Biogenic carbon capture and storage (BioCCS)

This methodology covers durable carbon removal through the point-source capture and geological storage of biogenic CO₂ from an eligible biomass feedstock.

Methodology name	Biogenic carbon capture and storage
Version	1.0
Methodology ID	RBW-BCCS-V1.0
Release date	June 29th, 2026
Status	In use

Acknowledgements 🤝

This methodology was developed by Rainbow with valuable input and support from the Rainbow BioCCS Working Group members and other expert contributors.

We would like to thank Jean-Lucien Fonquergne (New Mexico Tech), Tadeg Grall, Karim Rahmani (Carbon Impact) and Chris Malins (Cerulogy) for their insights and contributions throughout the development process.

See the glossary for methodology-specific terminology 👇

Glossary

Term	Description
Additional biomass	A biomass fraction of a retrofit project, defined as any biomass used above the amount of biomass consumed in the baseline.
Associated CO2	Fossil CO2 emitted as a result of the capture process.
Baseline biomass	A biomass fraction of a retrofit project, defined as the amount of biomass consumed by the underlying facility as it existed prior to the retrofit.
BioCCS	The process of capturing biogenic CO2 at a point-source, transporting and securely storing it for over 1,000 years in a geological storage reservoir that is permitted under a relevant international or national regulation.
Bioenergy	Renewable energy derived from organic materials, such as plant and animal waste, agricultural and forestry residues, that are converted into heat, electricity, or fuels through processes like combustion, gasification, oxidation, anaerobic digestion and fermentation.
Biogenic CO2	CO2 originating from biomass sources. It is produced by chemical or biological conversion of biomass through combustion, oxidation, anaerobic digestion and fermentation. Its capture and storage leads to net carbon removals, and is eligible for removal carbon credits.
Biomass category	The qualitative type and source of biomass eligible under this methodology.
Biomass fraction	An accounting construct to delineate which fraction of biomass is used for what purpose: baseline vs additional biomass (retrofit); biomass allocated to CO2 generation vs allocated to bioenergy generation vs parasitic load biomass (greenfield).
Capture facility	The facility that captures a biogenic CO2-containing stream from a point-source and processes it into a transport- or storage-ready form, meeting CO2 purity and pressure requirements.
Captured CO2	CO2 captured and concentrated from a point-source of CO2. This can include both biogenic and fossil CO2.
CRCF	The European Commission's Regulation 2024/3012 on establishing a Union certification framework for permanent carbon removals, carbon farming and carbon storage in products, also called Carbon Removal and Carbon Farming regulation. URL
Embodied emissions	Emissions associated with the construction of infrastructure and machinery attributed to the BioCCS project.
Exit point	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.
Fossil CO2	CO2 originating from fossil fuels. Its capture and storage is not eligible for removal carbon credits.
Fugitive CO2 emissions	Irregular or unintended CO2 emissions from sources that are not localized, or are too diverse or not substantial enough to be monitored individually (e.g. equipment like reactors, pipelines, trucks).
Geological storage	Storage of CO2 at a geological storage site permitted under a relevant international or national regulation.
Greenfield	A project setup, defined as the installation of a new facility, where biomass conversion and CO2 capture are co-designed.
Heat	Also referred to as useful heat. Generated to satisfy an economically justifiable demand for heat, for heating or cooling purposes.
Induced GHG emissions	Increase in direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions over the entire lifecycle of a BioCCS project due to the implementation of the project.
Leakage	Displacement of emitting activities from the project scope to areas outside the project scope, resulting in an indirect transfer of GHG emissions rather than the absolute removal of emissions.
Marginal energy crop	A biomass category for energy crops grown on marginal, degraded or contaminated land, or as a cover crop or intermediary crop.
Mixed stream	A mixed stream is either CO2 streams generated and captured together: a stream of mixed fossil and biogenic CO2, generated from feedstock that includes a share of fossil-based material, or CO2 streams generated separately, and captured together: the co-capture of the project CO2 stream and one or more CO2 streams from project-unrelated sources at the same capture facility. This includes fossil CO2, biogenic CO2 from sustainable (zero-rated) biomass and biogenic CO2 from unsustainable (non-zero-rated) biomass.
Nameplate energy generation capacity	Maximum theoretical (power) output of a facility, determined by the operator and registered with authorities.
Non-segregated CO2 stream	Project's captured CO2 that is mixed with other CO2 streams for any transport or injection step.
Operator	A natural or legal person, or public entity, that operates or controls the carbon removal project (i.e the capture facility), or holds decisive economic power over the technical functioning of the project.
Point-source	A localized, identifiable origin of CO2 emissions from which a concentrated CO2 stream can be captured.
Post-crediting monitoring period	Period up until the point at which responsibility for all geological storage sites used by the activity has been transferred to the relevant competent national authorities, in accordance with national regulations.
Primary energy crop	A biomass category for energy crops grown as main crop on agricultural land, if this land has been repeatedly cultivated for energy crops for at least 20 years prior to the start of the project's activity.
RED	The European Commission's amended Directive 2018/2001 on the promotion of use of energy from renewable sources, also called Renewable Energy Directive III. URL
Retrofit	A project setup, defined as the addition of a carbon capture unit to an existing biomass conversion site.
Segregated CO2 stream	Project's captured CO2 that is at all times transported and injected separately from other CO2 streams.
Vented CO2 emissions	Intentional release of CO2 for operational or safety reasons.
Zero-rated biomass	Biomass certified under the EU's Renewable Energy Directive. More precisely, it is biomass compliant with Article 38, Paragraph 5 of the EU's Implementing Regulation 2018/2066, URL, which mirrors the sustainability requirements in Article 29 of the RED