Verra VM0044
Full name: Biochar Utilization in Soil and Non-Soil Applications
Operator: Verra under the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS)
Active version: v1.2 since 27 June 2025 (methodology page)
Mitigation outcome label: Removals · Sectoral scope 13 (waste handling & disposal) · Global
This note is the map of the Verra VM0044 cluster. Open child notes for depth; do not treat this overview as a substitute for eligibility, permanence math, or MRV chapters.
Research dump: /workspace/biochar-research/verra-vm0044-deep-dive.md (2026-09-16). Cross-standards: Verra vs Isometric vs Puro · Puro vs Other Standards · Puro.earth Overview · Isometric Biochar Protocol.
Why it matters for biochar
VM0044 is the main VCS pathway to issue removal VCUs from waste biomass → biochar → eligible soil or durable non-soil use. As of mid-2025 it is also one of the few biochar methodologies with an explicit ICVCM CCP-Approved category decision (ICVCM M43 PDF; Verra announcement).
For a US / Prairie-leaning producer comparing registries: start here for CCP-labelled VCU demand, then compare permanence horizons and facility rules against Puro Biochar Methodology Edition 2025 and Isometric Permanence Pathways 200y and 1000y.
Related vault concepts: Biochar as Durable CDR · Permanence Science for Credits · MRV Stack · Carbon Markets Hub · Market Hub · Durable CDR Quality Tiers · Risks and Controversies
Cluster map (read in this order)
| Note | Role |
|---|---|
| Verra VM0044 (this page) | Hub / positioning / version & ICVCM status |
| Verra VM0044 Methodology and Eligibility | Waste feedstock, greenfield facilities, high/low-tech, soil vs non-soil |
| Verra VM0044 Permanence and Quantification | 100-year Table 3, H:Corg gate, equations |
| Verra VM0044 Project Cycle and MRV | VCS cycle, monitoring, fees, CCP labeling |
| Verra Biochar Projects and Market | Reignite and known market signals |
| Verra vs Isometric vs Puro | Decision-oriented comparison |
What it credits (one paragraph)
CO₂ removals from converting waste biomass into biochar at new (greenfield) production facilities, then using that biochar in eligible soil applications (e.g., crop and grasslands) or durable non-soil applications (e.g., biochar-amended concrete and building materials) (methodology page).
Version timeline
| Version | Window | Public change summary | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| v1.0 | 12 Aug 2022 – 4 Jul 2023 | Initial; FORLIANCE / South Pole / Delaney Forestry / Biochar Works | methodology page |
| v1.1 | 5 Jul 2023 – 26 Jun 2025 | Feedstock, land types, boundary, equations, App. 1–2 clarifications | same |
| v1.2 | Active since 27 Jun 2025 | Mandatory investment analysis (step 3) via VT0008; tool version updates | revision announcement |
| v2.0 | Consultation 15 Jul–17 Aug 2026 (M0226); not active | Existing facilities; project-method additionality; H/Corg monitoring; etc. | consultation |
v1.1 grace: listing before 27 Jun 2025 and validation by 27 Dec 2025 (methodology page).
PDF: Public download confirmed for v1.1 PDF. Quantitative tables in child notes cite that PDF unless marked v1.2-only; confirm against live v1.2 PDF on Verra before submission.
Integrity status (ICVCM)
| Layer | Status (research 2026-09-16) | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Category CCP approval | Yes — Board 24 Jul 2025, Decision M43_VCS_VM0044_v1.2_2025 | ICVCM PDF |
| Verra public endorsement | 13 Aug 2025 | Verra |
| CCP label at issuance | Checklist appendix required; digital request form lists VM0044 v1.2 | methodology page; CCP form notice |
| v2.0 | Will be submitted to ICVCM when published | consultation |
Buyer implication: CCP methodology approval can matter more than brand for some offtakers — contrast Puro.earth Overview (program CCP-Eligible; biochar method not yet CCP-Approved as of Dec 2025 Puro research) and Isometric Biochar Protocol (program accreditation claims on registry).
Snapshot vs peers (detail in comparison note)
| Dimension | VM0044 v1.2 | Puro Ed. 2025 | Isometric |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unit | Removal VCU | CORC200+ | Net CO₂e removal credit |
| Horizon | 100 years | Several centuries (200+) | 200y or 1000y |
| Facility | New / greenfield | New / Retrofit / Charcoal Repurpose | Project-specific / modular |
| Permanence math | Table 3 temperature defaults (v1.1 PDF) | Power decay + CI | Woolf 200y or Ro≥2% 1000y |
| Public biochar index | — | CORCCHAR / CORCX | — |
Full chooser: Verra vs Isometric vs Puro · Puro vs Other Standards.
Primary links
- VM0044 v1.2 methodology page
- VM0044 v1.1 PDF
- v1.2 revision announcement
- v2.0 consultation
- ICVCM M43 decision PDF
- Verra ICVCM endorsement
- First registered project (Reignite)
- Verra Program Fee Schedule
- IPCC 2019 Biochar Appendix
- Woolf et al. 2021