Biogenic CO2 FAQ

Within your Net Zero strategy, there will be some emissions that cannot be reduced or replaced.

For these emissions you can purchase CDR or GGR certificates to offset against those emissions.

Certificates from engineered solutions such as the geological storage of CO2, as we are doing, are a low-risk investment to make the claim that you have reached net-zero. Direct Air Carbon Capture (DACC) is an alternative engineered solution.

When you purchase a carbon removal certificate, you are paying for the operation of capturing and sequestering of the certificated amount of CO2. By paying for that entire process you demonstrate total additionality, which means you have paid for the removal and no public sector or other funding was used in trying to achieve your Net Zero goal.

This is important as the quality of carbon removals will vary between projects. Any projects that use government subsidy will not be able to demonstrate this level of additionality.

The value of this measurable and verifiable additionality is the associated integrity. Low integrity solutions run a high risk of being labelled as 'greenwashing' and undermining your entire strategy.

When you purchase a CDR or GGR certificate, you take ownership of that carbon that has been removed and the certificate is effectively retired against your emissions inventory. It is at this point when the emissions have been offset.

Our initial plants will be capturing biogenic CO₂ before geological storage facilities come online. We welcome conversations on utilisation enquiries.

DESNZ confirm that they intend to incorporate GGRs into the UK ETS, to stimulate demand; here, obligated companies will be able to purchase removal credits to offset emissions.

Further details regarding removals’ inclusion within the UK ETS are set to be published within the UK ETS’ consultation response.

The UK ETS authority has stated its intention to update the Scheme to enable obligated companies to meet emission targets using through negative emission technologies, namely BECCS and DACS. Its addition aims to bolster the demand for removals and thus bring down the cost of delivery.

Due to the complexity of developing new standards and criteria necessary to establish quality removals, policy development will likely take several years – and so the UK ETS is unlikely to include removals until the late-2020s.

We are actively contributing to the development and refinement of Verra's Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) BECCS methodology through our involvement with their CCS+ initiative. This is dedicated to developing a quality assurance framework for Verra for carbon removal.

We are also actively collaborating with Isometric and Puro.Earth as alternative carbon removal registry options.

Transparency, integrity and accountability is accomplished through the verification and certification of net Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) in accordance with an internationally recognised carbon standard (VCS). The process involves independent auditors who validate and verify the CDR achieved, ensuring credibility and enhancing the usability of the issued credits.

The GHG accounting methodology for the carbon removal certificates is being developed by the CCS+ initiative. The CCS+ initiative comprises a dedicated team working to create a framework methodology and its associated modules for CO2 capture, transport, and storage. This development process adheres to the stringent requirements established by the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) for methodology development. To ensure inclusivity, the methodology undergoes a public comment period, allowing for feedback and suggestions to be addressed by the developer. Furthermore, an independent auditor, acting as a validation and verification body, conducts a thorough assessment. These approval steps are essential in ensuring the high quality and robustness of the methodology, which is crucial for the robustness of the issued credits.