# Eligibility and scope ## Eligible technologies All projects certified under this methodology must cause [additional ](#user-content-fn-1)[^1]carbon removals by * capturing biogenic CO2 at a point-source resulting from the processing of an [eligible biomass feedstock](#eligible-biomass), and * permanently storing this biogenic CO2 for over 1,000 years in [eligible geological storage sites](#eligible-storage). Project Developers may transfer all or part of the captured CO2 to storage sites for permanent storage to generate removal Rainbow Carbon Credits (RCCs). If part of the captured CO2 is transferred for Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU) or for storage recognized under an alternative framework, no removal RCCs will be issued for that fraction of the CO2. The Project Developer and entity receiving carbon finance is the **operator of the capture facility**. Storage site operators are not eligible Project Developers. Carbon removals under this methodology are estimated to have a permanence horizon of **at least 1000 years**. Reversal risks and baseline removals are assessed according to this duration. ### Eligible CO2 sources The following point-sources of captured CO2 are eligible for issuance of RCCs, if they are generated from from [eligible biomass feedstock:](#eligible-biomass) * biogenic CO2 from thermochemical treatment of biomass (e.g. combustion at bioenergy facilities, pyrolysis, gasification) * biogenic CO2 from biochemical treatment of biomass (e.g. anaerobic digestion at biogas facilities, fermentation) * biogenic CO2 from treatment of biomass mixed with other waste substances (e.g. municipal solid waste incineration) * biogenic CO2 from other industrial processes on a case-by-case basis. If CO2 is captured from a mixed stream containing CO2 from both eligible biomass and fossil fuels, projects shall only be certified for the [eligible biogenic part](#user-content-fn-2)[^2] of the stream. The CO2 stream composition shall comply with all applicable legal, regulatory, and [third-party operator](#user-content-fn-3)[^3] requirements. ### Eligible biomass The following requirements apply to all [biomass fractions](#user-content-fn-4)[^4]. These requirements are used to determine which fraction of biomass-generated CO2 is eligible for issuance of RCCs. Project Developers shall demonstrate that biomass: * could not have been used as main material products (e.g. wood for construction), and * falls into one of the categories listed below. The project is ineligible if **any fraction of the CO****2**** generated from the underlying plant** comes from biomass derived from soybean cultivation and palm oil plantation (see the [Leakage](/~/changes/229/methodologies/biogenic-carbon-capture-and-storage-bioccs/principles-and-requirements.md#indirect-land-use-change) section on indirect land use change for more information). Note that separate [Leakage](/~/changes/229/methodologies/biogenic-carbon-capture-and-storage-bioccs/principles-and-requirements.md#lc9eewbyvlyk-2) and [Environmental and social safeguard](/~/changes/229/methodologies/biogenic-carbon-capture-and-storage-bioccs/principles-and-requirements.md#id-82n4j72vjt9v) requirements also apply.
Biomass typeDescription
Forest waste
  • Secondary forest waste: Natural but not primary old-growth forest, may still be managed for timber
  • Managed forest waste: Managed mixed-use forests that may include agroforestry, plantations or rotational logging
  • Necessary tree removal from any forest: Damaged trees, or trees removed for planned forest management such as preventing disease spread or fires
Agro-food waste
  • Residues otherwise left on soil or reapplied to soils for nutrient recycling, through mulching, composting, or spreading
  • Residues otherwise burnt in the field, with no substantial return of nutrients or organic carbon to soil
  • Food processing facility waste
Marginal energy crops

Energy crops grown

  • on marginal, degraded or contaminated land, or
  • as a cover crop or intermediary crop.
Primary energy cropsThis feedstock source is eligible for BioCCS projects capturing CO2 from anaerobic digestion (biogas) only.

Energy crops grown as primary culture 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.
Invasive species Woody or herbaceous plants proven to be locally or regionally invasive (non-native and causing environmental or human harm).
Municipal solid waste Solid waste collected by or on behalf of municipal authorities, and disposed of through waste management systems.
Municipal sludgeSewage sludge and biosolids recovered from municipal wastewater treatment systems.
Animal waste Animal manure and slurry.
### Eligible storage All BioCCS project activities, including capture, transport and storage, must be located in jurisdictions with established regulations for the geological storage of CO2, namely countries of the European Economic Area (EEA), the United Kingdom and the USA. In Canada, geological storage is permitted in the province of Alberta, while capture and transport activities are allowed nationwide. These regulations[^5] mandate: * **Full site characterization and risk assessment** as a precondition for storage permits, * **Continuous monitoring** for fugitive CO2 leaks during and after injection, with regular reporting to authorities, and * **Enforceable corrective measures** and long-term liability provisions to detect and mitigate any potential reversals. Project Developers shall provide a regulatory control document proving the storage site is approved for geological storage of CO2 under the relevant national or local regulation. This can be in the form of a permit, license or authorization. The capture facility of a BioCCS project is allowed to be located in another country than any storage sites used by that project, provided they are all eligible under this methodology. ## Certification requirements #### **Crediting period duration** The maximum duration of the crediting period for projects certified under this methodology is 15 years. Upon reaching the maximum duration, a project's crediting period may be renewed **twice**, according to the [Crediting Period Renewal](https://docs.rainbowstandard.io/rainbow-standard-documents/procedures-manual/project-certification-procedure#crediting-period-renewal) procedure. #### **Monitoring period duration** The default [monitoring period](#user-content-fn-6)[^6] duration is one year, but may be shorter at the Project Developer's request. Project Developers shall submit a Monitoring Report **at least once per 12 months**. Failure to do so shall result in the project being [deregistered](https://docs.rainbowstandard.io/rainbow-standard-documents/procedures-manual/project-certification-procedure). #### **Post-crediting monitoring period** The **post-crediting** monitoring period shall be the 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. #### **Site audits** Validation site audits for projects under this methodology shall be performed **in-person at the capture and storage sites** and follow the requirements in the Rainbow Procedures Manual section on [site audits](/~/changes/229/rainbow-standard-documents/procedures-manual/project-certification-procedure.md#site-audit). Where a project comprises multiple capture sites, the Validation and Verification Body (VVB, the auditor) shall visit: * if there are fewer than 10 sites, at least 50% of the operating sites, with a minimum of 5 sites, * if there are more than 10 sites, at least 30% of the operating sites, with a minimum of 5 sites. In both cases, the largest[^7] and most representative sites shall be prioritized. #### **Versioning and project compliance** When this methodology is revised, projects are allowed to **continue under the previous methodology version used for their initial validation** for subsequent verifications of RCCs. However, Project Developers are strongly encouraged to update their projects to comply with the latest requirements whenever possible. ## Project scope One project is defined as: * the operation of one or more CO2 capture facilities, * capturing CO2 from the same type of point-source (e.g. anaerobic digestion, biomass combustion) * using the same CO2 capture, purifying and cleaning technology * located within a single country, * the storage of CO2 at storage sites located within a single country, that can differ from the country of the capture site(s), * operated at sites that are under the oversight or data access of a single Project Developer, regardless of whether the developer directly owns or manages each site. The project scope is cradle-to-grave and includes all processes associated with the capture, transport and storage of CO2. This includes but is not limited to the following: * all removals from storing the eligible fraction of CO2, * all project emissions from the capture, transport and storage processes including * emissions associated with the generation of the CO2 (*greenfield* project baseline scenario, only), * emissions from biomass sourcing, * embodied emissions from carbon capture infrastructure and machinery used by the project, * emissions from energy and material use along the entire supply-chain, * leakage emissions. See the GHG quantification [Project Scenario](/~/changes/229/methodologies/biogenic-carbon-capture-and-storage-bioccs/ghg-quantification.md#i4figd8ytjua) section for a more detailed description of included and excluded processes. ## Baseline scope The standardized baselines presented below shall be revised at least every 5 years. A more conservative baseline scope may be applied on a case-by-base basis. It must be representative and transparently justified. #### Baseline carbon removal The baseline shall include **any permanent carbon storage of the generated CO****2**** that would have occurred in the absence of the project**. For BioCCS projects, a **standardized baseline of 0** **removals** is set, as it is assumed that no carbon capture activity would have occurred under business-as-usual conditions. Permanent carbon storage from the alternate fate of the biomass feedstock used by the project is addressed in [Leakage](/~/changes/229/methodologies/biogenic-carbon-capture-and-storage-bioccs/principles-and-requirements.md#lc9eewbyvlyk-2). #### Baseline production Project Developers shall categorize the project's carbon capture site as either retrofits/additions on top of existing sites, hereafter referred to as **retrofit projects**, or installation of new sites, hereafter referred to as **greenfield projects**. Project Developers shall prove the **extent of existing operations** of any connected activities using historical proof of operations of the existing site/s. These existing operations are excluded from the project scope because they are assumed to have occurred anyway in the absence of the project. See the [GHG quantification: Capture stage emissions](https://app.gitbook.com/o/zK7HMMBIcwhOSDhxzqPO/s/E1FUJsBoIj20nqp3CtMf/~/edit/~/changes/229/methodologies/biogenic-carbon-capture-and-storage-bioccs/ghg-quantification#capture-stage-emissions) section for a more detailed description of included and excluded processes. {% hint style="info" %} For example, if the project is a **retrofit** adding CO2 capture to a bioenergy plant: * the embodied emissions from infrastructure for the underlying bioenergy plant are not counted towards project emissions, and * the emissions from biomass production, supply and conversion, used to generate bioenergy and the captured CO2, are not counted towards project emissions because **they would have been generated anyway for the business-as-usual** bioenergy plant operations. The above-mentioned processes may still be included in the project scope if the project uses a fraction of the site's bioenergy to power the capture unit. This bioenergy fraction is called the parasitic load. The parasitic load energy is attributed a fraction of the bioenergy site's total emissions, including from infrastructure, biomass cultivation, and other processes. {% endhint %} ## Biomass fractions Biomass is subject to different methodology requirements including: * **Crediting eligibility**, in [Eligible Biomass](/~/changes/229/methodologies/biogenic-carbon-capture-and-storage-bioccs/eligibility-and-scope.md#eligible-biomass): Biomass categories whose CO2 is eligible for crediting. * **Sustainability**, in [Environmental and Social safeguards](/~/changes/229/methodologies/biogenic-carbon-capture-and-storage-bioccs/principles-and-requirements.md#id-82n4j72vjt9v): compliance with a set of criteria for each biomass category to demonstrate sustainability. * **Project emissions**, in [GHG Quantification](/~/changes/229/methodologies/biogenic-carbon-capture-and-storage-bioccs/ghg-quantification.md): Emissions associated with the production, supply and conversion of biomass for the generation of CO2 that shall be accounted for in the project's GHG quantification. * **Leakage**: Biomass-related [leakage emissions](/~/changes/229/methodologies/biogenic-carbon-capture-and-storage-bioccs/principles-and-requirements.md#lc9eewbyvlyk-2) caused by the BioCCS projects. Types of leakage include baseline carbon storage, diversion of biomass and indirect land use change emissions. The methodology requirements apply to different **biomass categories** depending on the baseline scenario (i.e. retrofit or greenfield) and **the biomass fractions** (defined below). The different components are summarized below:
Biomass categoryThe qualitative type and source of biomass

  • waste

    • forestry waste, agro-food waste, invasive species, municipal solid waste and sludge, animal waste

  • energy crops

    • primary and marginal energy crops
Biomass fractionAn 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 (greenfield)
Biomass requirementsThe Rainbow crediting and eligibility requirements that the given biomass fraction and category are subject to
  • Crediting eligibility
  • Sustainability
  • Project emissions
  • Leakage
### **Biomass fractions for retrofit scenario** In a retrofit scenario, two biomass fractions can be defined: * **Baseline biomass:** The biomass consumed by the underlying facility as it existed prior to the retrofit. * **Additional biomass**: Any extra biomass used in addition to the baseline quantity defined above. This includes, but is not limited to, biomass procured to meet the energy demand of the carbon capture equipment (also called the parasitic load), or to compensate for any decrease in net energy output resulting from the retrofit. Table 1 sets out the applicable requirements for biomass fractions in **retrofit projects**. | Requirement | Additional biomass | Baseline biomass | | ------------------------- | ------------------ | ---------------- | | **Crediting eligibility** | Yes | Yes | | **Sustainability** | Yes | Yes | | **Project** **emissions** | Yes | Conditional\* | | **Leakage** | Yes | No | \*The **baseline biomass fraction** is subject to the Project emission requirements only, where the energy demand of the capture unit is covered internally (i.e. by the energy produced by the facility, parasitic load), **without increasing the biomass consumption**. ### **Biomass fractions for greenfield scenario** In a greenfield scenario, there is no baseline biomass, because the entire site is new and there is no business-as-usual biomass consumption. Biomass must be [**allocated between the co-products**](/~/changes/229/methodologies/biogenic-carbon-capture-and-storage-bioccs/ghg-quantification.md#emissions-from-co2-generation) of the site, which include CO2 for capture and storage, and other products or services such as energy generation or waste management. In this scenario, two biomass fractions are defined: * **Biomass allocated to CO****2**** generation:** The share of biomass whose production, supply and conversion emissions are allocated to CO2 generation, and counted in the project scope. * **Biomass allocated to product generation:** The share of biomass whose production, supply and conversion emissions are allocated to the generation of other products such as bioenergy, and not counted towards the project scope. Table 2 sets out the applicable requirements for the biomass fractions in **greenfield projects**. | Requirement | Biomass allocated to CO2 generation | Biomass allocated to product generation | | ------------------------- | ----------------------------------- | --------------------------------------- | | **Crediting eligibility** | Yes | Yes | | **Sustainability** | Yes | Yes | | **Project emissions** | Yes | Conditional\* | | **Leakage** | Yes | No | \*The Biomass fraction allocated to product generation is subject to the Project emission requirements only, where the energy demand of the capture unit is covered internally (i.e. by the energy produced by the facility, parasitic load). [^1]: beyond what would have happened in the business-as-usual, baseline scenario [^2]: This fraction shall be calculated according to the rules set out in the [Eligible CO2 fraction](https://app.gitbook.com/o/zK7HMMBIcwhOSDhxzqPO/s/E1FUJsBoIj20nqp3CtMf/~/edit/~/changes/229/methodologies/biogenic-carbon-capture-and-storage-bioccs/ghg-quantification#eligible-co2-fraction) section in the GHG Quantification. [^3]: i.e. transport or storage site operators [^4]: 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 (greenfield) Further information in the [Biomass fractions ](https://app.gitbook.com/o/zK7HMMBIcwhOSDhxzqPO/s/E1FUJsBoIj20nqp3CtMf/~/edit/~/changes/229/methodologies/biogenic-carbon-capture-and-storage-bioccs/eligibility-and-scope#biomass-fractions)section. [^5]: European Economic Area (EEA): [Directive 2009/31/EC](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2009/31/oj/eng) on the geological storage of carbon dioxide \ United States of America (USA): [EPA’s Class VI rules (2010](https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2015-07/documents/epa816b14003.pdf)) (federal level) or relevant state level regulations United Kingdom (UK): The Storage of Carbon Dioxide Regulations, [2010](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2010/2221/contents) (Licensing) and [2011](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2011/2305/contents) (Access to Infrastructure)\ \ Canada, province of Alberta: Alberta Energy Regulator on [CCUS ](https://www.aer.ca/data-and-performance-reports/statistical-reports/alberta-energy-outlook-st98/carbon-capture-utilization-and-storage-ccus?utm_source=chatgpt.com) [^6]: The period of time covered by a project's Monitoring Report, for which they have monitored operations following the Monitoring Plan, and undergo verification audit and are issued credits. [^7]: in terms of tCO2 captured --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://docs.rainbowstandard.io/~/changes/229/methodologies/biogenic-carbon-capture-and-storage-bioccs/eligibility-and-scope.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.