akar.earthVM0044 Biochar Utilisation in Soil and Non-Soil Applications
VM0044 biochar explained: how Verra credits carbon stored in biochar, feedstock and permanence rules, and how palm, rice and coconut residues fit in Indonesia.
VM0044 is Verra’s methodology for crediting carbon removal through biochar, used in soil or in non-soil products such as concrete and asphalt. It credits the stable share of biochar carbon that will stay locked away for the long term, after deducting emissions from feedstock handling, pyrolysis, transport and application.
For Indonesia, biochar is a natural fit. The country produces large volumes of agricultural residues: palm empty fruit bunches and kernel shells, rice husks and straw, coconut shells, cocoa pod husks and wood waste. Turning a share of those residues into biochar creates a durable removal that sits alongside, not in place of, forest carbon.
How biochar removal works
Pyrolysis heats biomass with little oxygen. Most of the carbon that would have returned to the air as the residue decayed or burned is converted into a stable, carbon-rich solid. Biochar is not permanent forever. It decays slowly. The more thoroughly it is carbonised, the more stable it is.
VM0044 credits the fraction of biochar carbon expected to remain after a long reference period. Stability is linked to measurable properties of the char, especially the molar ratio of hydrogen to organic carbon. Lower ratios mean more stable char. Environmental conditions, such as soil temperature, also affect decay rates in the stability calculation. Check the current version for the exact equations, thresholds and reference period.
How VM0044 works step by step
- Confirm feedstock eligibility. Feedstock must be waste or residual biomass that meets the methodology’s sustainability conditions. Biomass from land cleared for the purpose is not acceptable.
- Define the baseline. Describe what would have happened to the residue: open burning, decay in piles, mulching or use as fuel. If the residue had a productive use, diverting it may cause emissions elsewhere.
- Characterise the production facility. Document pyrolysis technology, temperatures, residence times and emission controls. Methane and other emissions from poor kilns reduce net removals.
- Sample and test biochar. Measure organic carbon content, hydrogen to organic carbon ratio and contaminants in an accredited laboratory on a defined sampling schedule.
- Track mass flows. Record feedstock in, biochar out and biochar delivered to each end use. Chain of custody must link batches to applications.
- Verify end use. Show that biochar reached soil or a qualifying non-soil product and was not burned as fuel.
- Calculate net removals. Stable carbon in delivered biochar, minus project emissions for energy, transport and processing, minus leakage.
- Verify and issue. A validation and verification body checks the records. See validation and verification bodies.
Indonesia and Southeast Asia application
Residue streams and their baseline uses:
| Feedstock | Typical baseline use | Key question |
|---|---|---|
| Palm empty fruit bunches | Mulching in plantations, sometimes burned | Does diverting EFB reduce soil nutrient return, and is that documented? |
| Palm kernel shells | Boiler fuel, export as biomass fuel | Diverting a fuel may push users to fossil fuel |
| Rice husk and straw | Open burning, dumping, some fuel use | Burning baselines need evidence |
| Coconut shell | Charcoal making, fuel | Existing charcoal use may already store carbon |
| Cocoa pod husk | Left to rot in farms | Pest and disease management |
Small rural kilns are common in Southeast Asia. Simple, uncontrolled kilns emit methane and other pollutants, which reduces credits and raises health concerns. Industrial or well-designed retort systems give better yields and easier monitoring.
Biochar applied in agroforestry systems can also improve soils for cocoa, coffee and rubber smallholders. That co-benefit helps the business case but does not change the carbon accounting.
Integrity and market position
Biochar is a removal. Read removals vs avoidance on why buyers value removals differently. The ICVCM lists biochar among categories with CCP-approved methodologies. Whether a specific VM0044 version carries approval, and on what conditions, must be checked on the ICVCM status table. A CCP label needs both the methodology and the programme to pass, the “two ticks” explained in the CCP label. Other programmes also certify biochar, including Puro.earth and Isometric.
Where biochar fits in a land portfolio
Biochar works best as a complement to tree-based projects. It turns residues from the same farms and mills into durable removals, while trees deliver biodiversity and livelihood benefits. Shared farmer registries and field data can serve both.
Pitfalls verifiers flag
- Feedstock that is not clearly a residue, or with unclear sustainability evidence.
- Missing laboratory data or too few samples per batch.
- Weak chain of custody between production and end use.
- Unaccounted kiln emissions.
- Baselines that assume burning without evidence.
See our carbon modelling service for removal estimates, or the standards hub for other methodologies.
Frequently asked questions
What is VM0044?
VM0044 is a Verra methodology for biochar utilisation. It credits the carbon that stays locked in biochar when it is applied to soil or used in materials such as concrete or asphalt, minus emissions from production and transport.
Which feedstocks can be used under VM0044?
VM0044 is built around waste biomass, such as crop and forestry residues, rather than biomass grown for the purpose. Check the current version's eligible feedstock list and sustainability conditions on the Verra website.
How does VM0044 handle permanence?
Biochar slowly decays. The methodology estimates the share of carbon that remains after a long reference period, based on biochar properties such as the hydrogen to organic carbon ratio, and credits only that share.
Is biochar from palm oil residues eligible in Indonesia?
Residues such as empty fruit bunches and palm kernel shells are potential feedstocks. A project must show they are genuine residues and account for what happens to them in the baseline, such as mulching or use as boiler fuel.