility, in tCO2e. 2.1.6.3.1. Emissions from the capture facility The emissions GHGfacility associated with the capture facility shall be calculated in accordance with equation [18]. GHGfacilityGHGbio + GHGbio – storage + GHGon – site + GHGelec + GHGheat + GHGcapital + GHGdisposal[18] whereby: GHGbio refers to emissions due to the supply of additional biomass that is used to generate energy consumed by the capture process, calculated in accordance with the following equation [19]. GHGbiobiomass typesQbiomass × EFbiomass[19] where: Qbiomass=quantity of additional biomass that is consumed in the certification period to supply any on-site heat or electricity used for the capture process and the transfer of the CO2 for storage or transport specifically, calculated in accordance with the rules in Section 2.3.3, expressed in an appropriate unit;EFbiomass=emission factor, expressed in tCO2e/unit, selected in accordance with the rules in Section 2.3.4.3. GHGbio – storage refers to CH4 emissions due to biomass storage prior to processing at the facility where CO2 is captured. It shall be calculated for each quantity of feedstock of a given type that is harvested or collected at the same time and stored in the same way. GHGbio – storage shall be set to zero for a quantity of feedstock if one or more of the following practices are followed for all biomass utilised: (a) biomass stored consists of coarse woody material that naturally remains well aerated; (b) biomass that is stored in a form that does not necessarily remain naturally aerated shall either: (i) be stored for no more than four weeks prior to processing; or (ii) be stored with a maximum of 30 % residual moisture; (c) biomass is pelleted for storage; (d) operators otherwise demonstrate that biomass is stored in a way that avoids significant CH4 emissions from anaerobic decomposition given the nature of the feedstock and the local conditions. Otherwise, GHGbio – storage shall be calculated in accordance with equation [20]. GHGbio – storageQbiomassQbiomass,total×feedstock1,335×0,0013× Qfeedstock × Cfeedstock × Tstorage – 1 × GWPCH4[20] where: Qbiomassquantity of additional biomass that is consumed in the certification period to supply any on-site heat or electricity used for the capture process and the transfer of the CO2 for storage or transport specifically, calculated in accordance with the rules in Section 2.3.3, expressed in an appropriate unit;Qbiomass,total=total quantity of biomass consumed by the capture facility in the certification period for both the main process generating the captured CO2 stream and for the capture process, expressed in an appropriate unit;Qfeedstock=quantity of the feedstock, expressed in an appropriate unit;Cfeedstock=carbon content of the feedstock, expressed as a mass %;Tstorage=time in months for which the feedstock is stored (rounded up);feedstock=an index of the feedstocks consumed;GWPCH4=global warming potential of methane, 100 year basis;1,335=the mass ratio of a methane molecule to a carbon atom;0,0013=assumed monthly fractional loss of biomass carbon from storage.
GHGon – site refers to emissions due to fuel combustion and any other GHG emissions at the capture facility that are associated with the capture activity specifically, including any CH4 and N2O emissions from additional biomass combustion as defined in Section 2.3.3 but applying a CO2 emission factor of zero to biomass combustion. In the case that a facility requires the use of fossil fuels to start up the combustion cycle the emissions from those fuels shall not be included as they are not considered associated with the capture process specifically. In the case that fuel is consumed for biomass handling or pre-treatment, then a fraction of that fuel calculated as QbiomassQbiomass,total (see equation [20]) shall be treated as associated with the capture process specifically. GHGon – site shall be calculated in accordance with equation [21]. GHGon – sitefuelsQfuel × EFfuel + GHGother + CO2stored,fossil[21] where: Qfuel=quantity of the fuel consumed in the certification period, expressed in an appropriate unit;EFfuel=emission factor, expressed in tCO2e/unit, selected in accordance with the rules in Section 2.3.4.4; GHGother=any other GHG emissions that are part of the capture process at the capture facility;CO2 stored,fossil=minus the quantity of fossil CO2 from capture-related processes at the capture facility captured and permanently stored, in tonnes CO2. It shall be calculated as CO2captured,fossil,assoc (as defined in equation [4]), plus any CO2 losses occurring prior to storage (the calculation of losses from captured fossil CO2 must be consistent with the calculation rules for losses of atmospheric/biogenic CO2 in Sections 2.1.7 and 2.1.8). GHGelec refers to emissions due to net consumption of electricity at the capture facility for the capture process specifically, excluding own electricity consumption, calculated in accordance with equation [22]. GHGelecelectricity sourcesQelec × EFelec[22] where: Qelec=net quantity of electricity from each source consumed in the certification period for the capture process and the transfer of the CO2 for storage or transport specifically, selected in accordance with Section 2.3.2, expressed in an appropriate unit;EFelec=emission factor for the consumed electricity, expressed in tCO2e/unit, selected in accordance with Section 2.3.4.1. GHGheat refers to emissions due to net consumption of useful heat at the capture facility for the capture process specifically, excluding own heat consumption, calculated in accordance with equation [23]. GHGheatheat sourceQheat × EFheat[23] where: Qheat=net quantity of useful heat consumed in the certification period for the capture process specifically, selected in accordance with Section 2.3.2, expressed in an appropriate unit;EFheat=emission factor for the consumed heat, expressed in tCO2e/unit, selected in accordance with Section 2.3.4.2. GHGcapital refers to capital emissions from construction and installation of the carbon capture facility and shall be calculated in accordance with the principles detailed in Section 2.3.5.
GHGdisposal refers to emissions from the treatment or disposal of any wastes generated specifically due to the capture activity, including waste from any biomass, biofuel, bioliquid or biomass fuel used for energy consumed by the capture process. This shall include emissions associated with the supply of any energy and inputs consumed in the course of waste disposal and any other GHG emissions associated with the disposal process including emissions of N2O and/or CH4 due to aerobic or anaerobic degradation of the fraction of biogenic wastes associated with additional biomass use. The certification schemes may provide guidance to allow operators to estimate disposal emissions where direct measurement would be unduly burdensome, and operators may use default values for disposal emissions where these are provided by the certification scheme for specific activity types. 2.1.6.3.2. Emissions from inputs Where there are inputs including chemicals consumed by the capture facility the emissions associated with the consumption of these inputs during the certification period shall be calculated in accordance with equation [24]. GHGinputsinputsQinput × EFinput[24] where: Qinput=quantity of the input consumed in the certification period for the capture process specifically, expressed in an appropriate unit;EFinput=emission factor for the input consumed, expressed in tCO2e/unit, selected in accordance with Section 2.3.4.4. The operator may group any number of inputs whose collective emissions are considered non-material on the basis of a materiality assessment and substitute for them an emission term equal to 2 % × CRtotal, i.e. a group of inputs for which, when taking a high-end estimate of expected associated emissions, is in accordance with equation [25]. inputsQinput × EFinput2 % × CRtotal[25] 2.1.6.4. Monitoring and reporting In accordance with Section 1.3.3, operators shall include in the monitoring report before each re-certification audit the measured or calculated parameters listed in Table 3. Where a parameter is noted as to be monitored, it shall be included in the monitoring plan in accordance with Section 1.3.2. Table 3 Parameters for inclusion in the monitoring report EquationParameterUnitDefinitionNotes[1],[2], [7],[17]CO2captured,totaltCO2The total amount of CO2 that is captured at the capture facility and transferred for transport or storageCalculated using eq. [1][1]CO2OUT,activity,itCO2Amount of CO2 from the capture activity leaving the capture facility at each exit point iTo be monitored[2],[6], [7],[8]CO2captured,atmobiotCO2Amount of CO2 of atmospheric or biogenic origin captured at the capture facility and transferred for transport or storageCalculated using eq. [2][2],[3]CO2captured,fossiltCO2Amount of fossil CO2 from processes associated with the activity that is captured at the capture facility and transferred for transport or storageCalculated using eq. [3] [3],[4], [5],[6]CO2captured,fossil,assoctCO2Amount of fossil CO2 emitted as a result of the capture process that is capturedCalculated using eq. [4][3],[5], [17]CO2captured,fossil,mixedtCO2Amount of fossil CO2 captured from a mixed stream as part of a BioCCS activityCalculated using eq. [5][4]CO2fossil,assoc,co – capturedtCO2Amount of CO2 emitted as a result of the capture process that is co-captured with the atmospheric or biogenic CO2To be monitored or calculated[4]CO2fossil,assoc,sourcetCO2Amount of CO2 emitted as a result of the capture process that is captured separatelyTo be monitored[5]FB%For a BioCCS activity capturing CO2 from a mixed stream, the fraction of captured CO2 that is of atmospheric or biogenic originTo be monitored[6],[27], [28],[35]CO2activitytCO2The amount of CO2 for which transport and/or storage emissions shall be counted towards the term GHGassociatedCalculated using eq. [6][6],[7], [8],[9]FCRCFratioThe fraction of the captured CO2 of atmospheric or biogenic origin that shall be counted towards the total carbon removal[17]GHGcapturetCO2eTotal GHG emissions associated with the capture of CO2Calculated using eq. [17][17],[18]GHGfacilitytCO2eTotal GHG emissions from all relevant activities required for CO2 capture at the capture facilityCalculated using eq. [18][17],[24]GHGinputstCO2eTotal GHG emissions associated with inputs to the capture facilityCalculated using eq. [24][18],[19]GHGbiotCO2eEmissions due to additional biomass use for energy consumed by the capture processCalculated using eq. [19][18],[20]GHGbio – storagetCO2eCH4 emissions due to biomass storage prior to processing at the facility where CO2 is capturedCalculated using eq. [20][18],[21]GHGon – sitetCO2eEmissions due to fuel combustion and any other GHG emissions at the capture facility for the capture process specifically, including CH4 and N2O emissions from additional biomass combustion but applying a CO2 emission factor of zero to biomass combustionCalculated using eq. [21]
[18],[22]GHGelectCO2eEmissions due to net consumption of electricity at the capture facilityCalculated using eq. [22][18],[23]GHGheattCO2eEmissions due to net consumption of useful heat at the capture facilityCalculated using eq. [23][18],[73]GHGcapitaltCO2eCapital emissionsCalculated using eq. [73][18]GHGdisposaltCO2eEmissions from waste disposalTo be monitored where relevant[19]Qbiomass[appropriate unit]Quantity of additional biomass that is consumed in the certification period to supply any on-site heat and/or electricity used for the capture process specificallyTo be monitored.[19]EFbiomasstCO2e/unitEmission factor for additional biomass consumed[20]Qfeedstock[appropriate unit]Quantity of the feedstockTo be monitored where relevant[20]Cfeedstock%Carbon content of the feedstockTo be monitored where relevant[20]TstoragemonthsTime in months for which the feedstock is storedTo be monitored where relevant[21]Qfuel[appropriate unit]Quantity of the fuel consumed in the certification periodTo be monitored[21]EFfueltCO2eEmission factor for the consumed fuel[21]CO2stored,fossiltCO2Quantity of fossil CO2 from fuel combustion at the capture facility captured and permanently storedTo be monitored[22]Qelec[appropriate unit]Net quantity of electricity from each source consumed in the certification period for the capture processTo be monitored[22]EFelectCO2eEmission factor for the consumed electricity [23]Qheat[appropriate unit]Net quantity of useful heat consumed in the certification period for the capture processTo be monitored[23]EFheattCO2eEmission factor for the consumed heat[24]Qinput[appropriate unit]Net quantity of the input consumed in the certification period for the capture processTo be monitored[24]EFinputtCO2eEmission factor for input consumed[73],[74]GHGmaterialstCO2eEmissions from the materials utilised in the construction of the facilityCalculated using eq. [74][74]QmaterialstQuantity of materials utilised in the construction of the facility[74]EFmaterialstCO2e/t of materialEmission factor for the utilised materials 2.1.7. Transport of CO2 This section provides rules for the quantification of GHG emissions associated with CO2 transportation activities via pipelines, road, rail or water transportation, and their infrastructure including intermediate storage, as well as losses of CO2 occurring during this process. These rules apply to activities that transport captured CO2 as a concentrated CO2 stream from a capture facility to one or more storage sites using one or more modes of CO2 transportation. The transport pathway from the capture facility to the storage sites consists of one or more segments of transport infrastructure as defined in Article 3, point (29), of Regulation (EU) 2024/1735 of the European Parliament and of the Council Regulation (EU) 2024/1735 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 June 2024 on establishing a framework of measures for strengthening Europe’s net-zero technology manufacturing ecosystem and amending Regulation (EU) 2018/1724 (OJ L, 2024/1735, 28.6.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1735/oj).
, which may be parts of one or more transport networks as defined in Article 3, point (22), of Directive 2009/31/EC. Where relevant data is available from reporting under Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2066, that data shall be considered reliable for the purpose of calculating transport emissions for the activity. Transport infrastructure segments shall be designated in order to allow the allocation of transport-related emissions in the case that CO2 from more than one source passes through parts of the same transport network. If CO2 captured by a single removal activity is the only CO2 passing through the relevant transport infrastructure, the whole transport pathway may be designated as a single transport infrastructure segment. Otherwise, the transport pathway shall be divided into a series of transport infrastructure segments. A new transport infrastructure segment shall be designated at least every time two or more CO2 streams are merged, or two or more CO2 streams are separated. Additional transport infrastructure segments may be specified at the discretion of the operator or certification body for organisational reasons. An allocation fraction FS shall be specified for each transport infrastructure segment S as the fraction of the CO2 passing through the segment in a certification period that comes from the activity and is being sent for storage (i.e. not including any CO2 coming from the activity that is being transferred for utilisation) in accordance with equation [26]. FSCO2activity,SCO2total,S[26] where: CO2 total,S=total amount of CO2 from all sources passing through the CO2 infrastructure segment S in the certification period, in tCO2;CO2activity,S=amount of CO2 from the activity, see equation [6], that is being transferred for permanent storage passing through the CO2 infrastructure segment S in the certification period, in tCO2. For the first infrastructure segment in the transport pathway, this is equal to the part of the activity CO2 (CO2 activity) measured as transferred from the capture facility to the infrastructure segment. For subsequent infrastructure segments, this is the quantity of activity CO2 entering the previous infrastructure segment minus any CO2 losses in that infrastructure segment, and where the CO2 stream is split at a node to be sent to multiple storage sites the activity CO2 shall be allocated across the infrastructure segments leaving that node;S=index of the transport infrastructure segment. Operators may utilise independently verified FS values provided by CO2 network operators. In the case that the CO2 passing through a transport infrastructure segment is a mix of atmospheric or biogenic CO2 and fossil CO2 emitted as a result of the capture process that was captured, then any losses shall be considered to consist of a pro-rata mix of atmospheric or biogenic CO2 and fossil CO2. 2.1.7.1. Quantification of fugitive, vented and leaked emissions of captured CO2 In the event of intentional or accidental losses of transported CO2 throughout the transport network, if the quantity CRtotal is calculated based on equation [8], these losses shall be explicitly quantified. Quantification rules are based on Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2066, which sets out the following two methods for the quantification of GHG emissions due to the operation of pipeline transport network: Method A, based on the overall mass balance of all input and output streams across an infrastructure segment or series of segments; and Method B, relying on the monitoring of emission sources individually, as included below. Operators may choose which of the two approaches to use for each infrastructure segment or series of segments.
Operators shall choose the method that leads to lower uncertainty of the overall emissions without incurring disproportionate costs. 2.1.7.1.1. CO2 losses: Method A Operators shall quantify CO2transport,losses, the intentional and accidental losses of atmospheric or biogenic CO2 being sent for permanent storage to generate carbon removal units throughout the transport segment or segments, in accordance with equation [27]. CO2transport,lossesFCRCF × CO2captured,atmobioCO2activity ×SFS × CO2in,S – CO2out,S[27] where: FCRCF=is defined in Section 2.1.3.2;CO2captured,atmobio=is defined in equation [2];CO2activity=is defined in equation [6];FS=defined in equation [26];CO2in,S=amount of CO2 entering transport infrastructure segment S, determined in accordance with Articles 40 to 46 and Article 49 of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2066, in tCO2;CO2out,S=amount of CO2 leaving transport infrastructure segment S, determined in accordance with Articles 40 to 46 and Article 49 of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2066, in tCO2;S=index of the transport infrastructure segments. 2.1.7.1.2. CO2 losses: Method B Operators shall quantify CO2transport,losses, the intentional and accidental losses of atmospheric or biogenic CO2 being sent for permanent storage to generate carbon removal units throughout the transport segment or segments, in accordance with equation [28]. CO2transport,lossesFCRCF × CO2captured,atmobioCO2activity×SFS × CO2fugitive,S + CO2vented,S + CO2leakage,S[28] where: FCRCF=is defined in Section 2.1.3.2;CO2captured,atmobio=is defined in equation [2];CO2activity=is defined in equation [6];FS=defined in equation [26];CO2fugitive,S=sum of fugitive emissions from CO2 transported in the transportation infrastructure, such as from seals, valves, intermediate compressor stations in pipeline structures and intermediate storage sites, in tCO2;CO2vented,S=sum of vented emissions from CO2 transported in the transportation infrastructure, in tCO2;CO2leakage,S=sum of CO2 transported in the transportation infrastructure, which is emitted as the result of the failure of one or more components of the network, in tCO2;S=index of the transport infrastructure segments. 2.1.7.1.2.1. Fugitive emissions Fugitive emissions during CO2 transportation in any of the following components: (a) seals; (b) measurement devices; (c) valves; (d) intermediate compressor stations; (e) intermediate storage sites, shall be calculated in accordance with equation [29]. CO2fugitiveScEFoccur,c,S × Noccur,c,S[29] where: FS=defined in equation [26];EFoccur,c,S=average emission factors per component per time period, expressed in tCO2/unit time. EFoccur,c shall be determined for each type of component. These factors shall be reviewed at least every 5 years based on newly available techniques and knowledge;Noccur,c,S=number of components type c in the transportation system, multiplied by the number of time periods;C=type of component: seals; measurement devices; valves; intermediate compressor stations; and intermediate storage sites;S=index of the transport infrastructure segments.
Certification schemes may provide lists of default fugitive emissions factors for relevant equipment. 2.1.7.1.2.2. Vented emissions Activity operators shall calculate CO2vented for each transport infrastructure segment S as the expected venting identified for that transport infrastructure segment by the operator of the transport network. If the operator of the transport network does not provide venting emissions at the disaggregated level of the transport infrastructure segment, venting emissions shall be allocated by segment on a reasonable basis to be agreed by the activity operator and certification body. Certification schemes may provide guidance further specifying the basis to estimate vented emissions. 2.1.7.1.2.3. Leakage events Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2066 requires that each transport network operator shall monitor the transport network and calculate the amount of CO2 leaked from the transport with a suitable methodology documented in the monitoring plan, based on industry best practice guidelines. Activity operators shall calculate CO2leakage for each transport infrastructure segment S as the amount of leakage identified for that transport infrastructure segment by the operator of the transport network during the certification period. If the operator of the transport network does not report leakage emissions at the disaggregated level of the transport infrastructure segment, leakage emissions shall be allocated for each segment on a reasonable basis to be agreed by the activity operator and certification body. 2.1.7.2. Quantification of associated GHG emissions for transport GHG emissions associated with the transportation of CO2 (for vehicles and/or in the supporting infrastructure) shall be calculated in accordance with equation [30]. GHGtransportSFS × TGHGT,S + GHGinfra,S[30] where: FS=defined in equation [26];GHGT,S=GHG emissions due to energy use for CO2 transportation in mode of transportation type T in infrastructure segment S, in tCO2e;GHGinfra=GHG emissions due to energy use at the supporting infrastructure connected to the CO2 transport network (including pipeline operation infrastructure), in tCO2e;T=transport type for the infrastructure segment (road, rail or maritime);S=index of the transport infrastructure segments. 2.1.7.2.1. Emissions from non-pipeline transportation of CO2 Following the principles in Section 2.3.4.5, GHG emissions associated with the non-pipeline transport of CO2 by transportation mode T in each transport infrastructure segment, GHGT,S, shall either be calculated based on actual data on fuel consumption in accordance with equation [31] or based on vehicle efficiencies and actual data about vehicle distance travelled in accordance with equation [32]. Operators are permitted to use different approaches for different transport modes and infrastructure segments. GHGT,StripsQfuel,S × EFfuel[31] where: Qfuel,S=quantity of fuel consumed for each trip in infrastructure segment S, including empty return trips, expressed in an appropriate unit;EFfuel=emission factor for the consumed fuel, expressed in tCO2e/unit, selected in accordance with the rules in Section 2.3.4.4;trips=an index of the trips taken.GHGT,SOL1KL,S × EFvehicle,loaded +RL1KL,S × EFvehicle,unloaded[32]
where: KL,S=distance of each trip in infrastructure segment S in kilometres [km];EFvehicle,loaded=the CO2 emissions per kilometre of the vehicle when loaded, in tCO2/km travelled. This may be based on an appropriate conservative default emission factor if it has been provided by the certification scheme;EFvehicle,unloaded=the CO2 emissions per kilometre of the vehicle when unloaded, in tCO2/km travelled. This may be based on an appropriate conservative default emission factor if it has been provided by the certification scheme. If no data/default is available for the unloaded vehicle but a value is available for EFvehicle,loaded, then the operator may set EFvehicle,unloadedEFvehicle,loaded;O=total number of outbound trips taken;R=total number of empty return trips taken;L=an index of the trips. 2.1.7.2.2. Emissions from transportation infrastructure GHG emissions due to fuel and electricity consumption across all processes at installations required to operate the transport network shall be calculated according to equation [33]. Operators may use default values for emissions from transportation infrastructure where such default values are provided by certification schemes. GHGinfraSFS ×fQstat,f × EFf + Qmob,f × EFf + Qelec × EFelec[33] where: Qstat,f=quantity of fuel type f combusted in stationary sources at the installed infrastructure, in giga joule [GJ].Qmob,f=quantity of fuel type f combusted in mobile sources at the installed infrastructure, in GJ;EFf=emission factor due to the combustion of the fuel type f, in tCO2e/GJ, chosen following Section 2.3.4.4;Qelec=net amount of electricity imported from the grid and consumed at the installed infrastructure, selected in accordance with Section 2.3.2, in MWh;EFelec=emissions factor for the generation of electricity, in tCO2e/MWh, chosen following Section 2.3.4.1;F=fuel type, including those from fossil and biogenic origin. 2.1.7.3. Monitoring and reporting In accordance with Section 1.3.3, operators shall include in the monitoring report before each re-certification audit the measured or calculated parameters listed in Table 4. Where a parameter is noted as to be monitored, it shall be included in the monitoring plan in accordance with Section 1.3.2. Table 4 Parameters for inclusion in the monitoring report EquationParameterUnitDefinitionNotes[26]FS%Allocation fraction defined for each transport segment S as the fraction of the CO2 from the activity passing through the segment in a certification period and is being sent for storageCalculated using eq. [26][26]CO2activity,StCO2Amount of CO2 from the activity passing through the CO2 infrastructure segment S in the certification periodTo be monitored[26]CO2total,StCO2Total amount of CO2 from all sources passing through the CO2 infrastructure segment S in the certification periodTo be monitored[8],[27], [28]CO2transport,lossestCO2Amount of losses of atmospheric or biogenic CO2 being sent for permanent storage to generate carbon removal units throughout the transport networkCalculated using eq. [27] or eq. [28][27]CO2in,StCO2Amount of CO2 transferred to the transport infrastructure segment S, determined in accordance with Articles 40 to 46 and Article 49 of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2066To be monitored
[27]CO2out,StCO2Amount of CO2 transferred out of the transport infrastructure segment, determined in accordance with Articles 40 to 46 and Article 49 of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2066To be monitored[28],[29]CO2fugitive,StCO2Sum of fugitive emissions from CO2 transported in the transportation infrastructureCalculated using eq. [29][28]CO2vented,StCO2Sum of vented emissions from CO2 transported in the transportation infrastructureTo be informed by the operator of the transport network.[28]CO2leakage,StCO2Sum of CO2 transported in the transportation infrastructure, which is emitted as the result of the failure of one or more components of the networkTo be informed by the operator of the transport network.[29]EFoccur,c,StCO2e/unit timeAverage emission factors per type of component per occurrenceTo be monitored.[29]Noccur,c,Snumber of time units/yearNumber of components in the transportation system per type of componentTo be monitored.[30]GHGtransporttCO2eTotal amount of GHG emissions from the combustion of fuels during the transportation of CO2Calculated using eq. [30][30],[31], [32]GHGT,StCO2eEmissions due to energy use for CO2 transportation in mode of transportation type T in infrastructure segment SCalculated using eq. [31] or [32][30],[33]GHGinfra,StCO2eEmissions due to energy use at the supporting infrastructure connected to the CO2 transport networkCalculated using eq. [33][31]Qfuel[appropriate unit]Quantity of the fuel consumed in the certification periodTo be monitored[31]EFfueltCO2eEmission factor for consumed fuel[32]KL,SkmDistances of trips in infrastructure segments STo be monitored[32]EFvehicle,loadedtCO2e/kmCO2 emission per kilometre of the loaded transport vehicles [32]EFvehicle,unloadedtCO2e/kmCO2 emission per kilometre of the unloaded transport vehicles[33]Qstat,fGJQuantity of fuel type f combusted in stationary sources at the installed infrastructureTo be monitored. Where relevant, the density and Net Calorific Value used shall be reported.[33]Qmob,fGJQuantity of fuel type f combusted in mobile sources at the installed infrastructureTo be monitored[33]QelecMWhAmount of electricity imported from the grid and consumed at the installed infrastructureTo be monitored[33]EFftCO2e/GJemission factor due to the combustion of the fuel type f[33]EFelectCO2e/MWhemissions factor for the generation of electricity 2.1.8. Injection of CO2 at storage sites A CO2 capture activity may transfer CO2 via a transport pathway to one or more storage sites for injection into geological storage. If CO2 from sources other than the activity is stored at the same site, an allocation fraction shall be defined for each storage site S as the fraction of the CO2 stored at that site in a certification period that comes from the activity in accordance with equation [34]. FSCO2activity,injected,SCO2injected,S[34] where: CO2 activity.injected,S=the part of CO2activity, see equation [6], that is stored at site S. In the case of a non-segregated CO2 stream this amount shall be specified on a mass balance basis;CO2 injected,S=total amount of CO2 from all sources stored at site S in the certification period;S=index of the storage sites.
2.1.8.1. Quantification of CO2 entering the storage site The amount of CO2 entering the storage site shall be determined at the entry point or points using a measurement-based approach in accordance with Articles 40 to 45 and Article 49 of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2066. 2.1.8.2. Application of mass balance rules Other than in the case that the CO2 stream is fully segregated and the rules in Section 2.1.3.3 are used to determine CRtotal, a mass balance system based on the following principles shall be used to trace CO2 through the transport infrastructure from the capture facility to the storage site: (a) each quantity of CO2 entering the transport or storage system may be treated as having been stored or otherwise discharged from the system (by losses or by supply for a non-storage application) only once; (b) the sum of the quantities of CO2 entering, or released from intermediate storage at, any transport infrastructure segment or storage site in a given period shall be equal to the sum of the quantities of CO2 identified as leaving or being intermediately or permanently stored at that infrastructure segment or storage site in the same period (allowing for any discrepancy associated with the quantity of CO2 actively in transit or undergoing storage related processes at the end of the period and for measurement uncertainty); (c) where a quantity of CO2 from an activity is mixed with a quantity of CO2 from other sources, and that mixed stream of CO2 is then transferred to more than one subsequent transport infrastructure segments or storage sites, then the operator may agree with other interested parties which of the transferred quantities of CO2 is (or are) to be treated as originating or partially originating from that activity; (d) where a quantity of CO2 is transferred into an interconnected transport network and thereby mixed with a quantity of CO2 from other sources, the operator is not required to model the transit time of the CO2 from the activity through the transport network – any corresponding quantity of CO2 transferred out of the transport network after the time at which the CO2 from the activity enters the transport network may be treated as the CO2 from the activity, with the constraint that it is not permissible to assume that CO2 has travelled against the flow direction in a transport infrastructure segment; (e) subject to these principles detailed in points (a) to (d), contractual arrangements may be used to identify a quantity of CO2 being injected at a storage site with an equivalent quantity of CO2 from a capture installation (accounting for losses in transit using the rules in this methodology) that was transferred into a system of shared infrastructure, even though the actual physical location of the CO2 molecules captured by the activity may be unknown. No other quantity of CO2 stored by or leaving that system of shared infrastructure may be identified with the quantity of CO2 captured by the carbon removal activity;
(f) operators shall provide adequate evidence (or arrange for the entities providing the transport and/or storage infrastructure services to provide adequate evidence) that the abovementioned mass balance requirements and any additional requirements imposed by the certification scheme have been complied with. 2.1.8.3. Quantification of fugitive and vented emissions of captured CO2 In the event of any intentional or accidental losses of CO2 prior to entering permanent storage, if the quantity CRtotal is calculated based on equation [8], these losses shall be explicitly quantified. Fugitive and vented emissions during injection at the storage site shall be calculated in accordance with Section 23, subsection B.1, of Annex IV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2066. For geological storage, data regarding fugitive and vented emissions shall be based on data recorded by the entity operating the storage site under Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2066. The total loss of CO2 from the activity during storage shall be calculated in accordance with equation [35]. CO2storage,lossesFCRCF ×CO2captured,atmobioCO2activity×SFS × CO2fugitive,S + CO2vented,S[35] where: FCRCF=is defined in Section 2.1.3.2;CO2captured,atmobio=is defined in equation [2];CO2activity=is defined in equation [6];FS=fraction of the CO2 stored at site S that originates from the activity, in %;CO2fugitive,S=fugitive CO2 emissions from the site S, in tonnes CO2;CO2vented,S=vented CO2 emissions from the site S, in tonnes CO2. At each site S, the sum of the fugitive and vented emissions shall be equal to the difference between the measured amount of CO2 entering the site and the measured amount of CO2 injected in the storage reservoir, in accordance with equation [36]. CO2fugitive,S + CO2vented,SCO2IN,S – CO2injected,S[36] where: CO2IN,S=measured total amount of CO2 entering the site S, in tonnes CO2;CO2injected,S=measured total amount of CO2 injected for permanent storage at the site S, in tonnes CO2. 2.1.8.4. Quantification of associated GHG emissions The GHG emissions associated with injection at a storage site shall be calculated in accordance with equation [37]. GHGstorageSFS × GHGstorage site + GHGinputs[37] where: GHGstorage site=GHG emissions associated with energy use and operation at the storage site, in tonnes CO2e, defined in equation [38];GHGinputs=GHG emissions associated with the production and use of other inputs used at the storage site, in tonnes CO2e. 2.1.8.4.1. Emissions from the storage site The GHG emissions at each storage site shall be calculated in accordance with equation [38]. GHGstorage siteGHGcombustion + GHGelec + GHGheat + GHGcapital[38] where: GHGcombustion=GHG emissions due to fuel consumption at the storage site, in tonnes CO2e, calculated in accordance with equation [39] below; GHGelec=GHG emissions due to net electricity consumption at the storage site in tonnes CO2e, calculated in accordance with equation [40] below;GHGheat=GHG emissions due to net useful heat consumption at the storage site, in tonnes CO2e, calculated in accordance with equation [41] below;GHGcapital=capital emissions from construction and installation of the storage site, in tonnes CO2e, calculated in accordance with the principles detailed in Section 2.3.5.GHGcombustionfuelsQfuel × EFfuel + CO2stored,fossil[39]GHGelecelectricity sourceQelec × EFelec[40]GHGheatheat sourceQheat × EFheat[41]
where: Qfuel=quantity of the fuel consumed in the certification period, expressed in an appropriate unit;EFfuel=emission factor for the fuel consumed, expressed in tCO2e/unit, selected in accordance with Section 2.3.4.4;CO2stored,fossil=minus the quantity of fossil CO2 from fuel combustion at the storage site captured and permanently stored, in tonnes CO2. It shall be calculated as minus the measured quantity of CO2 captured from fossil sources at the storage site plus any CO2 losses prior to storage;Qelec=net quantity of electricity consumed in the certification period, selected in accordance with Section 2.3.2, expressed in an appropriate unit;EFelec=emission factor for the consumed electricity, expressed in tCO2e/unit, selected in accordance with Section 2.3.4.1;Qheat=net quantity of useful heat consumed in the certification period, selected in accordance with Section 2.3.2, expressed in an appropriate unit;EFheat=emission factor for the consumed heat, expressed in tCO2e/unit, selected in accordance with Section 2.3.4.2. 2.1.8.4.2. Emissions from inputs Where there are inputs consumed at the storage site the emissions associated with the consumption of these inputs during the certification period shall be calculated in accordance with equation [42]. GHGinputsinputsQinput × EFinput[42] where: Qinput=quantity of the input consumed in the certification period, expressed in an appropriate unit;EFinput=emission factor for the input consumed, expressed in tCO2e/unit, selected in accordance with the rules in Section 2.3.4.4. The operator may group any number of inputs whose collective emissions are considered non-material on the basis of a materiality assessment and substitute for them an emission term equal to 2 % × CRtotal, i.e. a group of inputs for which, when taking a high-end estimate of possible associated emissions, is in accordance with equation [43]. inputsQinput × EFinput2 % × CRtotal[43] 2.1.8.5. Monitoring and reporting In accordance with Section 1.3.3, operators shall include in the monitoring report before each re-certification audit the measured or calculated parameters for the certification period being audited listed in Table 5. Where a parameter is noted as to be monitored, it shall be included in the monitoring plan in accordance with Section 1.3.2. Table 5 Parameters for inclusion in the monitoring report EquationParameterUnitDefinitionNotes[34]FS%Allocation fraction of the CO2 stored at site S that originates from the activity and shall be used to generate carbon removal units[34]CO2activity,injected,StCO2The part of CO2activity stored at site STo be identified following mass balance rules in the case of non-segregated CO2 streams[34],[36]CO2injected,StCO2Total amount of CO2 injected for permanent storage at each relevant storage siteTo be monitored[8],[35]CO2storage,lossestCO2Amount of losses of atmospheric or biogenic CO2 being sent for permanent storage to generate carbon removal units during storage activityCalculated using eq. [35][35],[36]CO2vented,StCO2Amount of CO2 vented at each relevant storage siteTo be monitored[35],[36]CO2fugitive,StCO2Amount of CO2 fugitives at each relevant storage siteTo be monitored or calculated using eq. [36][36]CO2IN,StCO2Amount of CO2 entering the storage site STo be monitored
[37]GHGstoragetCO2eGHG emissions associated with the injection at a storage siteCalculated using eq. [37][37],[38]GHGstorage sitetCO2eGHG emissions associated with energy use and operation at the storage siteCalculated using eq. [38][37],[42]GHGinputstCO2eGHG emissions associated with the production and use of other inputs used at the storage siteCalculated using eq. [42][38],[39]GHGcombustiontCO2eGHG emissions due to fuel consumption at the storage siteCalculated using eq. [39][38],[40]GHGelectCO2eGHG emissions due to net electricity consumption at the storage siteCalculated using eq. [40][38],[41]GHGheattCO2eGHG emissions due to net useful heat consumption at the storage siteCalculated using eq. [41][38],[73]GHGcapitaltCO2eCapital emissionsTo be informed by the operator. Calculated using eq. [73][39]Qfuel[appropriate unit]Amount of fuels used for combustion at each storage siteTo be monitored[39]EFfueltCO2e/unitEmission factor for the fuel consumed[40]QelecMWhNet amount of electricity consumed at each storage siteTo be monitored[40]EFelectCO2e/unitEmission factor for the consumed electricity[41]QheatMWhNet amount of useful heat consumed at storage site, for all relevant storage sitesTo be monitored[41]EFheattCO2e/unitEmission factor for the consumed heat[42]Qinput[appropriate unit]Amount of input consumedTo be monitored[42]EFinputtCO2e/unitEmission factor for the input consumed[73],[74]GHGmaterialstCO2eEmissions from the materials utilised in the construction of the storage siteCalculated using eq. [74][74]QmaterialstonneQuantity of materials utilised in the construction of the storage siteTo be monitored[74]EFmaterialstCO2e/tonne materialEmission factor for the utilised materials 2.2. BCR activity 2.2.1. GHG sources and sinks BCR activities shall consider GHG sources and sinks included in Table 6. Table 6 Sinks and sources that shall be included for a BCR activity Phase of the operationEmission sources/sinksGases includedBiochar productionBiochar production facility: Equipment used to produce biochar.Greenhouse gasesBiochar production facility: Any biochar processing equipment that is used to treat the biochar prior to its shipping for application or incorporation.Greenhouse gasesBiochar production facility: Any associated energy generation equipment that is geographically contiguous with the facility.Greenhouse gasesBiochar production facility: Any treatment equipment for processing wastes or byproducts of the biochar production process.Greenhouse gasesBiomass and biomass fuel supply emissions: Production, collection and transportation of biomass and biomass fuel used by the biochar production facility.Greenhouse gasesInput emissions: Production and supply of inputs used by the biochar production facility.Greenhouse gasesWaste treatment: Processing and treatment of any wastes (including wastewater and exhaust gases) generated by the biochar production facility.Greenhouse gasesCapital emissions: Emissions associated with the construction and installation of the biochar production facility.Greenhouse gasesTransport of biocharTransportation: Fuel combustion and electricity consumption at land transportation (e.g. tank trucks, rails), maritime transportation (e.g. sea tanker) and other vehicles.Greenhouse gasesApplication to soils or incorporation in productsQuantity of CO2 permanently stored in the form of biocharCO2 onlyApplication/incorporation site: Any energy consumption and/or generation associated with the process of application or incorporation.Greenhouse gases
2.2.2. Baseline A standardised baseline set to 0 tCO2/year shall apply for BCR activities. Where the activity is financed through a combination of public and private funding, in order to document that there is no overcompensation of costs, when submitting the activity plan to the certification scheme operators shall indicate any form of public financing received or applied for with regard to the activity. This information shall be included in the certificate of compliance. 2.2.3. Quantification of the total removals of the activity The operator shall calculate the total carbon removals (CRtotal) in accordance with equation [44]. CRtotal–3,664× Fperm × Corg × Qbiochar[44] where: Fperm=permanence fraction of the biochar calculated following the rules in Section 2.2.7.1, as a percentage;Corg=the organic carbon content of the biochar, Corg, which shall be established by laboratory analysis as the ratio of the mass of organic carbon in the biochar to the total mass of the biochar. Certification schemes may identify specific cases in which operators may treat the inorganic carbon content of the biochar as zero without requiring it to be directly assessed;Qbiochar=the mass of biochar applied or incorporated during the certification period, in tonnes on a dry matter basis. The mass of biochar shall exclude any fraction from non-biogenic material also processed in the biochar production process. If the biochar feedstock may be expected to contain a fraction of non-biogenic carbon greater than 2 % of the total carbon feedstock by mass, the biogenic carbon fraction in the biochar product shall be identified by carbon 14 (14C) testing;3,664the mass ratio of a CO2 molecule to a carbon atom. 2.2.4. Quantification of the greenhouse gases associated to the activity The greenhouse gases associated shall be calculated according to the equation [45]. GHGassociatedGHGbiochar + GHGtransport + GHGuse[45] where: GHGbiochar=GHG emissions associated with the production of biochar, calculated following the rules in Section 2.2.5.4;GHGtransport=GHG emissions associated with biochar transport from the production facility to the point of application or incorporation, calculated following the rules in Section 2.2.6.1;GHGuse=GHG emissions associated with the application or incorporation of biochar, calculated following the rules in Section 2.2.7.2. 2.2.5. Production of biochar 2.2.5.1. Production batches The amount of biochar produced shall be measured and assigned to production batches that share feedstock mix and common processing conditions, i.e. the same underlying process is used and target temperature of biochar production, the biochar residence time and any techniques used to manage the oxygen concentration are consistent across the batch. Common feedstock mix requires shares of feedstock types in the mix to be similar across the batch. Production batches may not include biochar produced in more than one certification period. During re-certification units may be issued in relation to all production batches applied or incorporated during the relevant certification period. If only part of a production batch has been applied or incorporated at the point of re-certification, then units shall be issued for the part that has been applied or incorporated, and units may be issued for the remainder if it has been applied or incorporated at the point of a later re-certification.
A production batch may be interrupted and restarted at a later time. If biochar produced from the same feedstock under the same conditions is split into more than one consignment for sale to different end uses, this may still be treated as a single production batch for the purpose of quantification. Certification schemes may establish additional requirements on the definition of a production batch to limit the permissible variation of the biochar in the batch. Certification schemes may set a maximum allowable size for a single production batch. 2.2.5.2. Biochar properties Operators shall undertake laboratory testing on each production batch of biochar. Certification schemes may provide guidance on the list of properties to be reported to certification bodies during recertification audits, which shall at least include the properties required in order to follow this methodology: (a) the organic carbon content of the biochar, Corg, as required in equation [44]; (b) the molar ratio of hydrogen to organic carbon in the biochar (H/Corg ratio), as required in Section 3.2 and when the decay function is used to assess the permanence fraction of the biochar (Section 2.2.7.1.2); (c) the energy density of the biochar on a lower heating value basis; (d) where the random reflectance assessment is used to assess the permanence fraction of the biochar (Section 2.2.7.1.1), the fraction of the biochar that is identified as having a Ro reflectance value of 2 % or greater and associated measurements; (e) compliance with the maximum thresholds for the limited substances detailed in Sections 4.4.1, 4.4.2 and 4.4.3. 2.2.5.3. Biochar sampling All production batches of biochar shall be sampled. Samples shall be representative of the average properties of the production batch being sampled. Operators shall include a description of the sampling protocol in the monitoring plan for review by the certification body at the certification audit, and shall follow this protocol during the activity period. The sampling protocol may be amended during the activity period where operators demonstrate that the sample data is at least equally representative of the batches. Sampling protocols shall be consistent with Article 33 of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2066, with the exception of the last sentence of paragraph 1 of that Article. The biochar to be sampled shall be well-mixed, and operators shall take an adequate number of samples to ensure that the data from the samples is representative of the production batch. When a production batch is produced over a period of time (in one or more production runs) sampling shall be undertaken either after mixing of the biochar produced over the full production period, or on subsets of the batch and a sufficient number of samples shall be taken to robustly establish the average properties of the biochar across the full production batch. A certification body or certification scheme may require analysis of retention samples if this is deemed necessary to establish a representative characterisation of a production batch, or to confirm that measurements taken are representative.
Sampling protocols may allow for a reduction in the frequency of sampling over time if it is demonstrated that a process reliably produces biochar with consistent characteristics from a given feedstock. Certification schemes may provide additional guidance on allowable sampling protocols, which may differentiate the level of sampling required for different production contexts and between different types of biochar where that is technically justified. The biochar producer shall take retention samples of the biochar produced which shall be made available on request to the certification body, certification scheme or relevant representatives of competent national authorities. One litre retention samples shall be taken for each production batch every day that biochar is produced and may be aggregated across the calendar month for storage, keeping samples of each production batch separate. Retention samples shall be stored for at least two years. 2.2.5.4. Quantification of associated GHG emissions The emissions associated with the operation of the biochar facility shall be calculated in accordance with equation [46]. GHGbiocharFalloc × GHGfacility + GHGinputs[46] where: Falloc=allocation fraction for biochar, calculated in accordance with equation [47]. The biochar shall be treated as a residue of another process if the chemical energy in the biochar produced (LHV) is less than 10 % of the total energy of the produced co-products, and in that case Falloc = 0 and it is not necessary for the terms GHGfacility and GHGinputs to be calculated;GHGfacility=total GHG emissions from operation and construction of the biochar production facility, calculated in accordance with Section 2.2.5.4.1;GHGinputs=total emissions associated with inputs to the biochar production facility, calculated using equation [54].Falloc{0 if the biochar is treated as a residueEbiocharEbiochar +co – productsEco – products otherwise[47] where: Ebiochar=chemical energy in the biochar in mega joule per kg [MJ/kg] of biochar produced, assessed by laboratory testing on a lower heating value basis;co – products=an index of the energy-containing co-products of the biochar production process. Outputs from the process that are exported from the facility to be used elsewhere and that contain at least 10 % of the total energy in all the outputs of the process are co-products. Electricity, useful heat and materials containing chemical energy (assessed on a lower heating-value basis) exported from the facility shall be treated as co-products if they meet these conditions. Electricity or heat used by the activity, including for drying biomass, shall not be counted as being exported from the facility and therefore are not co-products. Co-products that are subject to further processing before export from the facility shall be included based on their energy content prior to this additional processing. Outputs with no heating value (e.g. ash) or outputs sent for disposal shall not be considered in the allocation calculation;Eco – products=In the case of material co-products, the chemical energy in each co-product in MJ/kg of biochar produced, assessed by laboratory testing on a lower heating value basis. In the case of electricity and heat as co-products, the amount of electricity or useful heat supplied to a grid, network or user outside the activity, where useful heat is defined as heat generated to satisfy an economical justifiable demand for heat, for heating and cooling purposes (cf. paragraph 1 of Part C of Annex V to Directive (EU) 2018/2001).
2.2.5.4.1. Emissions from the biochar facility The emissions GHGbiochar associated with the biochar production facility, including any emissions associated with preparation and packaging of biochar, shall be calculated in accordance with equation [48]. GHGfacilityGHGbio + GHGbio – storage + GHGcombustion + CH4release + GHGelec + GHGheat + GHGcapital + GHGdisposal[48] whereby: GHGbio refers to emissions associated with the production and supply of biomass and biomass fuel used at the biochar-producing facility, calculated in accordance equation [49]. GHGbiofuelsQbiomass × EFbiomass[49] where: Qbiomass=quantity of the biomass or biomass fuel that is consumed by the biochar production facility in the certification period, expressed in an appropriate unit, excluding any non-biomass contamination (e.g. soil, rocks);EFbiomass=emission factor, expressed in tCO2e/unit, selected in accordance with the rules in Section 2.3.4.3. GHGbio – storage refers to CH4 emissions due to biomass storage prior to processing at the biochar production facility. It shall be calculated for each quantity of feedstock of a given type that is harvested or collected at the same time and stored in the same way. GHGbio – storage shall be set to zero for a quantity of feedstock if one or more of the following practices are followed for all biomass utilised: (a) biomass stored for use in the biochar production process consists of coarse woody material that naturally remains well aerated; (b) biomass that is stored in a form that does not necessarily remain naturally aerated shall either: (i) be stored for no more than four weeks prior to processing; or (ii) be stored with a maximum of 30 % residual moisture; (c) biomass is pelleted for storage; (d) operators otherwise demonstrate that biomass is stored in a way that avoids significant methane emissions from anaerobic decomposition given the nature of the feedstock and the local conditions. Otherwise, GHGbio – storage shall be calculated in accordance with equation [50]. GHGbio – storagefeedstock1,335×0,0013× Qfeedstock × Cfeedstock × Tstorage – 1 × GWPCH4[50] where: Qfeedstock=Quantity of feedstock stored for more than four weeks in potentially anaerobic conditions;Cfeedstock=carbon content of the feedstock, expressed as a mass %;Tstorage=Period in months for which feedstock is stored in potentially anaerobic conditions;feedstock=an index of the feedstocks consumed;GWPCH4=global warming potential of methane, 100 year basis;0,0013=assumed monthly fractional loss of biomass carbon from storage;1,335=the mass ratio of a methane molecule to a carbon atom. GHGcombustion refers to emissions due to fuel consumption at the biochar production facility, including CH4 and N2O emissions from biomass, biogas and bioliquid combustion for energy, whether brought in from outside the facility or co-produced by the process, calculated in accordance with equation [51]. GHGcombustionfuelsQfuel × EFfuel + CO2stored,fossil[51] where: Qfuel=quantity of the fuel consumed in the certification period, expressed in an appropriate unit, including in the case of mixed biogenic and non-biogenic feedstocks any fossil-carbon-based material in the input that is combusted to CO2;EFfuel=emission factor, expressed in tCO2e/unit, selected in accordance with the rules in Section 2.3.4.4;CO2 stored,fossil=minus the quantity of fossil CO2 from fuel combustion at the biochar production facility captured and permanently stored at a site permitted under Directive 2009/31/EC;Fuels=an index of the fuels consumed.
CH4release refers to any emission into the atmosphere of methane generated by the biochar production process. CH4 emissions shall be measured at least twice per production unit during the first certification period with an interval of at least a third of the certification period, and measured in grams of methane emission per kilogram of biochar production. The certification scheme may further specify the requirements for methane sampling, and may provide guidance on conservatively inferring methane emissions from related measurements such as hydrocarbons or CO. If these measurements are consistent, the average of the measurements may be taken as characteristic of the production unit. CH4 emissions measurements shall be considered consistent if either: (a) both measurements demonstrate that CH4 is only emitted at trace levels, defined as a level of CH4 emissions that would amount to less than 1 % of CRtotal if continued for the entire certification period and expressed in tCO2e on a GWP 100 basis; or (b) the measured level is similar for the two measurements, defined as the higher of the two measurements being not more than 40 % above the lower measurement. If the measurements are not consistent, additional measurements shall be taken until a reliable estimate of average CH4 emissions is established. In the case that CH4 emissions above a trace level are identified, the operator shall produce and implement a CH4 reduction plan to eliminate these emissions that shall be measured again in the subsequent certification period. If CH4 emissions are found to be emitted at only trace levels, such measured level may be taken as representative for that production unit for the following five years, after which CH4 emissions shall be measured again. GHGelec refers to emissions due to electricity consumption at the biochar production facility, calculated in accordance with equation [52]. GHGelecelectricity sourceQelec × EFelec[52] where: Qelec=net quantity of electricity consumed in the certification period, selected in accordance with Section 2.3.2, expressed in an appropriate unit;EFelec=emission factor for the consumed electricity, expressed in tCO2e/unit, selected in accordance with Section 2.3.4.1;electricity source=an index across electricity sources. GHGheat refers to emissions due to net consumption of useful heat at the biochar producing facility, calculated in accordance with equation [53]. GHGheatheat sourceQheat × EFheat[53] where: Qheat=net quantity of useful heat consumed in the certification period for the biochar production process, selected in accordance with Section 2.3.2, expressed in an appropriate unit;EFheat=emission factor for the consumed heat, expressed in tCO2e/unit, selected in accordance with Section 2.3.4.2;heat source=index of all utilised external heat sources. GHGcapital refers to capital emissions from construction and installation of the biochar production facility and shall be calculated in accordance with the principles detailed in Section 2.3.5.
GHGdisposal refers to emissions from the treatment or disposal of any wastes generated by the biochar production facility. This shall include emissions associated with the supply of any energy and inputs consumed in the course of waste disposal and any other GHG emissions associated with the disposal process including emissions of N2O and/or CH4 due to aerobic or anaerobic degradation of biogenic wastes. The certification schemes may provide guidance to allow operators to estimate disposal emissions where direct measurement would be unduly burdensome, and operators may use default values for disposal emissions where these are provided by the certification scheme for specific activity types. 2.2.5.5. Emissions from inputs Where there are inputs including chemicals, but excluding anything within the scope of capital emissions, consumed by the biochar production facility, other than fuels that are considered in the GHGcombustion term, the emissions associated with the consumption of these inputs during the certification period shall be calculated in accordance with equation [54]. GHGinputsinputsQinput × EFinput[54] where: Qinput=quantity of the input consumed in the certification period, expressed in an appropriate unit;EFinput=emission factor for the input consumed, expressed in tCO2e/unit, selected in accordance with Section 2.3.4.4. The operator may group any number of inputs whose collective emissions are considered non-material on the basis of a materiality assessment and substitute for them an emission term equal to 2 % × CRtotal (cf. Section 2.2.3), i.e. a group of inputs for which when taking a high end estimate of expected associated emissions, in accordance with equation [55]. inputsQinput × EFinput2 % × CRtotal[55] 2.2.5.5.1. CO2 capture at the biochar production facility Where CO2 capture of biogenic CO2 is implemented at the biochar production facility, this shall not be counted as a negative emission in GHGassociated but may be eligible for certification as a BioCCS carbon removal activity. 2.2.5.6. Monitoring and reporting In accordance with Section 1.3.3, operators shall include in the monitoring report before each re-certification audit the measured or calculated parameters listed in Table 7. Where a parameter is noted as to be monitored, it shall be included in the monitoring plan in accordance with Section 1.3.2. If a quantity of biochar is produced during one certification period but applied or incorporated in a later certification period, the emissions and removals associated with that quantity of biochar shall be recorded in the later certification period. Table 7 Parameters for inclusion in the monitoring report EquationParameterUnitDefinitionNotes[45],[46]GHGbiochartCO2eEmissions associated with the operation of the biochar facilityCalculated using eq. [46][46],[47]Falloc%Allocation fraction of biocharCalculated using eq. [47][46],[48]GHGfacilitytCO2eTotal GHG emissions from operation and construction of the biochar production facilityCalculated using eq. [48][46],[54]GHGinputstCO2eTotal GHG emissions associated with inputs to the biochar production facilityCalculated using eq. [54][47]EbiocharMJ/kg biochar producedChemical energy in the biocharTo be monitored[47]Eco – productsMJ/kg biochar producedChemical energy in each co-product in case of material co-productsTo be monitored[48],[49]GHGbiotCO2eGHG emissions associated with the production and supply of biomass and biomass fuels used at the biochar producing facilityCalculated using eq. [49][48],[50]GHGbio – storagetCO2eCH4 emissions due to biomass storage prior to processing at the biochar production facilityCalculated using eq. [50][48],[51]GHGcombustiontCO2eEmissions due to fuel consumption at the biochar production facility, including CH4 and N2O emissions from biomass and biomass fuel combustion for energyCalculated using eq. [51]
[48]CH4releasetCO2eQuantity of methane emitted from the biochar producing processTo be monitored[48],[52]GHGelectCO2eEmissions due to net electricity consumption at the biochar production facilityCalculated using eq. [52][48],[53]GHGheattCO2eEmission due to net consumption of useful heat at the biochar producing facilityCalculated using eq. [53][48],[73]GHGcapitaltCO2eCapital emissionsCalculated using eq. [73][48]GHGdisposaltCO2eEmissions from treatment or disposal of any waste generated by the biochar producing facilityTo be monitored where relevant[49]Qbiomass[appropriate unit]Quantity of biomass and/or biomass fuel consumed for biochar producing processTo be monitored[49]EFbiomasstCO2e/unitEmission factor for that biomass and/or biomass fuel[50]Qfeedstock[appropriate unit]Quantity of feedstock stored for more than four weeks in potentially anaerobic conditionsTo be monitored where relevant[50]Cfeedstock%Carbon content in that feedstockTo be monitored where relevant[50]TstoragemonthsPeriod for which feedstock is stored in potentially anaerobic conditionsTo be monitored where relevant[51]Qfuel[appropriate unit]Quantity of the fuel consumed in the certification periodTo be monitored[51]EFfueltCO2e/unitEmission factor for the consumed fuel[51]CO2 stored,fossiltCO2Quantity of fossil CO2 from fuel combustion at the biochar production facility captured and permanently stored at a siteTo be monitored[52]Qelec[appropriate unit]Net quantity of electricity consumed in the certification periodTo be monitored[52]EFelectCO2e/unitEmission factor for the consumed electricity[53]Qheat[appropriate unit]Net quantity of useful heat consumed in the certification periodTo be monitored [53]EFheattCO2e/unitEmission factor for the consumed heat[54]Qinput[appropriate unit]Quantity of the input consumed in the certification periodTo be monitored[54]EFinputtCO2e/unitEmission factor for the input consumed[73], [74]GHGmaterialstCO2eEmissions from the materials utilised in the construction of the facilityCalculated using eq. [74][74]QmaterialstQuantity of materials utilised in the construction of the facilityTo be monitored[74]EFmaterialstCO2e/t of materialEmission factor for the utilised materials 2.2.6. Transport of biochar This section provides rules for the quantification of GHG emissions associated with biochar transportation. Any emissions associated with biomass or biomass fuel transportation from the point of harvest/collection to the biochar production facility do not fall under this section, but shall be included in the term GHGbio in equation [49]. 2.2.6.1. Quantification of associated greenhouse gas emissions for transport Following the principles in Section 2.3.4.5, GHG emissions associated with the transport of biochar, GHGtransport, shall either be calculated based on actual data on fuel consumption in accordance with equation [56] or based on vehicle efficiencies and actual data about vehicle distance travelled in accordance with equation [57]. Operators are permitted to use different approaches for different transport modes, in which case GHGtransport shall be calculated as the sum of the emissions calculated with each approach.
GHGtransporttripsQfuel × EFfuel[56] where: Qfuel=quantity of fuel consumed for each trip, including empty return trips, expressed in an appropriate unit;EFfuel=emission factor for the consumed fuel, expressed in tCO2e/unit, selected in accordance with the rules in Section 2.3.4.4;trips=an index of the trips taken.GHGtransportOL1KL × EFvehicle,loaded +RL1KL × EFvehicle,unloaded[57] where: KL=distance of each trip in kilometres;EFvehicle,loaded=the CO2 emissions per kilometre of the vehicle when loaded, in tCO2e/km travelled. This may be based on an appropriate conservative default emission factor if it has been provided by the certification scheme;EFvehicle,unloaded=the CO2 emissions per kilometre of the vehicle when unloaded, in grams of CO2e/km travelled. This may be based on an appropriate conservative default emission factor if it has been provided by the certification scheme. If no data/default is available for the unloaded vehicle but a value is available for EFvehicle,loaded, then the operator may set EFvehicle, unloadedEFvehicle, loaded;O=total number of outbound trips taken;R=total number of empty return trips taken;L=an index of the trips. 2.2.6.2. Monitoring and reporting In accordance with Section 1.3.3, operators shall include in the monitoring report before each re-certification audit the measured or calculated parameters listed in Table 8. Where a parameter is noted as to be monitored, it shall be included in the monitoring plan in accordance with Section 1.3.2. Table 8 Parameters for inclusion in the monitoring report EquationParameterUnitDefinitionNotes[56],[57]GHGtransporttCO2eGHG emissions due to energy use for biochar transportationCalculated using eq. [56] or [57][56]Qfuel[appropriate unit]Quantity of the fuel consumed in the certification periodTo be monitored[56]EFfueltCO2eEmission factor for consumed fuel[57]KLkmDistances of tripsTo be monitored[57]EFvehicle,loadedtCO2e/kmCO2 emission per kilometre of the loaded transport vehicles[57]EFvehicle,unloadedgCO2e/kmCO2 emission per kilometre of the unloaded transport vehicles 2.2.7. Application of biochar This section provides rules for the quantification of the permanence fraction of the CO2 removals generated by the BCR activity and GHG emissions associated with the application of biochar to soils or incorporation of biochar to products. 2.2.7.1. Calculation of the permanence fraction The permanence fraction of the biochar, Fperm, may be calculated using one of the approaches described below. Operators may choose for each production batch which approach to use to calculate the permanence fraction, but may not combine elements of these two approaches to assess the permanence of a single production batch. 2.2.7.1.1. Random reflectance assessment Operators using this option shall submit at least three random samples from each production batch of biochar for random reflectance assessment at a qualified laboratory. The reflectance assessment shall involve two analytical elements: (a) Part of each sample shall be thermochemically analysed to identify the reactive organic carbon fraction, Freactive. This analysis shall involve heating the sample to identify the fraction of the material that is subject to thermal decomposition when heated to high temperature. The laboratory must use a methodology consistent with best practice. Certification schemes may set additional requirements on this laboratory analysis.
(b) Part of each sample shall be analysed with incident light microscopy to measure the random reflectance of the non-reactive solid fraction, and identify the fraction of the sample that has a random reflectance, Ro, of at least 2 %. The certification scheme may require the operator to use a specific laboratory method for this analysis, which should be consistent with current science and best practice. If the certification scheme does not specify a method, the operator shall use a laboratory method that meets the specifications stated below. In the analysis, each sample shall be prepared by embedding crushed particles from the sample in a resin, grinding and polishing one of the faces of the resulting pellet and assessing the reflectance by taking 500 point measurements per sample, evenly distributed across the polished surface. A distribution shall be fitted to these point measurements using kernel density estimation with a univariate Gaussian kernel, where given a set of measured Ro values x1, x2, x3, … , x500 the fitted function shall be defined: f̂x1500 h500i = 1Kx – xih[58] Where: f̂x=the estimated probability density function at point x;h=the bandwidth, a smoothing parameter that determines the width of the kernel and is to be calculated h0,9× minσRo,IQR1,34 × 500–0,2 where σRo is the standard deviation of the Ro values and IQR their inter-quartile range;K(u)=the Gaussian kernel function Ku12πe–u22 where ux – xih. The fraction of the non-reactive material with a Ro greater than 2 %, FRo>2 %, shall then be calculated by numerical integration of the fitted function using the composite Simpson’s 1/3 rule to estimate the value of the integral of the probability function for Ro > 2 %. FRo2 %∞2 %f̂xdx[59] The permanence fraction in each submitted sample i of biochar shall then be calculated as: Fpermi1 – Freactivei × FRo2 %i[60] For a number of tested samples n, the estimated permanence fraction of the sampled biochar shall be calculated as the arithmetic mean of the permanence fractions measured for each sample: Fpermn1Fpermin[61] For the purpose of the uncertainty assessment required in Section 2.3.6, the assessment of Fperm by the random reflectance method shall be treated as having an associated uncertainty calculated in accordance with equation [62]. UncertaintyFperm1,65×σRoψRo × n+2,5%[62] Where: σRo=the standard deviation of the mean value of Ro for each of the n samples;ψRo=the arithmetic mean of the mean value of Ro for each of the n samples;2,5 %=a conservatism factor. 2.2.7.1.2. Decay function This approach consists in the application of a decay function parameterised by the H/Corg ratio of the biochar, which shall always be less than or equal to 0,7, and the annual average temperature at its location of application or incorporation, i.e. soil temperature for application to soils and air temperature for incorporation in products. Certification schemes may provide additional guidance or location-specific default values for assessing temperature.
Operators using this option for permanence assessment shall use the H/Corg ratio for the biochar and the expected average temperature for the location of biochar application or incorporation (soil temperature in the case of application, air temperature in the case of incorporation) to calculate Fperm in accordance with equation [63] using the appropriate parameters m and c from Table 9, rounding temperature up to the next 5 °C interval. This estimates the remaining carbon after 200 years using the decay data documented by Woolf et al. (2021) Woolf, D., Lehmann, J., Ogle, S., Kishimoto-Mo, A. W., McConkey, B., and Baldock, J., Greenhouse gas inventory model for biochar additions to soil, Environmental Science & Technology, 55(21), 2021, pp. 14795–14805, https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.1c02425. . Fpermm ×HCorg + c[63] where: HCorg=ratio of hydrogen to organic carbon in the biochar production batch;m=a parameter for the linear part of the modelled relationship between H/Corg ratio and permanence;c=a parameter for the constant part of the modelled relationship between H/Corg ratio and permanence. Table 9 Parameters for calculating Fperm Temperature (°C)mC5–0,51,10810–0,6501,00115–0,6530,89620–0,6360,82925–0,6210,789 For the purpose of the uncertainty assessment required in Section 2.3.6, the assessment of Fperm by the decay function method shall be treated as having an associated uncertainty of zero, as the decay function is already considered a conservative basis for estimation. 2.2.7.2. Quantification of associated GHG emissions The GHG emissions associated with the application and/or incorporation of biochar into soils and products across one or more application or incorporation sites shall be calculated in accordance with equation [64]. Only emissions that are directly related to the use of the biochar shall be included. In the case that biochar is intermixed with another material, such as fertiliser, prior to application or incorporation, emissions associated with producing and handling those second materials shall not be included, and the emissions from application or incorporation shall be allocated on a mass basis. The certification scheme may provide detailed guidance on how the associated greenhouse gas emissions shall be assessed for particular types of activities. GHGuseSFS × GHGbiochar site,S[64] where: FS=mass fraction of the biochar from the activity in the total mass of soil amendment applied to soils or of material incorporated into products at each site. The total mass includes the biochar from the activity, any biochar sourced from other activities for use at the same site, and any other materials intermixed with the biochar;GHGbiochar site,S=is defined in equation [65]. 2.2.7.2.1. Emissions from application or incorporation The GHG emissions associated with application or incorporation at each site shall be calculated in accordance with equation [65]. GHGbiochar siteGHGcombustion + GHGelec + GHGheat[65] where: GHGcombustion=GHG emissions due to fuel consumption at the application or incorporation site, including by vehicles and mobile equipment, in tCO2e, calculated in accordance with equation [66];GHGelec=GHG emissions due to electricity consumption at the application or incorporation site in tCO2e., calculated in accordance with equation [67];GHGheat=GHG emissions due to heat consumption at the application or incorporation site, in tCO2e., calculated in accordance with equation [68].
GHGcombustionfuelsQfuel × EFfuel[66]GHGelecelectricity sourceQelec × EFelec[67]GHGheatheat sourceQheat × EFheat[68] where: Qfuel=quantity of the fuel consumed in the certification period, expressed in appropriate unit;EFfuel=emission factor for the fuel consumed, expressed in tCO2e/unit, selected in accordance with Section 2.3.4.4;Qelec=net quantity of electricity consumed in the certification period, selected in accordance with Section 2.3.2, expressed in appropriate unit;EFelec=emission factor for the consumed electricity, expressed in tCO2e/unit, selected in accordance with Section 2.3.4.1;Qheat=net quantity of useful heat consumed in the certification period, selected in accordance with Section 2.3.2, expressed in appropriate unit;EFheat=emission factor for the consumed heat, expressed in tCO2e/unit, selected in accordance with Section 2.3.4.2. Operators may use default values per tonne of material applied or incorporated for specified application or incorporation methods for any of the quantities Qfuel, Qelec and Qheat where such default values are provided by the certification scheme. 2.2.7.3. Monitoring and reporting In accordance with Section 1.3.3, operators shall include in the monitoring report before each re-certification audit the measured or calculated parameters listed in Table 10. Where a parameter is noted as to be monitored, it shall be included in the monitoring plan in accordance with Section 1.3.2. Table 10 Parameters for inclusion in the monitoring report EquationParameterUnitDefinitionNotes[44]QbiochartQuantity of biochar in the production batchTo be monitored[44]Corg%Fractional content of organic carbon in the biochar production batchTo be monitored[44],[61], [63]Fperm%Permanence fraction of each biochar production batch determined using either the random reflectance assessment approach or the decay function approachCalculated using equation [61] or [63][59]FRo2 %%Fraction of non-reactive biochar in a sample that has random reflectance greater than 2 %To be monitored [63]HCorgdimensionlessRatio of hydrogen to organic carbon in biochar production batch. HCorg ratio is to be measured for every production batch.To be monitored[64]GHGusetCO2eGHG emissions associated with the application or incorporation of biochar into soils and products across one or more application/incorporation sitesTo be monitored[64]FS%Mass fraction of the biochar from the activity in the total mass of soil amendment applied to soils or of material incorporated into products at each site.To be monitored[64],[65]GHGbiochar site,StCO2eGHG emissions associated with energy use and operation to apply or incorporate the biochar or biochar-containing matrixCalculated using eq. [65][65],[66]GHGcombustiontCO2eGHG emissions due to fuel consumption at the application or incorporation siteCalculated using eq. [66][65],[67]GHGelectCO2eGHG emissions due to electricity consumption at the application or incorporation siteCalculated using eq. [67][65],[68]GHGheattCO2eGHG emissions due to heat consumption at the application or incorporation siteCalculated using eq. [68][66]Qfuel[appropriate unit]Quantity of the fuel consumed in the certification periodTo be monitored[66]EFfueltCO2e/unitEmission factor for the fuel consumed[67]Qelec[appropriate unit]Net quantity of electricity consumed in the certification periodTo be monitored[67]EFelectCO2e/unitEmission factor for the consumed electricity[68]Qheat[appropriate unit]Net quantity of useful heat consumed in the certification periodTo be monitored[68]EFheattCO2e/unitEmission factor for the consumed heat
2.3. Common elements for quantification 2.3.1. Completeness and materiality The quantification of associated GHG emissions shall be complete and shall cover all process and combustion emissions from all material emission sources and source streams belonging to the permanent carbon removal activities and all other relevant emissions. Where an operator or a certification body identifies emissions from a source, or from a group of sources, associated with an activity that are material but are not covered by the present methodology, the operator shall ensure that such emissions are included in the calculation of the associated GHG emissions. Unless otherwise stated, all emission sources identified in these rules must be assessed and must be included in the calculation of GHGassociated, even if they do not reach the level of materiality described here. There are two potential exceptions to this principle, contexts in which a materiality assessment may be undertaken and emissions assessed as being below the materiality threshold do not need to be directly assessed. These contexts are capital emissions (Section 2.3.5), and input emissions (Sections 2.1.5.2.2, 2.1.6.3.2 and 2.1.8.4.2). A materiality assessment may also be required, as noted above, if the operator or certification body identified emissions from a source that is associated with the activity but is not explicitly identified in the present methodology. Where a materiality assessment is required on a specified emission source or group of emission sources, the operator must present to the certification body an estimate of the potential range of emissions across the activity period associated with that source. If the emissions at the high end of this range are equal to or greater than 2 % of the gross carbon removals delivered, or expected to be delivered, over the course of the activity period, then the emissions from that source are considered potentially material and must be directly assessed. At the certification audit operators shall carry out the materiality assessment based on expected emissions and removals over the activity period, and the basis for concluding that any emissions are immaterial shall be described in the activity plan. At re-certification audits the certification body shall assess whether there has been a significant deviation from the operational conditions declared at the certification audit. If such a deviation is identified operators shall carry out the materiality assessment again. 2.3.2. Net consumption of useful heat or electricity Any energy recovery resulting from process configurations may lead to a reduction in the additional net consumption of a specified type of energy or a shift in net demand from one energy type to another. Therefore, for the calculation of net electricity or net useful heat consumption, operators shall assess the overall change in demand after such recovery processes have been implemented. The calculation of net consumption shall exclude any electricity or heat both produced and consumed on-site at the capture facility or the storage site or for the transport infrastructure. Emissions associated with electricity or heat generated on-site at a facility shall be accounted for separately by consideration of the fuel consumed. The overall change in demand corresponds to the difference between the quantity of electricity or heat imported from outside the facility for use directly by the activity and the quantity of electricity or heat that is exported for other uses that was recovered from processes directly required for the activity, including downstream processes such as CO2 liquefaction. The calculation of net electricity or net useful heat consumption shall not include any heat or electricity that is produced specifically for export from the facility rather than recovered from a necessary process.
Where the net quantity of consumed heat or electricity is less than the gross quantity and this heat or electricity originates from more than one source, the net consumption from each source shall be calculated proportionally so that: Qheatelec,net,sourceQheatelec,gross,source ×sourcesQheatelec,net,sourcesourcesQheatelec,gross,source[69] where: Qheatelec,gross,source=gross quantity of electricity or useful heat from a given source consumed in the certification period;Sources=index of sources of heat or electricity. In case of a net increase in availability of a type of energy as a result of energy recovery, the quantity (Qheat or Qelec) may be reported as a negative value. Operators shall ensure that any above-mentioned negative quantity is substantiated through correct process assumptions. In the case that one or both of the terms Qheat or Qelec calculated for a process element is negative, then the accompanying emission factor (EFheat or EFelec) shall be set to zero (i.e. there shall never be a negative term for GHGheat or GHGelec). 2.3.3. Additional biomass consumption Additional biomass consumption refers to the biomass, biofuel, bioliquid and biomass fuel that is consumed specifically to provide energy for a carbon capture process. In the case that heat is recovered from an existing biomass-based process whose primary aim is not the production of heat or electricity, and is used by the capture facility, this shall not be treated as a form of additional biomass consumption and shall instead by assessed using an emission factor for the consumed heat following Section 2.3.4.3. 2.3.3.1. Bioenergy facilities generating only electricity In the case that carbon is captured at a bioenergy facility generating only electricity and some of this own electricity is consumed to power the carbon capture process, the additional biomass consumption Qbiomass shall be calculated from the net amount of own electricity consumed in accordance with equation [70]. QbiomassQelecηelec[70] where: Qelec=the net consumption of own electricity;ηelec=the electrical efficiency of the facility, defined as the electricity produced in the certification period, including the electricity consumed for carbon capture, divided by the fuel input in the certification period based on its energy content. 2.3.3.2. Bioenergy facilities generating only heat In the case that carbon is captured at a bioenergy facility generating only heat and some of this own heat is consumed to power the carbon capture process, the additional biomass consumption Qbiomass shall be calculated from the net amount of own heat consumed in accordance with equation [71]. QbiomassQheatηheat[71] where: Qheat=the net consumption of own heat;ηheat=the heat efficiency of the facility, defined as the heat produced in the certification period, including the heat consumed for carbon capture, divided by the fuel input in the certification period based on its energy content. 2.3.3.3. Bioenergy facilities generating a mix of heat and electricity
In the case that carbon is captured at a bioenergy facility generating both electricity and heat, the additional biomass consumption Qbiomass shall be calculated from the net amount of own electricity and own heat consumed in accordance with equation [72], whereby the value Qbiomass shall be > 0). QbiomassCelec × Qelec + Cheat × QheatCelec × ηelec + Cheat × ηheat[72] where: Qelec=the net consumption of own electricity;ηelec=the electrical efficiency of the facility under typical operational conditions. This may either be calculated as the electricity produced in the certification period, including the electricity consumed for carbon capture, divided by the fuel input in the certification period based on its energy content, or may be set for the whole activity period based on technical documentation (design values) of the installation;Qheat=the net consumption of own heat;ηheat=the heat efficiency of the facility under typical operational conditions. This may either be calculated as the heat produced in the certification period, including the heat consumed for carbon capture, divided by the fuel input in the certification period based on its energy content, or may be set for the whole activity period based on technical documentation (design values) of the installation;Celec=the fraction of exergy in the electricity, set to 1;Cheat=Carnot efficiency (fraction of exergy in the useful heat), defined as CheatTheat – T0Theat where Theat is the average temperature of the consumed heat in K (kelvin), and T0 is 273,15 K. The two parameters ηelec and ηheat must be set consistently, either both by calculation or both by reference to technical documentation. If the values are based on technical documentation then they must be set on the same basis as if they were calculated (i.e. expected electricity and heat output, respectively, divided by expected fuel consumption in a representative mode of operation) and the certification body shall verify that the values used are consistently achievable under nominal operation of the facility, and that the mode of operation used to set the values is a reasonable representation of the way in which the installation is actually operated. 2.3.4. Emission factors 2.3.4.1. Electricity The emission factor applied in the calculation of emissions associated with any net electricity consumption (EFelec) shall be calculated in accordance with paragraphs 5 and 6 of Part A of the Annex to Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/1185 Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/1185 of 10 February 2023 supplementing Directive (EU) 2018/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council by establishing a minimum threshold for greenhouse gas emissions savings of recycled carbon fuels and by specifying a methodology for assessing greenhouse gas emissions savings from renewable liquid and gaseous transport fuels of non-biological origin and from recycled carbon fuels (OJ L 157, 20.6.2023, p. 20, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_del/2023/1185/oj).
. By way of derogation from the first paragraph: (a) the calculation period for the electricity emission factor may be less than a calendar year and may span across parts of two calendar years; the certification period includes only part of one or two calendar years: (i) if the certification period falls entirely within a single calendar year, the electricity emission factor shall be calculated either based on data for the exact certification period or on data for the full calendar year; (ii) if the certification period spans across two calendar years, an electricity emission factor shall be calculated for electricity consumed in each of those calendar years either based on data for the exact part of the certification period falling in each year or on data for the full calendar years; (b) for any activity based on a new capture facility or biochar production facility for which a final investment decision is made and construction has started no later than 31 December 2029, and for which the operator claims a zero emission factor for consumed electricity on the basis that the electricity is fully renewable, then if the operator is required to demonstrate temporal correlation between the consumption and generation of the renewable electricity, that temporal correlation may be assessed on an annual basis instead of on an hourly basis until 31 December 2044 or the end of the first activity period, whichever is sooner. Operators may choose the approach to attribute greenhouse gas emissions values to the electricity for each source of consumed electricity independently, i.e. they are not required to use the same approach for setting the emission factor for electricity consumed in different locations. Certification schemes may provide lists of up to date electricity emissions intensity values at the bidding zone level. In the case of net electricity export (a negative value for Qelec) the emission factor shall be zero. 2.3.4.2. Heat The following emission factors shall be applied in the calculation of emissions associated with any net heat consumption: (a) for heat that is recovered from a process that is part of the activity: there are no additional emissions; (b) for heat that is generated by combustion of fossil fuels: lifecycle emission factors for fossil fuel supply and combustion set out in the latest version of the Joint Research Centre document Definition of input data to assess GHG default emissions from biofuels in EU legislation Edwards, R., O’Connell, A., Padella, M., Giuntoli, J., Koeble, R., Bulgheroni, C., Marelli, L., and Lonza, L., Definition of input data to assess GHG default emissions from biofuels in EU legislation, Version 1d – 2019, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, 2019, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2760/69179. divided by the thermal efficiency of the heat generation process; (c) for heat that is generated from biomass, biofuel, bioliquid or biomass fuel other than the case of own-heat consumption by a facility capturing CO2 from biomass consumption for energy generation: emission factors for the supply and combustion (excluding CO2 from combustion) of the biomass, biofuel, bioliquid or biomass fuel used, calculated in accordance with Annex VI to Directive (EU) 2018/2001 divided by the thermal efficiency of the heat generation process;
(d) for heat that is generated from non-biomass renewable sources: the emission factor is equal to zero; (e) for heat from nuclear energy production: the emission factor is equal to zero; (f) for heat that is recovered from a process from which heat was not previously recovered until a maximum of three months prior to the start of the activity): emission factor is equal to zero; (g) for heat that is recovered from a process from which heat was already recovered or from a new process, i.e. a process coming into operation less than 6 months prior to the start of the activity, and that process is not directly related to the activity: the emission factor shall be set to the EU ETS benchmark emission factor for heat; (h) for heat that is supplied from a heat network: the emission factor shall be set to the EU ETS benchmark emission factor for heat. In the case of net heat export (a negative value for Qheat) the emission factor shall be zero. 2.3.4.3. Biomass When biomass, biofuel Liquid fuel for transport produced from biomass. , bioliquid Liquid fuel for energy purposes other than for transport produced from biomass. or biomass fuel Gaseous or solid fuel produced from biomass. meeting the sustainability requirements set out in Article 29 of Directive (EU) 2018/2001 is consumed for an activity (see Sections 2.1.6.3.1 and 2.2.5.4.1), any CO2 produced by chemical processes from the carbon atoms therein contained shall be accounted for with a CO2 emission factor equal to zero, but the supply chain emissions for provision of the biomass, biofuel, bioliquid or biomass fuel shall be accounted for, and any non-CO2 emissions associated with biomass combustion (primarily CH4 and N2O) shall be accounted for. The emission factor applied in the calculation of supply chain emissions associated with any consumption of biomass, biofuel, bioliquid or biomass fuel for the activity shall be calculated in accordance with the rules for calculating the GHG emissions associated with biomass, biofuel, bioliquid or biomass fuel supply set out in Annex V and Annex VI to Directive (EU) 2018/2001, considering the emissions up to the point of consumption associated with the terms eec, el, and ep as defined in those annexes plus emissions associated with transport (see next paragraph), and converting where necessary from emissions per unit of energy produced by a bioenergy facility to emissions per unit of feedstock consumed. As in Directive (EU) 2018/2001, wastes and residues shall be considered to have zero life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions up to the process of collection of those materials. For municipal waste, post-consumer wood waste and sewage sludge the process of collection for the purposes of emissions calculation under Regulation (EU) 2024/3012 shall be understood to start only when the material is deposited at the facility at which the CO2 capture activity will be implemented (for example at an energy recovery facility). Emissions for transport of the biomass, biofuel, bioliquid or biomass fuel to the capture facility shall be calculated based on the actual distance travelled and mode of transport, whereby the disaggregated default emission factors listed for the etd term shall not be used. With regard to indirect land-use change (ILUC) emissions, the requirements set in Section 4.3.1 prevent the increase in the consumption of food and feed crops or food and feed-crop based biofuels, bioliquids or biomass fuels to supply on-site heat or electricity used for the CO2 capture process and therefore ILUC emissions shall be set to zero .
Certification schemes may provide guidance on the calculation for feedstocks that do not have disaggregated default values in the Annexes to Directive (EU) 2018/2001. 2.3.4.4. Inputs and fuels Where the quantification rules require the calculation of emissions associated with the use of inputs to that activity, including fossil fuels and materials used in the construction of capital equipment, lifecycle emission factors for those inputs shall be taken either from lists of default factors provided by the certification schemes or from the following hierarchical list of sources, sourcing the emission factors from the first source in the list from which it is available and using, where available, the most recent version of the sources: (a) Part B of the Annex to Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/1185; (b) the most recent version of the Environmental Footprint datasets, or EF-compliant datasets; (c) the Joint Research Centre document, Definition of input data to assess GHG default emissions from biofuels in EU legislation; (d) the JEC Well-to-Wheels report Prussi, M., Yugo, M., De Prada, L., Padella, M., and Edwards, R., JEC Well-To-Wheels report V5, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, 2020, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2760/100379. ; (e) the ECOINVENT database, version 3.5 or a more recent version, or other comparable commercial databases; (f) official sources such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), International Energy Agency (IEA), or government; (g) other reviewed sources or peer-reviewed publications. Where access to any databases under point (e) is not possible, operators may rely on points (f) or (g) above. The lifecycle emission factors shall reflect the emissions associated with supplying those inputs up to the point of use by the activity. If necessary, emission factors taken from these sources shall be adjusted to exclude any carbon contained within the input material itself. If such carbon is oxidised and emitted as a result of processes associated with the activity this shall be counted as an emission source directly. The use of data from divergent sources may lead to slight inconsistencies in the scope of lifecycle accounting applied to different inputs. Operators are not required to recalculate data from these sources to achieve full consistency in lifecycle scope across the utilised input data. Certification schemes may provide lists of default conservative emission factors. This may include emission factors available from sources in the hierarchal list above. If there is uncertainty in the best estimate of these values or if some degree of variability can be expected in these values, such default emission factors shall be set conservatively, i.e. must be set in such a way that the use of those default emission factors is likely to lead to a marginal underestimation of delivered net carbon removals. Where standard deviation is quoted for a value, the default shall be set to the mean value plus one standard deviation. Where a 95 % confidence interval is quoted for a value, the default value shall be set halfway between the mean value and the 95 % confidence limit. These adjustments shall always be made in the direction that reduces the estimated net carbon removal benefit for an activity. Default emission factors shall be treated as having no associated uncertainty in the calculation specified in Section 2.3.6.
2.3.4.5. Transport Emissions from transport, whether of CO2 or of bulk materials, may be calculated either based on assessment of the fuel consumption and consequent emissions associated with the specific vehicles and routes utilised or based on conservative default factors provided by the certification scheme. Certification schemes may provide additional conservative default emission factors for specific forms of CO2 transport, under the condition that the basis for these values are clearly documented and the values are demonstrated to be conservative. Where default values are not used, operators may estimate the emissions either by recording the actual fuel consumption of the vehicles and other infrastructure utilised; or by calculating the product of the average GHG emissions associated with operating the specific vehicle or infrastructure (in gCO2e/km) and the distance travelled. GHG emission factors for fuels consumed shall be set on a lifecycle basis (i.e. including upstream emissions) in accordance with Section 2.3.4.4. GHG emission factors for vehicles transporting CO2 shall account for the mass of the CO2 containment equipment and for energy expenditures to compress and liquefy the CO2 and maintain it in that state. Operators shall account for the emissions associated with the return trip of vehicles used to transport CO2 or bulk materials considering them empty, unless they demonstrate that the return trip is used to provide another transport service. In that case the return emissions allocated to the activity may be set at zero for those trips. 2.3.5. Capital emissions If the quantification rules require the consideration of capital emissions associated with one or more facilities, the following shall apply: (a) if any facility first came into operation or has been expanded or refitted within 15 years prior to the certification date of the activity, or will be expanded or refitted within the activity period, the capital emissions associated with that construction, expansion or refit shall be considered; (b) for any other facility, the capital emissions shall be considered to be zero; (c) a materiality assessment shall be undertaken for the sum of all capital emissions across all relevant facilities. If the certification body concludes on the basis of this assessment that capital emissions may be material, the capital emissions shall be assessed; (d) any capital emissions associated with non-biomass renewable energy generating equipment shall be excluded from the calculation; (e) capital emissions shall only be assessed for the part of facilities or equipment that is directly required for the performance of the activity (i.e. specifically required for the CO2 capture and not solely for the underlying activity from which CO2 is captured). If capital emissions are to be assessed, the total capital emissions for each facility or facilities shall be calculated by taking an inventory of the construction materials utilised and fuel and energy consumed in the construction of the facility and summing the associated emissions. Emissions factors used in assessing capital emissions shall consider the full lifecycle of the materials and energy utilised. The calculated capital emissions for each facility shall be amortised by dividing them across either fifteen or twenty years. In cases where not all of the CO2 handled by the facility is associated with the activity certified under Regulation (EU) 2024/3012 (e.g. if some of the CO2 is transferred for utilisation) a pro-rata fraction of the capital emissions shall be allocated to the activity. In the case that a facility has equal or lower material requirements for construction than a previously constructed facility of the same type, operators may use the capital emission for that previous facility as an estimate of capital emissions for the new facility.
Certification schemes may provide conservative capital emissions factors for specific activity types, activity stages or facility sizes as an alternative to undertaking an activity-specific materiality assessment or full calculation. Such conservative values shall be set in such a way that they can be reasonably expected to be higher than the actual capital emissions for the relevant facility in at least 95 % of cases. If providing a default-based option, the certification scheme shall clearly document the basis for treating the provided values as conservative. This amortised emission shall be added to the associated GHG emissions for the activity for each year until either the fifteenth or the twentieth year (depending on the chosen amortisation period) following the year in which the facility came into operation, was expanded or was refitted, as relevant, in accordance with equation [73]. GHGcapitalQactivityQtotal×GHGcombustion + GHGelec + GHGheat + GHGmaterialsT[73] Where T is the amortisation period of either 15 or 20 years, Qactivity is the utilisation of the capital equipment by the activity in a relevant unit, Qtotal is the expected annual average total utilisation of the capital equipment over its operational lifetime in the same unit (so that QactivityQtotal1 if the equipment is used only by the activity) and, depending on the process step in the carbon removal activity, GHGcombustion shall be calculated as in equation [39] or [51], GHGelec shall be calculated as in equation [13], [22], [40] or [52], GHGheat shall be calculated as in equation [14], [23], [41] or [53] and GHGmaterials shall be calculated in accordance with equation [74]. GHGmaterialsmaterialsQmaterials × EFmaterials[74] where: Qmaterials=quantity of materials utilised in the construction of the facility, expressed in t;EFmaterials=emission factor for the utilised materials, expressed in tCO2/t of material, selected in accordance with Section 2.3.4.4. 2.3.6. Measured data and uncertainties Measurements, including measurements of CO2 flows, shall be undertaken in a way consistent with the requirements of Article 42 of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2066. Certification schemes may provide additional guidelines for specific types of measurement. Where measured, estimated or default data are used as the basis for calculations of sources or sinks, the operator shall assess the uncertainty introduced into the calculation of net carbon removals. Operators shall follow the principles for combining uncertainties set out in Section 3 of Chapter 6 (Quantifying Uncertainties in Practice) of the IPCC document Good Practice Guidance and Uncertainty Management in National Greenhouse Gas Inventories Penman, J., Kruger, D., Galbally, I., Hiraishi, T., Nyenzi, B., Emmanuel, S., Buendia, L., Hoppaus, R., Martinsen, T., Meijer, J., Miwa, K., and Tanabe, K. (Eds.), Good Practice Guidance and Uncertainty Management in National Greenhouse Gas Inventories, IPCC National Greenhouse Gas Inventories Programme, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, 2000, https://www.ipcc-nggip.iges.or.jp/public/gp/english/.
. Uncertainty shall be assessed based on the 95 % confidence interval. If the total resulting uncertainty estimate is lower than ± 2,5 %, no adjustment shall be applied (i.e. FC = 1). Otherwise, the conservatism factor FC shall be set to 100 % minus the total uncertainty estimate. If the total resulting uncertainty estimate is greater than ± 20 %, no units shall be issued for that certification period. Certification schemes may provide more detailed instructions on the calculation of uncertainty for specific activity types. 2.3.7. Confirmation of origin of CO2 stream For carbon removal activities with CO2 capture and permanent carbon storage, if the facility at which the CO2 is captured is not subject to monitoring under the ETS of the biogenic CO2 amount, the operators shall provide access, immediately at request, to representatives of certification bodies, certification schemes or relevant national authorities to allow unannounced random C14 testing of the CO2 stream leaving the facility prior to the point of leaving the facility (and if relevant prior to being intermixed with any separately captured fossil CO2 stream) to confirm its atmospheric or biogenic origin. If the atmospheric or biogenic origin cannot be confirmed then no units may be issued for the corresponding certification period, and the certification scheme must consider whether further action is required. 3. CARBON STORAGE AND LIABILITY 3.1. DACCS and BioCCS activities The CO2 captured by the activity shall be injected at an operational geological storage site permitted under Directive 2009/31/EC and operators of storage sites used by DACCS and BioCCS activities are liable for any release of CO2 from permanent geological storage under the rules set out in Article 16 of Directive 2009/31/EC. 3.2. BCR activity The H/Corg ratio of each batch of biochar shall be measured. No carbon removal units may be issued in respect of any batch of biochar that is measured to have an H/Corg ratio greater than 0,7. The use of produced biochar shall be monitored up to the point of application to soil or incorporation in a product, and carbon removal units shall be issued in relation to the quantity of biochar applied or incorporated. Biochar from certified activities shall be segregated in the supply chain from any biochar produced by non-certified activities until reaching the point of application or incorporation. Certified and non-certified biochar may be mixed at that point and then applied or incorporated. If biochar from multiple production batches produced by certified activities is mixed together prior to application or incorporation it shall be well mixed, and the mixed material shall be treated as consisting of fractions of the original batches in proportion to the quantities originally mixed. A segregated supply for each production batch is mandatory unless production batches can be demonstrated to be well mixed. The chain of custody shall in particular ensure that biochar is only used in ways that are appropriate to its production and characteristics.
Where biochar is applied to soils and this application is not directly overseen by a representative of a certification body, operators shall grant access to the location of application to certification schemes, certification bodies or relevant competent national authorities upon request, during the monitoring period, to allow the soil to be tested in order to confirm that biochar has been applied. After this point the application of the biochar shall be treated as having been demonstrated. Operators are not subject to further monitoring requirements after the end of the monitoring period as the risk of reversals is characterised through the assessment of the permanence fraction of the biochar and it is not practically possible to directly identify reversals after the point of application or incorporation. 4. SUSTAINABILITY 4.1. Minimum sustainability requirements 4.1.1. Climate change mitigation The eligibility requirements listed in Section 1.1 prevent the certification of activities that significantly harm the objective of climate change mitigation. 4.1.2. Climate change adaptation Operators shall comply with the criteria related to climate adaptation set out in Appendix A to Annex 1 to Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/2139 Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/2139 of 4 June 2021 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2020/852 of the European Parliament and of the Council by establishing the technical screening criteria for determining the conditions under which an economic activity qualifies as contributing substantially to climate change mitigation or climate change adaptation and for determining whether that economic activity causes no significant harm to any of the other environmental objectives (OJ L 442, 9.12.2021, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_del/2021/2139/oj). . 4.1.3. Sustainable use and protection of water and marine resources Operators shall evaluate and address any potential risks due to the activity to the good status or the good ecological potential of bodies of water, including surface water and groundwater, or to the good environmental status of marine waters. In the case that pollutants that are scrubbed from flue gases in order to reduce air pollution may be released to a body of water, the air pollution benefit and the availability of alternative discharge strategies shall be taken into consideration when evaluating the impact on water quality. 4.1.4. Transition to a circular economy, including the efficient use of sustainably sourced bio-based materials Operators shall evaluate and address any potential risks to the circular economy objectives from the activity, by considering the types of potential significant harm as set out in Article 17(1), point (d), of Regulation (EU) 2020/852 of the European Parliament and of the Council Regulation (EU) 2020/852 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 June 2020 on the establishment of a framework to facilitate sustainable investment, and amending Regulation (EU) 2019/2088 (OJ L 198, 22.6.2020, p. 13, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2020/852/oj).
. Operators shall comply with the requirements set in Sections 4.2 and 4.3. 4.1.5. Pollution prevention and control Operators shall evaluate and address any potential risks to generate a significant increase in the emissions of pollutants to air, water or land from the activity. Where facilities are within the scope of Directive 2010/75/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council Directive 2010/75/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 November 2010 on industrial and livestock rearing emissions (integrated pollution prevention and control) (OJ L 334, 17.12.2010, p. 17, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2010/75/oj). they shall comply with all requirements arising from that Directive. 4.1.5.1. BCR Operators of BCR activities where biochar is applied to agricultural, forest or urban soils shall demonstrate that: (a) the biochar complies with the limit values on heavy metals and organic contaminants stated in Section 4.4.1; (b) the biochar meets all requirements relating to pyrolysis and gasification materials in Regulation (EU) 2019/1009, including the limitations on permissible input materials. 4.1.6. Protection and restoration of biodiversity and ecosystems including soil health, as well as avoidance of land degradation Operators shall evaluate and address any potential risks to the good condition or resilience of ecosystems or to the conservation status of habitats and species, including those of Union interest or to the achievement of targets or obligations set out in national restoration plans established under Regulation (EU) 2024/1991 of the European Parliament and of the Council Regulation (EU) 2024/1991 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 June 2024 on nature restoration and amending Regulation (EU) 2022/869 (OJ L, 2024/1991, 29.7.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1991/oj). , from the activity. 4.1.6.1. BCR Operators of BCR activities where biochar is being applied to agricultural and forest soils shall demonstrate that the local context has been considered and that it is reasonable to expect no overall negative effect on biomass production, site condition or soil health and no significant reductions in the storage of other soil organic carbon through positive priming effects from the application of biochar. Where significant loss of other soil organic carbon or deleterious impacts on agricultural productivity, on biodiversity, on ecosystems receiving the biochar and the ones located downstream in the watershed, soil health, or on any other environmental aspects are considered likely by the certification body, no carbon removal units shall be issued in relation to that applied quantity. Certification schemes may provide additional best practice guidance or soil health monitoring guidance on biochar application to soils. To promote scientific advancement and facilitate collective progress in the field of biochar carbon removals, operators shall share relevant data and information that is not commercially sensitive upon request by certification schemes, competent national authorities or the European Commission, and without creating undue administrative burden for farmers. Certification schemes shall enable knowledge sharing between operators by providing platforms to allow the dissemination of data gathered in the course of any post-application monitoring activities undertaken by operators.
4.2. Biomass sustainability (a) All biomass, biofuel, bioliquid or biomass fuel that is used to generate the CO2 captured by the activity or as a feedstock for biochar production and any additional biomass, biofuel, bioliquid or biomass fuel consumed to produce energy for the activity shall comply with the following requirements: (i) where Article 29 of Directive (EU) 2018/2001 sets requirements that are to be met in order for biofuels, bioliquids and biomass fuels to be taken into account for the purposes referred to in Article 29(1), points (a), (b) and (c), of that Directive, those requirements shall be applied by the certification body also to biomass, biofuel, bioliquid or biomass fuel consumed in relation to an activity that seeks to generate carbon removal units, even if the activity does not generate renewable energy that is taken into account under Directive (EU) 2018/2001; (ii) operators shall disclose the biomass feedstock or feedstock mix consumed by the activity, and the biomass feedstock or feedstock mix used to produce consumed biofuels, bioliquids or biomass fuels, disaggregating feedstock to the level required in Directive (EU) 2018/2001 reporting, in national guidance and in relevant industrial standards; (iii) certification bodies are required to verify that the requirements in Article 29(10) of Directive (EU) 2018/2001 are met only in the case of a capture activity or of biochar production taking place at a facility producing heat or electricity or a biofuel, bioliquid or biogas, and with regard to the heat, electricity, biofuel, bioliquid or biogas produced; (iv) the biomass, biofuel, bioliquid or biomass fuel produced from wastes or residues other than agricultural, aquaculture, fisheries and forestry residues, is not subject to the requirements set out in Article 29(2) to (7) of Directive (EU) 2018/2001. Voluntary schemes approved by the Commission in accordance with Article 30(4) of Directive (EU) 2018/2001 and national schemes recognised by the Commission in accordance with Article 30(6) of Directive (EU) 2018/2001 shall be treated as providing accurate data for the demonstration of compliance with the biomass sustainability requirements for permanent carbon removal activities of this Regulation. Similarly, any other schemes that have been recognised by competent national authorities in the state where the capture facility is located shall be treated as providing accurate data in relation to the demonstration of compliance with these requirements. With regard to facilities regulated under Directive (EU) 2018/2001, periodic assessments of the compliance with sustainability requirements by Member State competent authorities shall not prevent certification bodies approving the issuance of units. However, if such assessment subsequently results in any non-conformity with Article 29 of that Directive, the non-conformity shall be notified to the certification bodies. (b) Where the CO2 captured by the activity is produced by a process that generates energy that is taken into account under Directive (EU) 2018/2001:
(i) the certification body shall verify that the national implementation of Directive (EU) 2018/2001 applies to the entity operating that process, and that the entity operating that process complies with this national implementation; (ii) the certification body shall verify that the entity operating that process complies with any measures in national implementations of Directive (EU) 2018/2001 that are introduced to ensure that woody biomass is used according to the list of priorities established in Article 3(3) of Directive (EU) 2018/2001, including any derogations introduced by Member States under Article 3(3a) of Directive (EU) 2018/2001, if the entity operating that process benefits from a relevant support scheme for the energy production; (iii) the certification body shall verify that the entity operating that process does not receive direct financial support from Member States for the use of saw logs, veneer logs, industrial grade roundwood, stumps and roots to produce energy, as set in Article 3(3c) of Directive (EU) 2018/2001; (c) the biomass, biofuel, bioliquid or biomass fuel from which emitted CO2 is captured, or from which the biofuel, bioliquid or biomass fuel from which the emitted CO2 is captured is produced, shall not be identified as being or as being produced from a high indirect land use change-risk feedstock under Directive (EU) 2018/2001; (d) if biomass is sourced from areas designated by the national competent authority for conservation, including areas covered by the national restoration plan pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2024/1991, or in habitats that are protected, the sourcing shall be in accordance with the conservation and restoration objectives for those areas. 4.3. Avoidance of unsustainable demand for biomass raw material 4.3.1. Requirements for BioCCS Any biomass, biofuel, bioliquid or biomass fuel from which CO2 emitted is captured shall be consumed with the primary purpose of generating a product other than CO2 for capture, and the process shall not be adjusted in a way that increases the generation of CO2 per unit of output if that adjustment is made solely to increase the quantity of CO2 that is available to be captured. This shall not be understood to preclude adjustments made to increase the fraction of the facility’s output that can be made subject to CO2 capture – for example if a facility has two combustion units one of which has a carbon capture unit, the facility may seek to maximise the use of the unit with carbon capture even if this marginally reduces the overall thermal efficiency of the facility – or to increase the overall efficiency of a production system. In order to ensure the avoidance of unsustainable demand for biomass raw material, the following additional requirements apply to facilities where the primary purpose of biomass, biofuel, bioliquid or biomass fuel consumption is to produce heat or electricity: (a) where the facility generating heat or electricity is a newly-constructed facility that became operational not more than one year before the start of the activity period, or a facility that previously consumed fossil fuel feedstock, either partly or entirely, and that was adjusted to increase the share of biomass, biofuel, bioliquid or biomass fuel in the feedstock mix not more than one year before the start of the activity period, operators shall demonstrate that the facility would still be economically viable without the carbon removal activity, i.e. that the net present value would be positive for a version of the facility without the cost of carbon capture or the revenue from carbon removal units or any other support predicated on the delivery of carbon removals;
(b) in all other cases, the operator shall demonstrate that the nameplate energy generation capacity of the facility has not increased by more than the amount necessary to supply energy for the capture process, as compared to the nameplate capacity on whichever date is later out of the date on which the facility became operational and the date three years prior to the start of the activity period. These requirements do not apply to waste-to-energy facilities combusting wastes or residues other than agricultural, aquaculture, fisheries and forestry residues, nor to facilities using biomass, biofuel, bioliquid or biomass fuel for non-energy applications or for energy applications where heat and or electricity are not the primary outputs (e.g. biofuel or biogas production), nor to facilities where biomass, biofuel, bioliquid or biomass fuel is used as part of a chemical reaction in an industrial process aimed at producing a product other than heat or electricity, even if energy is also extracted from the biomass, biofuel, bioliquid or biomass fuel in this process. Where the feedstock processed at the installation from which CO2 is captured includes food and feed crops or food and feed crop-based biofuels, bioliquids or biomass fuels, it is not permissible for energy derived from that feedstock to be used to operate the capture process, excepting the case of recovered heat. 4.3.2. Requirements for BCR activity Any production batch of biochar in which the produced biochar is expected to account for 50 % or more of the total energy outputs in the co-products of the biochar production facility (see equation [47], Section 2.2.5.4) shall only be produced from waste or residual feedstocks, or from biofuel, bioliquid or biomass fuel produced from waste or residual feedstocks, as defined in Article 2, points (23) (waste) and (43) (residue), of Directive (EU) 2018/2001. 4.3.3. Voluntary compensation of biomass used by carbon removal activities To support the regeneration of natural carbon stocks used for the generation of permanent carbon removals, operators of carbon removal activities that are based on consumption of biomass feedstock may purchase carbon farming sequestration units. The quantity of carbon farming sequestration units purchased by the operator shall be reported in the certificate of compliance. 4.4. Requirements regarding risks of pollution associated with biochar Operators shall follow requirements set by the certification schemes to establish compliance with the threshold levels in this section. When setting these requirements, certification schemes shall take a risk-based approach to the level of sampling and testing that is necessary, requiring at a minimum in the case of biochar for application to agricultural and forest soils a frequency of sampling consistent with the requirements of Regulation (EU) 2019/1009. Certification schemes shall require laboratory testing against the threshold values for each production batch unless a reduced testing regime is justified by consideration of the properties of the feedstock and process or by reference to the distribution of historical samples for comparable production batches.
If non-biogenic material is co-processed in the biochar production process, the char produced shall not be applied to agricultural and forest soils. 4.4.1. Limit values on heavy metals and organic contaminants for biochar applied to agricultural and forest soils Operators shall demonstrate by lab analysis that biochar has no more than the listed concentrations of the following substances in units of grammes per tonne dry matter [g/t dm]: (a) Lead; 120 g/t dm; (b) Cadmium; 1,5 g/t dm; (c) Copper; 100 g/t dm; (d) Nickel; 50 g/t dm; (e) Mercury; 1 g/t dm; (f) Zinc; 400 g/t dm; (g) Chromium; 90 g/t dm; (h) Arsenic; 13 g/t dm; (i) Benzo[e]pyrene; 1 g/t dm; (j) Benzo[j]fluoranthene; 1 g/t dm; (k) PCB 0,2 g/t dm; (l) PCDD/F 0,000020 g TE/t dm (WHO-TEQ 2005); (m) PAH16 Sum of naphthalene, acenaphthylene, acenaphthene, fluorene, phenanthrene, anthracene, fluoranthene, pyrene, benzo[a]anthracene, chrysene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, benzo[k]fluoranthene, benzo[a]pyrene, indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene, dibenzo[a,h]anthracene and benzo[ghi]perylene. ; 6 g/t dm; (n) PAH8 A subset of PAH16 being the sum of benzo[a]pyrene, benzo[a]anthracene, chrysene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, benzo[k]fluoranthene, dibenzo[a,h]anthracene, indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene and benzo[ghi]perylene. ; 1 g/t dm. In addition, the biochar shall comply with any relevant national or local requirements. 4.4.2. Additional requirements for biochar incorporated into a matrix prior to application to agricultural and forest soils Biochar may be applied to soil either directly without being intermixed with any other material, after incorporation into a mixture, intermixed with the digestate from anaerobic digestion following the use of the biochar as an additive to the anaerobic digestion process, or in the manure of livestock animals that have been fed the biochar as a feed additive. Mixtures shall consist of biochar and of other component materials complying with the relevant component material category requirements under Regulation (EU) 2019/1009. Such materials may include manure, compost, liquid fertiliser, anaerobic digestate and other substrates. Such mixtures shall be identified in a Product Function Category, and the mixture shall comply with the requirements for that Product Function Category under Regulation (EU) 2019/1009. Operators may assume that the permanent fraction Fperm of the biochar is unaffected by its use as an additive to anaerobic digestion or feed additive. If biochar is applied to soils in the form of manure after use as a livestock feed additive, operators shall meet the following requirements, additional to those in Section 4.4.1, with regard to the biochar utilised: (a) the biochar feedstock shall consist only of pure plant biomass or biomass fuel produced from pure plant biomass; (b) the feed hygiene requirements of Regulation (EC) No 183/2005 of the European Parliament and of the Council Regulation (EC) No 183/2005 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 January 2005 laying down requirements for feed hygiene (OJ L 35, 8.2.2005, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2005/183/oj).
shall be complied with; (c) the H/Corg ratio of the biochar shall be no greater than 0,4; (d) the biochar shall be demonstrated by lab analysis to have no more than the listed concentrations of the following substances in units of grammes per tonne on an 88 % dry matter basis [g/t 88 % dm]: (i) Lead; 10 g/t 88 % dm; (ii) Cadmium; 0,8 g/t 88 % dm; (iii) Mercury; 0,1 g/t 88 % dm; (iv) Arsenic; 2 g/t 88 % dm; (v) PCDD/F; 0,00000075 g TE/t 88 % dm (WHO-TEQ 2005); (vi) PCDD/F + dl-PCB; 0,00000125 g TE/t 88 % dm (WHO-TEQ 2005); (vii) Sum of 6 DIN PCB PCB-28, PCB-52, PCB-101, PCB-138, PCB-153, and PCB-180. ; 0,00001 g/t 88% dm; (viii) Fluorine; 150 g/t 88 % dm. Operators shall ensure that all manure produced by the animals receiving the biochar amended feed product will either be naturally applied to soils by the animal in situ, or be collected and applied to the soil. Operators may assume that the permanent fraction Fperm of the biochar is unaffected by its use in livestock feed. 4.4.3. Limit values on heavy metals and organic contaminants for biochar incorporated in products or applied to soils other than agricultural and forest soils Only BCR activities that incorporate biochar in, cement, concrete or asphalt are eligible for certification. Operators shall demonstrate by lab analysis that biochar has no more than the listed concentrations of the following substances in units of grammes per tonne dry matter [g/t dm]: (a) PAH8; 4 g/t dm; (b) Benzo[e]pyrene; 1 g/t dm; (c) Benzo[j]fluoranthene; 1 g/t dm; (d) PCB; 0,2 g/t dm; (e) PCDD/F; 0,000020 g/t dm (WHO-TEQ 2005). In addition, the biochar shall comply with any relevant national or local requirements.
Metadata
- Type
- Forordning
- År
- 2026
- Ikrafttrædelsesdato
- 1. januar 1970