Puro.earth certifies first biogas carbon removal

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🗞️ Driving the news: Puro.earth has certified the world’s first permanent carbon removals generated from biogenic CO₂ captured during biogas production
• The project, developed by Inherit Carbon Solutions at Norway’s VEAS wastewater treatment plant, captures CO₂ from wastewater-based biogas and stores it permanently beneath the seabed through Northern Lights’ carbon storage infrastructure

🔭 The context: The project combines three existing systems: wastewater treatment, biogas production, and carbon capture and storage
• VEAS processes wastewater from more than 800,000 residents around Oslo, where organic waste is converted into biogas. Instead of releasing the resulting biogenic CO₂ into the atmosphere, HoopCO₂ captures and liquefies it before transport and geological storage 2,600 metres below the seabed.

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Permanent carbon removals are expected to play a role in addressing residual emissions from hard-to-abate sectors
• Capturing biogenic CO₂ from existing waste infrastructure could create additional climate benefits by preventing naturally occurring carbon from returning to the atmosphere while reducing methane and waste-related emissions
• Scaling such solutions will depend on rigorous monitoring, verification, affordability, and long-term storage integrity

⏭️ What’s next: The project could become a model for expanding bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) across Europe
• Northern Lights could receive up to 7,000 tonnes of CO₂ annually from VEAS, while future growth will depend on market demand for certified removals and the development of additional storage infrastructure

💬 One quote: “Biogenic CO₂ that would otherwise have been released is instead captured and permanently stored.” — Jan-Willem Bode, President, Puro.earth

📈 One stat: More than 700 CO₂ Removal Certificates (CORCs) were issued for the project’s first four months of verified operations

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