This Protocol (A document that describes how to quantitatively assess the net amount of CO₂ removed by a process. To Isometric, a Protocol is specific to a Project Proponent's process and comprised of Modules representing the Carbon Fluxes involved in the CDR process. A Protocol measures the full carbon impact of a process against the Baseline of it not occurring.) provides the requirements and procedures for the calculation of net carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) (The amount of CO₂ emissions that would cause the same integrated radiative forcing or temperature change, over a given time horizon, as an emitted amount of GHG or a mixture of GHGs. One common metric of CO₂e is the 100-year Global Warming Potential.)removals (The term used to represent the CO₂ taken out of the atmosphere as a result of a CDR process.) from the atmosphere via Direct Air Capture (DAC). This Protocol is developed for application to DAC processes (e.g., solid-sorbent processes,1 liquid-solvent processes,2 membrane processes,3 electro-chemical processes,4 etc.), or combinations of processes, in which a cradle-to-grave (Considering impacts at each stage of a product's life cycle, from the time natural resources are extracted from the ground and processed through each subsequent stage of manufacturing, transportation, product use, and ultimately, disposal.)greenhouse gas (GHG) Statement (A document submitted alongside Claimed Removals and/or Reductions that details the calculations associated with a Removal or Reduction, including the Project's emissions, Removals, Reductions and Leakages, presented together in net metric tonnes of CO₂e per Removal or Reduction.) can be accurately applied and in which the CO2 captured is stored via physical5 or chemical6 trapping mechanisms for >1000 years.
The Protocol was developed in line with latest scientific understanding7,8,9 and industry best-practices10,11 which inform the quantification of gross CO2 durably captured and stored via DAC, as well as the accounting of GHG (Those gaseous constituents of the atmosphere, both natural and anthropogenic (human-caused), that absorb and emit radiation at specific wavelengths within the spectrum of terrestrial radiation emitted by the Earth’s surface, by the atmosphere itself, and by clouds. This property causes the greenhouse effect, whereby heat is trapped in Earth’s atmosphere (CDR Primer, 2022).)emissions (The term used to describe greenhouse gas emissions to the atmosphere as a result of Project activities.) associated with DAC processes. Additionally, the Protocol ensures:
Specific standards (Standard physical constants as well as standard values set forth by bodies such as the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) or others.) and protocols which are utilized as the foundation of this Protocol (A document that describes how to quantitatively assess the net amount of CO₂ removed by a process. To Isometric, a Protocol is specific to a Project Proponent's process and comprised of Modules representing the Carbon Fluxes involved in the CDR process. A Protocol measures the full carbon impact of a process against the Baseline of it not occurring.), and which this Protocol is intended to be fully compliant with, are as follows:
Additional reference standards that inform the requirements and overall practices incorporated in this Protocol include:
This Protocol (A document that describes how to quantitatively assess the net amount of CO₂ removed by a process. To Isometric, a Protocol is specific to a Project Proponent's process and comprised of Modules representing the Carbon Fluxes involved in the CDR process. A Protocol measures the full carbon impact of a process against the Baseline of it not occurring.) was developed based on the current state of the art and publicly available science regarding DAC and CO2storage (Describes the addition of carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere to a reservoir, which serves as its ultimate destination. This is also referred to as “sequestration”.). Because DAC is still a developing approach to carbon dioxide removal (CDR) (Activities that remove carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the atmosphere and store it in products or geological, terrestrial, and oceanic Reservoirs. CDR includes the enhancement of biological or geochemical sinks and direct air capture (DAC) and storage, but excludes natural CO₂ uptake not directly caused by human intervention.), with ever-expanding published literature, the Protocol incorporates requirements that may be more stringent than some current regulations or other protocols related to DAC and CO2 storage. The approach taken here may be altered in future versions of the Protocol as DAC and CO2 storage technology and research advance.
This Protocol (A document that describes how to quantitatively assess the net amount of CO₂ removed by a process. To Isometric, a Protocol is specific to a Project Proponent's process and comprised of Modules representing the Carbon Fluxes involved in the CDR process. A Protocol measures the full carbon impact of a process against the Baseline of it not occurring.) applies to projects that chemically or physically capture atmospheric CO2 from ambient air, and store it durably according to the requirements established in the storage Modules (Independent components of Isometric Certified Protocols which are transferable between and applicable to different Protocols.) associated with this Protocol (see Section 89). A cradle-to-grave (Considering impacts at each stage of a product's life cycle, from the time natural resources are extracted from the ground and processed through each subsequent stage of manufacturing, transportation, product use, and ultimately, disposal.)GHG Statement (A document submitted alongside Claimed Removals and/or Reductions that details the calculations associated with a Removal or Reduction, including the Project's emissions, Removals, Reductions and Leakages, presented together in net metric tonnes of CO₂e per Removal or Reduction.) must also be able to be accurately applied to all processes within the scope of the Project (An activity or process or group of activities or processes that alter the condition of a Baseline and leads to Removals or Reductions.).
Projects that co-capture CO2 from on-site point sources do not qualify for the generation of Credits (A publicly visible uniquely identifiable Credit Certificate Issued by a Registry that gives the owner of the Credit the right to account for one net metric tonne of Verified CO₂e Removal or Reduction. In the case of this Standard, the net tonne of CO₂e Removal or Reduction comes from a Project Validated against a Certified Protocol.) under this Protocol, as this constitutes avoided emissions - not emissions removal (The term used to represent the CO₂ taken out of the atmosphere as a result of a CDR process.). DAC projects that are co-located with industrial point sources of CO2, defined here as being within 1km distance, are only eligible if the Project appropriately discounts measured gross CO2removals removals(The term used to represent the CO₂ taken out of the atmosphere as a result of a CDR process.) in an amount corresponding to the relative difference between local atmospheric CO2 concentrations, and background atmospheric CO2 concentrations - to ensure that only the captured fraction corresponding to non-fossil emissions is included in claimed removals (A Removal which has been submitted by a Project Proponent, but which has not yet been Verified.). In practice, this should be achieved by measuring the concentration of CO2 in the ambient air at the inlet to the DAC process, and discounting gross removals by an amount corresponding to the relative excess of this measurement compared to a background reading at a distance greater than 1km from the co-located industrial point source.
Only DAC projects which meet a zero emissions baseline (A set of data describing pre-intervention or control conditions to be used as a reference scenario for comparison.) scenario (see Section 7.2) are eligible under this Protocol. A Project may qualify for this distinction by meeting one of the following conditions:
The Project (An activity or process or group of activities or processes that alter the condition of a Baseline and leads to Removals or Reductions.) must consider environmental and social impacts, and the Project Proponent (The organization that develops and/or has overall legal ownership or control of a Removal or Reduction Project.) must provide evidence that The Project will do no net environmental or social harm by complying with the Environmental and Social Impacts Section of the Isometric Standard as well as the following requirements:
The following topics are covered briefly in this Protocol (A document that describes how to quantitatively assess the net amount of CO₂ removed by a process. To Isometric, a Protocol is specific to a Project Proponent's process and comprised of Modules representing the Carbon Fluxes involved in the CDR process. A Protocol measures the full carbon impact of a process against the Baseline of it not occurring.) due to their inclusion in the Isometric Standard, which governs all Isometric Protocols. See in-text references to the Isometric Standard for further guidance.
For each specific Project (An activity or process or group of activities or processes that alter the condition of a Baseline and leads to Removals or Reductions.) to be evaluated under this Protocol (A document that describes how to quantitatively assess the net amount of CO₂ removed by a process. To Isometric, a Protocol is specific to a Project Proponent's process and comprised of Modules representing the Carbon Fluxes involved in the CDR process. A Protocol measures the full carbon impact of a process against the Baseline of it not occurring.), the Project Proponent (The organization that develops and/or has overall legal ownership or control of a Removal or Reduction Project.) must document project characteristics in a Project Design Document (PDD) (The document, written by a Project Proponent, which records key characteristics of a Project and which forms the basis for Project Validation and evaluation in accordance with the relevant Certified Protocol. (Also known as “PDD”).), as outlined in SectionDocumentation 3.2section of the Isometric Standard.. The PDD will form the basis for Project Verification (A process for evaluating and confirming the net Removals and Reductions for a Project, using data and information collected from the Project and assessing conformity with the criteria set forth in the Isometric Standard and the Protocol by which it is governed. Verification must be completed by an Isometric approved third-party (VVB).) and evaluation in accordance with this Protocol, and must include consideration of processes unique to DAC, for example:
Projects (An activity or process or group of activities or processes that alter the condition of a Baseline and leads to Removals or Reductions.) must be validated (A systematic and independent process for evaluating the reasonableness of the assumptions, limitations and methods that support a Project and assessing whether the Project conforms to the criteria set forth in the Isometric Standard and the Protocol by which the Project is governed. Validation must be completed by an Isometric approved third-party (VVB).) and Project net CO2e removals verified (A process for evaluating and confirming the net Removals and Reductions for a Project, using data and information collected from the Project and assessing conformity with the criteria set forth in the Isometric Standard and the Protocol by which it is governed. Verification must be completed by an Isometric approved third-party (VVB).) by an independent third party, consistent with the requirements described in this Protocol (A document that describes how to quantitatively assess the net amount of CO₂ removed by a process. To Isometric, a Protocol is specific to a Project Proponent's process and comprised of Modules representing the Carbon Fluxes involved in the CDR process. A Protocol measures the full carbon impact of a process against the Baseline of it not occurring.), as well as in the Validation and Verification Section 4 of the Isometric Standard.
The Validation and Verification Body (VVB) (Third-party auditing organizations that are experts in their sector and used to determine if a project conforms to the rules, regulations, and standards set out by a governing body. A VVB must be approved by Isometric prior to conducting validation and verification.) must consider following requisite components:
The threshold for Materiality (An acceptable difference between reported Removals/emissions or Reductions/emissions and what an auditor determines is the actual Removal/emissions or Reduction/emissions.), considering the totality of all omissions, errors, and mis-statements, is 5%, in accordance with the Materiality Section 4.3 of the Isometric Standard..
Verifiers (Third-party auditing organizations that are experts in their sector and used to determine if a project conforms to the rules, regulations, and standards set out by a governing body. A VVB must be approved by Isometric prior to conducting validation and verification.) should also verify the documentation of uncertainty (A lack of knowledge of the exact amount of CO₂ removed by a particular process, Uncertainty may be quantified using probability distributions, confidence intervals, or variance estimates.) of the GHG Statement (A document submitted alongside Claimed Removals and/or Reductions that details the calculations associated with a Removal or Reduction, including the Project's emissions, Removals, Reductions and Leakages, presented together in net metric tonnes of CO₂e per Removal or Reduction.), as required by the Uncertainty Accounting Section 2.5.7 of the Isometric Standard.. Qualitative Materiality (An acceptable difference between reported Removals/emissions or Reductions/emissions and what an auditor determines is the actual Removal/emissions or Reduction/emissions.) issues may also be identified and documented, such as:14
Project validation (A systematic and independent process for evaluating the reasonableness of the assumptions, limitations and methods that support a Project and assessing whether the Project conforms to the criteria set forth in the Isometric Standard and the Protocol by which the Project is governed. Validation must be completed by an Isometric approved third-party (VVB).) and verification (A process for evaluating and confirming the net Removals and Reductions for a Project, using data and information collected from the Project and assessing conformity with the criteria set forth in the Isometric Standard and the Protocol by which it is governed. Verification must be completed by an Isometric approved third-party (VVB).) must incorporate site visits to project facilities in accordance with the requirements of ISO 14064-3, 6.1.4.2, including, at minimum, site visits during validation and initial verification, to the DAC Project and (if applicable) storage site. Verifiers (Third-party auditing organizations that are experts in their sector and used to determine if a project conforms to the rules, regulations, and standards set out by a governing body. A VVB must be approved by Isometric prior to conducting validation and verification.) should, whenever possible, observe operation of the capture and storage processes to ensure full documentation of process inputs and outputs through visual observation and validation of instrumentation, measurements, and required data quality measures.
A site visit must thereafter occur at least once every 2 years at each location.
VVBs (Third-party auditing organizations that are experts in their sector and used to determine if a project conforms to the rules, regulations, and standards set out by a governing body. A VVB must be approved by Isometric prior to conducting validation and verification.) must comply with the requirements defined in Validation and Verification Requirements Section 4 of the Isometric Standard.. In addition, teams should maintain and demonstrate expertise associated with the specific technologies of interest, including solvent/sorbent chemistry, electricity procurement, heat/power generation and the relevant CO2 storage technology.
Competency must be demonstrated in accordance with Isometric's VVB policy, for example throughbased on the relevant sectoral scope accreditations in IAF MD 14, or another demonstration of relevant expertise for this protocol and the selected storage module(s).
CDR (Activities that remove carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the atmosphere and store it in products or geological, terrestrial, and oceanic Reservoirs. CDR includes the enhancement of biological or geochemical sinks and direct air capture (DAC) and storage, but excludes natural CO₂ uptake not directly caused by human intervention.) via DAC and subsequent storage (Describes the addition of carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere to a reservoir, which serves as its ultimate destination. This is also referred to as “sequestration”.) is often a result of a multi-step process (such as capture, desorption, CO2 transport, CO2 temporary holding, CO2 injection or reaction, etc.), with activities in each step sometimes managed and operated by different operators, companies, or owners. When there are multiple parties involved in the process (e.g. if capture and storage are undertaken by different entities), and to avoid double counting (Improperly allocating the same Removal or Reduction from a Project Proponent more than once to multiple Buyers.) of net CO2e removals, a single Project Proponent (The organization that develops and/or has overall legal ownership or control of a Removal or Reduction Project.) must be specified contractually as the sole owner of the Credits (A publicly visible uniquely identifiable Credit Certificate Issued by a Registry that gives the owner of the Credit the right to account for one net metric tonne of Verified CO₂e Removal or Reduction. In the case of this Standard, the net tonne of CO₂e Removal or Reduction comes from a Project Validated against a Certified Protocol.). Contracts must comply with all requirements defined in the Ownership Section 3.1 of the Isometric Standard..
The Project Proponent (The organization that develops and/or has overall legal ownership or control of a Removal or Reduction Project.) must be able to demonstrate additionality (An evaluation of the likelihood that an intervention—for example, a CDR Project—causes a climate benefit above and beyond what would have happened in a no-intervention Baseline scenario.) through compliance with the Additionality Section 2.5.3 of the Isometric Standard.. The baseline (A set of data describing pre-intervention or control conditions to be used as a reference scenario for comparison.) scenario and counterfactual (An assessment of what would have happened in the absence of a particular intervention – i.e., assuming the Baseline scenario.) utilized to assess additionality must be project-specific, and are described in Section 7.2 of this Protocol (A document that describes how to quantitatively assess the net amount of CO₂ removed by a process. To Isometric, a Protocol is specific to a Project Proponent's process and comprised of Modules representing the Carbon Fluxes involved in the CDR process. A Protocol measures the full carbon impact of a process against the Baseline of it not occurring.).
Additionality determinations should be reviewed and completed every five years (aligned with the Crediting Period (The period of time over which a Project Design Document is valid, and over which Removals or Reductions may be Verified, resulting in Issued Credits.)), at a minimum, or whenever project operating conditions change significantly, such as the following:
Any review and change in the determination of additionality (An evaluation of the likelihood that an intervention—for example, a CDR Project—causes a climate benefit above and beyond what would have happened in a no-intervention Baseline scenario.) should not affect the availability of Carbon Finance and Verified Credits (A publicly visible uniquely identifiable Credit Certificate Issued by a Registry that gives the owner of the Credit the right to account for one net metric tonne of Verified CO₂e Removal or Reduction. In the case of this Standard, the net tonne of CO₂e Removal or Reduction comes from a Project Validated against a Certified Protocol.) for the current or past Crediting Periods (The period of time over which a Project Design Document is valid, and over which Removals or Reductions may be Verified, resulting in Issued Credits.), but if the review indicates The Project (An activity or process or group of activities or processes that alter the condition of a Baseline and leads to Removals or Reductions.) has become non-additional, this should make The Project ineligible for future Credits.15
The uncertainty (A lack of knowledge of the exact amount of CO₂ removed by a particular process, Uncertainty may be quantified using probability distributions, confidence intervals, or variance estimates.) in the overall estimate of the net CO2e removal as a result of the Project (An activity or process or group of activities or processes that alter the condition of a Baseline and leads to Removals or Reductions.) must be calculated and transparently presented. The total net CO2e removed over a Reporting Period ([math: RP]; see Section 78.3.12) for a Project, [math: CO_2e_{Removal,\ RP}], must be conservatively (Purposefully erring on the side of caution under conditions of Uncertainty by choosing input parameter values that will result in a lower net CO₂ Removal or GHG Reduction than if using the median input values. This is done to increase the likelihood that a given Removal or Reduction calculation is an underestimation rather than an overestimation.) determined, based on the requirements outlined in the Uncertainty Accounting Section 2.5.7 of the Isometric Standard..
Projects (An activity or process or group of activities or processes that alter the condition of a Baseline and leads to Removals or Reductions.) must report a list of all input variables used in the net CO2e removal calculation and their uncertainties, including:
The uncertainty information should at least include the minimum and maximum values of a variable. More detailed uncertainty information should be provided if available, as outlined in the Uncertainty Accounting Section 2.5.7 of the Isometric Standard.
In addition, a sensitivity analysis (An analysis of how much different components in a Model contribute to the overall Uncertainty.) that demonstrates the impact of each input parameter’s uncertainty on the final net CO2e uncertainty must be provided. Details of the sensitivity analysis method must be provided so that the results can be re-created. Parameters may be omitted from a full uncertainty analysis if a sensitivity analysis can demonstrate that the parameter contributes to 1% change in removal (The term used to represent the CO₂ taken out of the atmosphere as a result of a CDR process.). For all other parameters, information about Uncertainty must be specified.
In accordance with the Data Sharing Section 3.8 of the Isometric Standard, all evidence and data related to the underlying quantification of the net CO₂e removal will be available to the public through Isometric's platform. This includes:
The Project Proponent (The organization that develops and/or has overall legal ownership or control of a Removal or Reduction Project.) can request certain information to be restricted (only available to authorized Buyers (An entity that purchases Removals or Reductions, often with the purpose of Retiring Credits to make a Removal or Reduction claim.), the Registry (A database that holds information on Verified Removals and Reductions based on Protocols. Registries Issue Credits, and track their ownership and Retirement.), and VVB (Third-party auditing organizations that are experts in their sector and used to determine if a project conforms to the rules, regulations, and standards set out by a governing body. A VVB must be approved by Isometric prior to conducting validation and verification.)) where it is subject to confidentiality. This includes emission factors from licensed databases. However, all other numerical data produced or used as part of the quantification of net CO2e removal will be made available.
The scope of this Protocol (A document that describes how to quantitatively assess the net amount of CO₂ removed by a process. To Isometric, a Protocol is specific to a Project Proponent's process and comprised of Modules representing the Carbon Fluxes involved in the CDR process. A Protocol measures the full carbon impact of a process against the Baseline of it not occurring.) includes the GHG (Those gaseous constituents of the atmosphere, both natural and anthropogenic (human-caused), that absorb and emit radiation at specific wavelengths within the spectrum of terrestrial radiation emitted by the Earth’s surface, by the atmosphere itself, and by clouds. This property causes the greenhouse effect, whereby heat is trapped in Earth’s atmosphere (CDR Primer, 2022).)sources (Any process or activity that releases a greenhouse gas, an aerosol, or a precursor of a greenhouse gas into the atmosphere.), sinks (Any process, activity, or mechanism that removes a greenhouse gas, a precursor to a greenhouse gas, or an aerosol from the atmosphere.), and reservoirs (A location where carbon is stored. This can be via physical barriers (such as geological formations) or through partitioning based on chemical or biological processes (such as mineralization or photosynthesis).) (SSRs) associated with a DAC Project (An activity or process or group of activities or processes that alter the condition of a Baseline and leads to Removals or Reductions.).
A cradle-to-grave (Considering impacts at each stage of a product's life cycle, from the time natural resources are extracted from the ground and processed through each subsequent stage of manufacturing, transportation, product use, and ultimately, disposal.)GHG Statement (A document submitted alongside Claimed Removals and/or Reductions that details the calculations associated with a Removal or Reduction, including the Project's emissions, Removals, Reductions and Leakages, presented together in net metric tonnes of CO₂e per Removal or Reduction.) must be prepared encompassing the GHG (Those gaseous constituents of the atmosphere, both natural and anthropogenic (human-caused), that absorb and emit radiation at specific wavelengths within the spectrum of terrestrial radiation emitted by the Earth’s surface, by the atmosphere itself, and by clouds. This property causes the greenhouse effect, whereby heat is trapped in Earth’s atmosphere (CDR Primer, 2022).) emissions relating to the activities associated with a DAC and storage (Describes the addition of carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere to a reservoir, which serves as its ultimate destination. This is also referred to as “sequestration”.) Project for net CO2e removal, as summarized in Figure 1 and described below:
Emissions for processesoutlined within the system boundary (GHG sources, sinks and reservoirs (SSRs) associated with the project boundary and included in the GHG Statement.) should include all GHG (Those gaseous constituents of the atmosphere, both natural and anthropogenic (human-caused), that absorb and emit radiation at specific wavelengths within the spectrum of terrestrial radiation emitted by the Earth’s surface, by the atmosphere itself, and by clouds. This property causes the greenhouse effect, whereby heat is trapped in Earth’s atmosphere (CDR Primer, 2022).) SSRs from the construction or manufacturing of each Project (An activity or process or group of activities or processes that alter the condition of a Baseline and leads to Removals or Reductions.) and associated equipment, closure of each Project and disposal of associated equipment, and operation of each process (DAC process, CO2 transportation, CO2 storage, and CO2 monitoring).
Ancillary activities (such as supplementary research and development activities and corporate administrative activities) that are associated with a Project but are not directly or indirectly related to the issuance (Credits are issued to the Credit Account of a Project Proponent with whom Isometric has a Validated Protocol after an Order for Verification and Credit Issuance services from a Buyer and once a Verified Removal or Reduction has taken place.) of Credits (A publicly visible uniquely identifiable Credit Certificate Issued by a Registry that gives the owner of the Credit the right to account for one net metric tonne of Verified CO₂e Removal or Reduction. In the case of this Standard, the net tonne of CO₂e Removal or Reduction comes from a Project Validated against a Certified Protocol.) can be excluded from the system boundary (GHG sources, sinks and reservoirs (SSRs) associated with the project boundary and included in the GHG Statement.).
GHG (Those gaseous constituents of the atmosphere, both natural and anthropogenic (human-caused), that absorb and emit radiation at specific wavelengths within the spectrum of terrestrial radiation emitted by the Earth’s surface, by the atmosphere itself, and by clouds. This property causes the greenhouse effect, whereby heat is trapped in Earth’s atmosphere (CDR Primer, 2022).) emissions and removals associated with theThe Project may be as direct emissions (Emissions that are produced by a specific CDR process and are directly controllable.) from a process or storage system, or as indirect emissions from combustion of fuels, electricity generation, or other sources. Emissions must include all GHG SSRs within the system boundary (GHG sources, sinks and reservoirs (SSRs) associated with the project boundary and included in the GHG Statement.), from the construction or manufacturing of each physical site and associated equipment, closure and disposal of each site and associated equipment, and operation of each process (DAC process, CO2 transportation, storage, and monitoring), including embodied emissions (Life cycle GHG emissions associated with production of materials, transportation, and construction or other processes for goods or buildings.) of equipment and consumables used in the project. The Project Proponent (Theis organizationresponsible for identifying all sources of emissions directly or indirectly related to project activities.
Any emissions from sub-processes or process changes that developswould not have taken place without the CDR (Activities that remove carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the atmosphere and/or hasstore overallit legalin ownershipproducts or controlgeological, terrestrial, and oceanic Reservoirs. CDR includes the enhancement of biological or geochemical sinks and direct air capture (DAC) and storage, but excludes natural CO₂ uptake not directly caused by human intervention.) Project must be fully considered in the system boundary. Any activity that ultimately leads to the issuance of Credits (A publicly visible uniquely identifiable Credit Certificate Issued by a Registry that gives the owner of the Credit the right to account for one net metric tonne of Verified CO₂e Removal or Reduction. In the case of this Standard, the net tonne of CO₂e Removal or Reduction comes from a Project Validated against a Certified Protocol.) should be included in the system boundary. This allows for accurate consideration of additional, incremental emissions induced by the carbon removal process.
The system boundary must considerinclude all relevant GHG SSRs controlled and related to The Project, including but not limited to the SSRs set out in Table 1. If any GHG SSRs within Table 1 are deemed not appropriate to include in the system boundary, they may be excluded provided that robust justification and appropriate evidence is provided in the PDD.
Figure 1. Process flow diagram showing system boundary for DAC projects
[Image: System boundary diagrams (10)]
Table 1. Scope of activities to be included in the system boundary for DAC projects
Activity | GHG Source, sink or reservoir | GHG | Scope | Timescale |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Project establishment | Equipment and materials manufacture | All GHGs | Embodied emissions associated with equipment and materials manufacture for project establishment (lifecycle modules A1-3). To include product manufacture emissions for equipment, buildings, infrastructure and temporary structures. | Before project operations start - must be accounted for in the first Reporting Period or amortized in line with allocation rules (See Section 8.5.1) |
Equipment and materials transport to site | All GHGs | Transport emissions associated with transporting materials and equipment to the project site(s) (lifecycle module A4). | ||
Construction and installation | All GHGs | Emissions related to construction and installation of the project site(s) (lifecycle module A5). To include energy use for construction, installation and groundworks, as well as waste processing activities and emissions associated with land use change. | ||
Initial surveys and feasibility studies | All GHGs | Any embodied, energy and transport emissions associated with surveys or feasibility studies required for establishment of the project site. | ||
Misc. | All GHGs | Any SSRs not captured by categories above, for example staff transport. | ||
Operations | DAC Process | All GHGs | Emissions associated with DAC processes including:
| Over each Reporting Period - must be accounted for in the relevant Reporting Period (See Section 8.5.2) |
CO2 transportation | All GHGs | Emissions associated with CO2 transportation including:
| ||
CO2 Storage process | All GHGs | Emissions associated with CO2 storage including:
| ||
Direct emissions | All GHGs | Any intentional or unintentional release of emissions due to maintenance, emergency shutdown of equipment, faulty equipment, etc. occurred during DAC process, CO2 transportation, or storage process. | ||
CO2 Stored | CO2 | The gross amount of CO2 removed and durably stored from a DAC project over a Reporting Period. | ||
Monitoring process | All GHGs | Emissions associated with monitoring, including:
| ||
Sampling required for MRV | All GHGs | Any embodied, energy and transport emissions associated with sampling for MRV purposes, including transportation to collect samples, shipping of samples for laboratory analysis and sample processing. | ||
Staff travel | All GHGs | Flight, car, train or other travel required for the project operations, including contractors and suppliers required on site. | ||
Surveys | All GHGs | Equipment, energy use and transport associated with surveys e.g. ecological surveys. | ||
Misc. | All GHGs | Any SSRs not captured by categories above. | ||
End-of-life | End-of-life of project facilities | All GHGs | Anticipated end-of-life emissions (lifecycle modules C1-4). To include deconstruction and disposal of the project site(s), equipment, vehicles, buildings or infrastructure. | After Reporting Period - must be accounted for in the first Reporting Period or amortized in line with allocation rules (See Section 8.5.3) |
Misc. | All GHGs | Anticipated end-of-life emissions (lifecycle modules C1-4). To include deconstruction and disposal of the project site(s), equipment, vehicles, buildings or infrastructure. |
Miscellaneous GHG emissions are those that cannot be categorized by the GHG SSR categories provided in Table 1. The Project Proponent is responsible for identifying all sources of emissions directly or indirectly related to project activities and must report any outside of the SSR categories identified as miscellaneous emissions.
Emissions associated with The Project's impact on activities that fall outside of the system boundary of The Project must also be considered. This is covered under Leakage in Section 8.5.4.
In line with the GHG Accounting Module v1.1, the Project must:
All GHGsFor (ThoseCO2 gaseousstored, constituentsonly CO2 shall be included as part of the atmosphere, both natural and anthropogenic (human-caused), that absorb and emit radiation at specific wavelengths within the spectrum of terrestrial radiation emitted by the Earth’s surface, by the atmosphere itself, and by cloudsquantification. ThisFor propertyall causesother theactivities greenhouseall effect, whereby heat is trapped in Earth’s atmosphere (CDR Primer, 2022).)GHGs must be quantifiedconsidered. For example, the release of CO2, CH4, and convertedN2O tois CO2eexpected during diesel consumption;
[Image:; diagram-2]
Figureand
requirements.
Calculation terms shaded in blue must account for potential emissions of CO2 and other GHGs (Those gaseous constituents of the atmosphere, both natural and anthropogenic (human-caused), that absorb and emit radiation at specific wavelengths within the spectrum of terrestrial radiation emitted by the Earth’s surface, by the atmosphere itself, and by clouds. This property causes the greenhouse effect, whereby heat is trapped in Earth’s atmosphere (CDR Primer, 2022).) (e.g., CH4, and N2O) via use of appropriate emission factors (An estimate of the emissions intensity per unit of an activity.) and conversion to CO2e.
[Image: Example green shaded term]
Calculation terms shaded in green must account for potential emissions of CO2 only, as no other GHG (Those gaseous constituents of the atmosphere, both natural and anthropogenic (human-caused), that absorb and emit radiation at specific wavelengths within the spectrum of terrestrial radiation emitted by the Earth’s surface, by the atmosphere itself, and by clouds. This property causes the greenhouse effect, whereby heat is trapped in Earth’s atmosphere (CDR Primer, 2022).) emissions are expected from these types of sources.
The baseline (A set of data describing pre-intervention or control conditions to be used as a reference scenario for comparison.) scenario for a DAC Project (An activity or process or group of activities or processes that alter the condition of a Baseline and leads to Removals or Reductions.) assumes the activities associated with The Project do not take place and any associated infrastructure is not built.
The counterfactual (An assessment of what would have happened in the absence of a particular intervention – i.e., assuming the Baseline scenario.) for DAC projects considers quantification of the CO2 that would have been removed from ambient air via a DAC process and durably stored over the same period in the absence of the Project (An activity or process or group of activities or processes that alter the condition of a Baseline and leads to Removals or Reductions.). As established in Section 4, the counterfactual of qualifying projects is typically considered to be zero, unless a counterfactual scenario is required in the applicable storage module.
[/R-J9CH-0]DAC systems are typically operated continuously, with captured CO2 being transported and durably stored using a variety of potential processes. Due to the continuous nature of DAC systems, the equations below used to calculate net CO2e removals will pertain to all CO2 removals and GHG (Those gaseous constituents of the atmosphere, both natural and anthropogenic (human-caused), that absorb and emit radiation at specific wavelengths within the spectrum of terrestrial radiation emitted by the Earth’s surface, by the atmosphere itself, and by clouds. This property causes the greenhouse effect, whereby heat is trapped in Earth’s atmosphere (CDR Primer, 2022).) emissions that occur over an interval of time. This unit of time is defined as the Reporting Period, [math: RP], which represents an interval of time over which net CO2e removals are calculated and reported for verification (A process for evaluating and confirming the net Removals and Reductions for a Project, using data and information collected from the Project and assessing conformity with the criteria set forth in the Isometric Standard and the Protocol by which it is governed. Verification must be completed by an Isometric approved third-party (VVB).).
TheGHG followingemission sectionscalculations outlinemust include all emissions related to the processproject foractivities calculatingthat occur within the Reporting Period. This includes:
Total net CO2eCO2e removedremoval is calculated for each Reporting Period, and is written hereafter as [math: CO_2e_{Removal,\ RP}]. The final net CO2e removal quantification must be conservatively determined, giving high confidence that at a minimum, the estimated amount of CO2e was removed.
In line with the Isometric Standard, this Protocol requires that Removal Credits are issued ex-post. Credits may be issued once CO₂ has been durably stored in the identified storage reservoir.
Net CO2e removal (The term used to represent the CO₂ taken out of the atmosphere as a result of a CDR process.) for a process utilizing DAC must be calculated as follows for a Reporting Period, [math: RP]:
[math: CO_2e_{Removal,\ RP} = CO_2e_{Stored,\ RP}\ –\ CO_2e_{Counterfactual,\ RP}\ -\ CO_2e_{Emissions,\ RP}]
(Equation 1)
Where;
It should be noted that any potential reversals (The escape of CO₂ to the atmosphere after it has been stored, and after a Credit has been Issued. A Reversal is classified as avoidable if a Project Proponent has influence or control over it and it likely could have been averted through application of reasonable risk mitigation measures. Any other Reversals will be classified as unavoidable.) of CO2 storage in the final storage location occur after Credits (A publicly visible uniquely identifiable Credit Certificate Issued by a Registry that gives the owner of the Credit the right to account for one net metric tonne of Verified CO₂e Removal or Reduction. In the case of this Standard, the net tonne of CO₂e Removal or Reduction comes from a Project Validated against a Certified Protocol.) have been issued so are not included in this equation. See the Reversal and Buffer Pool Section 5.6 of the Isometric Standard for further information. Risk of reversal information is given in Appendix 21: Risk of Reversal Questionnaire, with further information provided within the relevant storage module storage module.
[math: CO_2e_{Stored,\ RP}] represents the cumulative total CO2 sequestered in all durable storage reservoirs over a Reporting Period. It is calculated as:
[math: CO_2e_{Stored,\ RP} = \sum_{i}^{N} CO_{2}e_{Storage,i}]
(Equation 2)
Quantification of [math: CO_2e_{StoredStorage,\ RP}] measurements, and monitoring requirements for the different conversion and storage (Describes the addition of carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere to a reservoir, which serves as its ultimate destination. This is also referred to as “sequestration”.)pathways options(A iscollection of Removal or Reduction processes that have mechanisms in common.) are detailed within the respective Modules.
See Section 35.40 for calculation of [math: CO_2e_{StoredStorage}] in saline aquifers.
See Section 35.40 for calculation of [math: CO_2e_{StoredStorage}] in depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs.
See Section 35.40 for calculation of [math: CO_2e_{StoredStorage}] in via in-situ mineralization.
See Section 4.2.1 for calculation of [math: CO_2e_{StoredStorage}] via ex-situ mineralization in closed engineered systems. This is the authoritative source for calculating [math: CO_2e_{StoredStorage}] via carbonation in the built environment.
See Section 4.1 for calculation of [math: CO_2e_{StoredStorage}] via enhanced weathering in closed engineered systems.
Type:eCounterfactual, Counterfactual
Unless otherwise specified in the applicable storage module, the counterfactual (An assessment of what would have happened in the absence of a particular intervention – i.e., assuming the Baseline scenario.) ([math: CO_2e_{Counterfactual,\ RP}]) for eligible projects is considered to be zero, as outlined in Section 4 and Section 7.2.
Type:eEmissions, Emissions
[math: CO_2e_{Emissions,\ RP}] is is the total quantity of GHG emissions associated with a given Reporting Period, [math: RP]. This can be calculated as:
[math: CO_{2}e_{ Emissions,\ RP} = CO_{2}e_{EnergyEstablishment,\ RP} + CO_{2}e_{TransportationOperations,\ RP} \\ + CO_{2}e_{EmbodiedEnd-of-life,\ RP} + CO_{2}e_{Misc.}Leakage,CO_{2}e_{LeakageRP}]
(Equation 23)
Where:
The following sections provide an overview for each variable.3
GHG emissions associated with [math: CO_2e_CO_{Transportation2}e_{Establishment,\ RP}] =should include all historic emissions incurred as a result of project establishment, including but not limited to the totalSSRs set out in Table 1.
Project establishment emissions occur from the point of project inception through to before the first removal activity takes place. GHG emissions associated with transportationproject forestablishment amay givenbe [math:amortized RP]over the anticipated project lifetime, or per output of product. Rules on amortization are outlined in tonnesSection 7 of the GHG Accounting module .
See Section 7 of the GHG Accounting Module
[math: CO_{2}e_{Operations,\ RP}] emissions must be attributed to the Reporting Period in which they occur. Allocation may be permitted in certain instances, on a case by case basis, in agreement with Isometric.
[math: CO_2e_{EmbodiedEnd-of-Life,\ RP}] =includes all emissions associated with activities that are anticipated to occur after the totalCrediting embodiedPeriod GHGuntil emissionsthe allocatedend of the Project Commitment Period. This includes activities related to aongoing givenmonitoring [math:for RP], in tonnes of CO2e, see Section 7Reversals.4.3.4.
[math: CO_2e_{Misc.End-of-Life,\ RP}] =must be estimated upfront and allocated in the totalsame miscellaneousway GHGas emissionsset out for acalculation given [math: RP], that cannot be categorized byof [math: CO_2e_{EnergyEstablishment,\ RP}],.
Given the uncertain nature of [math: CO_2e_{TransportationEnd-of-Life,\ RP}] emissions, orassumptions [math:must CO_2e_{Embodied}],be inrevisited tonnesat each Reporting Period and any necessary adjustments made.
[math: CO_2e_{Leakage,\ nRP}]= the total GHGincludes emissions associated with a Project's (An activity or process or group of activities or processes that alter the Project’scondition of a Baseline and leads to Removals or Reductions.) impact on activities that fall outside of the system boundary (GHGof sources,The sinksProject. andThis reservoirsincludes (SSRs)instances associatedwhere withThe theProject projectcauses boundaryan and includedincrease in the GHG Statement.)emissions ofby adiverting Project,material allocatedfrom toother auses givenor [math:incentivizing RP],increased inproduction tonnes of CO2e, see Section 7.4.3.6.
Emissions that occur during a Reporting Period, [math: RP], must be included directly and fully in that Reporting Period, and not allocated across multiple Reporting Periodsactivity.
EmbodiedIt emissions which relate to multiple Reporting Periods may be allocated to removals in line with the allocation rules set out in the Embodied Emissions Accounting Module v1.0.
Whenis the Project Proponent's (The organization that develops and/or has overall legal ownership or control of a Removal or Reduction Project.) is planningresponsibility to ceaseidentify operationspotential withinsources of leakage emissions. For a givenDAC storage siteProject, theymarket must project anyleakage emissions associated with activitiesthe requiredreplacement of consumables used must be considered as a minimum. Project Proponents may also consider the impact of project operations on potential increased use of rare-earth materials for post-closurethe monitoringproduction of sorbents, land use change, and allocateincreased themstrain on existing CO2 transportation and storage infrastructure.
GHG accounting must be undertaken in alignment with the GHG Accounting Accounting Module v1.1, which ensures a consistently rigorous standard in how GHG emissions are quantified and reported between different CDR Projects and approaches. This includes:
Refer to GHG Accounting Module for emissions accounting guidelines.
The Energy Use Accounting Module v1.3 provides requirements on how energy-related emissions must be calculated for The Project so that they can be subtracted in the Projectnet ProponentCO₂e shouldremoval allocatecalculation. thoseIt emissionssets out the calculation approach to otherbe projects and/or storage sites they conduct removal operations at, in agreement with Isometric. Iffollowed for anyintensive reasonfacilities and non-intensive facilities and acceptable emission factors.
Energy emissions are notthose appropriately allocated, the Reversal process will be triggered in accordance with Isometric Standardrelated to account for any remaining monitoring emissions.
In instances where monitoring activities are shared between entities, for example if multiple DAC companies use the same storage infrastructure and share monitoring activities, the emissions associated with these activities must be allocated proportionally between the entities.
GHG emissions associated with [math: CO_2e_{Energy}] should include all emissions associated with electricity usage or fuel combustionusage.
Energy related emissionsThey may include, but are not limited to:
TheRefer to the Energy Use Accounting Module for guidance on fuel and energy emissions calculations.
The GHG Accounting Module v1.21 provides requirements on how energy-relatedtransportation and embodied emissions must be calculated for The Project so that they can be subtracted in the net CO2₂e removal calculation.
Embodied Itemissions setsare out the calculation approach to be followed for intensive facilities and non-intensive facilities and acceptable emission factors.
Refer to Energy Use Accounting Module for the calculation guidelines.
Emissionsthose related to transportationthe life cycle impact of CO2 or injectants for all injections during a Reporting Period must be accounted for, including the following:
The Transportation Emissions Accounting Module v1.1 provides requirements on how transportation-related emissions must be calculated so that they can be subtracted in the net CO2e removal calculation. It sets out the calculation scope, approach to be followed, and acceptable emissions factors.
Refer to Transportation Emissions Accounting Module for the calculation guidelines.
Embodied GHG emissions associated with the manufacturing, delivery, and installation of all equipment and consumables used in the DAC process must be accounted for in each [math: RP]. TheThey Projectmay Proponent (The organization that develops and/or has overall legal ownership or control of a Removal or Reduction Project.) must identify all equipment and consumables used in the DAC processinclude, identify appropriate cradle-to-grave (Considering impacts at each stage of a product's life cycle, from the time natural resourcesbut are extracted from the ground and processed through each subsequent stage of manufacturing, transportation, product use, and ultimately, disposal.) emission factors, and allocate the emissions to removals appropriately in line with the Embodied Emissions Accounting Module v1.0.
Project Proponents must account for all embodied emissions in equipment and facilities, including but not limited to, the following:
HeatTransportation generationemissions equipmentare those related to transportation of products and heatequipment. transferThey equipmentmay must be accounted forinclude, but embodied emissions may already be accounted for by emission factors used for fuel combustion - which are often reported from cradle-to-gate. Project Proponents should evaluate whether embodied emissions from equipment such as boilers are included in the energy emissions calculations, and if not, account for the embodied emissions here.
Project Proponents must account for all embodied emissions in DAC process consumables including but not limited to the following:
In instances where infrastructure or equipment is shared between entities, for example if multiple DAC companies use the same storage infrastructure and associated activities, the emissions associated with these activities must be allocated proportionally between the entities.
The Embodied Emissions Accounting Module v1.0 sets out the calculation approach to be followed including allocation of embodied emissions, life cycle stages to be considered, and requirements for data sources and emission factors.
Refer to EmbodiedSection Emissions4.1 and Section 4.2 of the GHG Accounting Module for theguidance calculationon guidelinesembodied and transportation emissions calculations.
GHG emissions associated with [math: CO_2e_{Misc.}] should include all Project (An activitydirectly or processindirectly or group of activities or processes that alter the condition of a Baseline and leadsrelated to RemovalsProject or Reductions.) emissions that cannot be categorized by [math: CO_2e_{Energy}], [math: CO_2e_{Transportation}], or [math: CO_2e_{Embodied}]activities. ]
The Project Proponent (The organization that develops and/or has overall legal ownership or control of a Removal or Reduction Project.) is responsible for identifying all sources of emissions directly or indirectly related to Project activities, including those associated with any activities additional to those set out in Section 7.1. The Project Proponent must report such
These emissions as [math: CO_2e_{Misc.}].
Examples include, but are not limited to:
Quantification of [math:these CO_2e_{Misc.emission Project}]sources in a given [math: RP] should be undertaken in line with the requirements set out in the GHG Accounting Module v1.1 and the Energy Use Accounting Module, the Transportation Emissions Accounting Module, and the Embodied Emissions Accounting Modulev1.3, where appropriate.
Quantification of emissions associated with direct emissions of non-CO2 GHGs requires two primary measurements, the measurement of the total quantity of emissions and the analysis of emissions for CO2 and other GHG content. This can be calculated as follows:
[/G-VFQJ-0][math: CO_{2}e_{MiscProjectDirectEmissions} = \sum_{t=1}^{T} m_{em,t} \cdot\ C_{GHG,t} \cdot\ GWP_{GHG}]
(Equation 34)
Where:
The total quantity of direct emissions can be measured by various acceptable methods, including:
The concentration of CO2 or other GHGs in emissions must be measured directly via one of the following methods:
In instances where direct measurement of concentration is not appropriate (e.g. pressure relief valve actuation), Projects may estimate the quantity of emissions according to best available knowledge, for example based on actuation duration, system pressure change, valve sizing, and typical concentrations of the system being depressurised.
The Project Proponent (The organization that develops and/or has overall legal ownership or control of a Removal or Reduction Project.) must maintain the following records as evidence supporting calculation of emissions from the DAC or CO2 conversion process:
Records of all data and analyses must be maintained by the Project Proponent and provided for verification purposes for a period of five years.
[math: CO_2e_{Leakage,\ n}] includes emissions associated with a Project's (An activity or process or group of activities or processes that alter the conditionmonitoring of a Baseline and leads to Removals or Reductions.) impact on activities outside the system boundary of The Project. This includes instances where The Project causes an increase in GHG emissions by diverting material from other uses or incentivizing increased production activityperiod.
It is the Project Proponent's (The organization that develops and[/or has overall legal ownership or control of a Removal or Reduction Project.) responsibility to identify potential sources of leakage emissions. For a DAC Project, market leakage emissions associated with the replacement of consumables used must be considered as a minimum. Project Proponents may also consider the impact of project operations on potential increased use of rareG-earth materials for the production of sorbents, land use change, and increased strain on existing CO2 transportation and storage infrastructure.
This Protocol (A document that describes how to quantitatively assess the net amount of CO₂ removed by a process. To Isometric, a Protocol is specific to a Project Proponent's process and comprised of Modules representing the Carbon Fluxes involved in the CDR process. A Protocol measures the full carbon impact of a process against the Baseline of it not occurring.) provides multiple options for conversion and durable storage (Describes the addition of carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere to a reservoir, which serves as its ultimate destination. This is also referred to as “sequestration”.) of CO2. The Project Proponent (The organization that develops and/or has overall legal ownership or control of a Removal or Reduction Project.) can choose from available options when submitting their Project for verification (A process for evaluating and confirming the net Removals and Reductions for a Project, using data and information collected from the Project and assessing conformity with the criteria set forth in the Isometric Standard and the Protocol by which it is governed. Verification must be completed by an Isometric approved third-party (VVB).):
CO2Durability and monitoring requirements for storage in saline aquifers.
CO2Durability and monitoring requirements for storage in depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs.
CO2Durability and monitoring requirements for storage in mafic and ultramafic formations.
Must be used with the carbonation in the built environment storage module.
Must be used with the ex-situ mineralization in closed engineered systems conversion moduleModule.
Must be used with the dissolved inorganic carbon in oceans storage module.
Must be used with the enhanced weathering in closed engineered systems conversion moduleModule.
Isometric would like to thank following contributors to this Protocol and relevant Modules, or previous versions:
Isometric would like to thank following reviewers of this Protocol and relevant Modules, or previous versions:
This appendix details how the Project Proponent (The organization that develops and/or has overall legal ownership or controltonne of a RemovalGHG orwill Reductionabsorb Project.) must monitor, document and report all metrics identified within this Protocol (A document that describes how to quantitatively assess the net amount of CO₂ removed byover a process. To Isometric, a Protocol is specific to a Project Proponent's process and comprised of Modules representing the Carbon Fluxes involved in the CDR process. A Protocol measures the full carbon impact of a process against the Baseline of it not occurring.). Following this guidance will ensure the Project Proponent measures and confirms carbon removed and long-term storage compliance, and will enable quantification of the emissions removal (The term used to represent the CO₂ taken out of the atmosphere as a result of a CDR process.) resulting from the Project (An activity or process or group of activities or processes that alter the condition of a Baseline and leads to Removals or Reductions.) activity during The Project Crediting Period (Thegiven period of time over which a Project Design Document is valid, and over which Removals or Reductions may be Verified, resulting in Issued Credits.), priorrelative to each verification (A process for evaluating and confirming the net Removals and Reductions for a Project, using data and information collected from the Project and assessing conformity with the criteria set forth in the Isometric Standard and the Protocol by which it is governed. Verification must be completed by an Isometric approved third-party (VVB).).
This methodology utilizes a comprehensive monitoring and documentation framework that captures the GHG (Those gaseous constituentsemissions of the atmosphere, both natural and anthropogenic (human-caused), that absorb and emit radiation at specific wavelengths within the spectrum of terrestrial radiation emitted by the Earth’s surface, by the atmosphere itself, and by clouds. This property causes the greenhouse effect, whereby heat is trapped in Earth’s atmosphere (CDR Primer, 2022).) impact in each stage of a Project. Monitoring and detailed accounting practices must be conducted throughout to ensure the continuous integrity of Crediting.
The Project Proponent must develop and apply a monitoring plan according to ISO 14064-2 principles of transparency and accuracy that allows the quantification and evidencing of GHG (Those gaseous constituents of the atmosphere, both natural and anthropogenic (human-caused), that absorb and emit radiation at specific wavelengths within the spectrum of terrestrial radiation emitted by the Earth’s surface, by the atmosphere itself, and by clouds. This property causes the greenhouse effect, whereby heat is trapped in Earth’s atmosphere (CDR Primer, 2022).) emissions and CO2 removals.
The conversion and durable storage (Describes the addition of carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere to a reservoir, which serves as its ultimate destination. This is also referred to as “sequestration”.) modules associated with this Protocol (A document that describes how to quantitatively assess the net amountton of CO₂ removed by a process. To Isometric, a Protocol is specific to a Project Proponent's process and comprised of Modules representing the Carbon Fluxes involved in the CDR process. A Protocol measures the full carbon impact of a process against the Baseline of it not occurring.) have their own set of required parameters that need to be monitored. Please refer to the following requirements Sections of the relevant Modules to see a complete list of all requirements:
See Section 6 for monitoring requirements for storage in saline aquifers.
See Section 6 for monitoring requirements for storage in depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs.
See Section 7 for monitoring requirements for storage in mafic and ultramafic formations.
See Section 9 for monitoring requirements for conversion via ex-situ mineralization in closed engineered systems.
See Section 6 for monitoring requirements for storage via carbonation in the built environment.
See Section 11 for monitoring requirements for conversion via enhanced weathering in closed engineered systems.
These parameters must be monitored for the purpose of Carbon Emissions Calculation and Embodied Carbon Emissions Calculation.
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This risk assessment identifies the pathway specific risk factors relevant to a carbon removal project. The relevant risk factors identified as part of a risk assessment are included in the monitoring plan requirements for the project, with details included in the Project Design Document. Project specific risk factors inform the required duration of monitoring along with the monitoring requirements set out in the Protocol and the requirements set out in the Monitoring Section of the Isometric Standard.
Projects using this Protocol have the option of a number of storage modules. The typical buffer pool contributions and the rationale are indicated in the relevant storage module: typically, geologic storage is considered Very Low Risk Level (leading to a 1% buffer pool).
If Reversals are not directly observable (i.e., all storage is as carbonated materials in the built environment and/or DIC in an open system), the Project's Risk of Reversal is automatically "No observable risk." Such Projects do not need to complete this questionnaire, but must still maintain a monitoring plan in accordance with the requirements of the relevant Protocol. Please note storage as carbonated materials in the built environment also requires a Project-specific calculation of reversal risk and uncertainty discount.
The risk score, as determined by the Risk of Reversal Questionnaire, will determine a project’s buffer pool contribution. Projects must re-assess their reversal risk at the renewal of each crediting period, or if monitoring identifies a reversal-related risk, or if an actual reversal event takes place. In any event, projects should reassess their reversal risk at a minimum every 5 years.
The Risk of Reversal Questionnaire questions that pertain to this protocol, drawn from the programme-level Risk of Reversal Questionnaire defined in Appendix B: Risk Reversal Questionnaire of the Isometric Standard, include the following:
| Question | If answered “Yes” | If answered “No” |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Is a reversal directly observable with a physical or chemical measurement as opposed to a modeled result? | Proceed to questions 2- | Proceed to questions 8- |
2 | Is the carbon being stored in an impermeable geologic system? (e.g., salt cavern) | Proceed to questions 8- | Add 1 to Risk Score and proceed to questions 3- |
5 | Does this approach have a material risk of reversal due to natural disasters including, but not limited to, floods, storms, earthquakes, fires, etc.? | Add 1 to Risk Score | |
6 | Does this approach have a material risk of reversal due to human-induced events from outside actors, such as change in farming practices, change in ownership and management of project sites, or similar? | Add up to 2 to Risk Score | |
7 | Applicable only for subsurface storage: | Minus 1 to Risk Score (unless 0) | |
8 | Is there 10+ years of monitoring and/or lab data demonstrating low project risk? | Minus up to 2 to Risk Score | |
9 | Does this pathway have a documented history of reversals in excess of proposed buffer pool size? | Add 2 to Risk Score | |
10 | Is there one or more project-specific factors that merit a high risk level? | Add up to 2 to Risk Score |
Note the Risk Score at any step cannot be negative.
Risk Score Categories:
Project specific risk factors will depend on the form of carbon being stored (i.e., organic vs. inorganic), the method of storage (e.g., mineralization, encapsulation), the location of carbon storage (e.g., subsurface, ocean), and the proximity of that carbon to potential agents of reversal.
For projects with carbon storage as inorganic carbon, the presence of the following risk factors must be reflected in the risk score corresponding to question 10:
For projects with any form of subsurface carbon storage, the presence of the following risk factors must be reflected in the risk score corresponding to question 10:
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Environment and Climate Change Canada. Clean Fuel Regulations: Quantification Method for CO2 Capture and Permanent Storage Version 1.0. (2022) https://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2022/eccc/En4-474-2022-eng.pdf
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. (2005). IPCC Special Report on Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storagehttps://www.ipcc.ch/site/assets/uploads/2018/03/srccs_wholereport-1.pdf
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International Organization for Standardization. (2006). ISO 14040:2006 Environmental management — Life cycle assessment — Principles and framework. https://www.iso.org/standard/37456.html
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International Organization for Standardization. (2019). ISO 14064-2:2019. Greenhouse Gases - Part 2: Specification With Guidance At The Project Level For Quantification, Monitoring And Reporting Of Greenhouse Gas Emission s Or Removal Enhancements. ISO. https://www.iso.org/standard/66454.html
International Organization for Standardization. (2019). ISO 14064-3:2019. Greenhouse gases — Part 3: Specification with guidance for the verification and validation of greenhouse gas statements. ISO. https://www.iso.org/standard/66455.html
International Organization for Standardization. (2022). ISO 9300:2022 Measurement of gas flow by means of critical flow nozzles. https://www.iso.org/standard/77401.html
Matthews, J.B.R. (Ed.). (2018). IPCC, 2018: Annex I: Glossary [Matthews, J.B.R. (ed.)]. In: Global Warming of 1.5°C. An IPCC Special Report on the impacts of global warming of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels and related global greenhouse gas emission pathways, in the context of... Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009157940.008
Carbon Credit Quality Initiative (CCQI) Methodology for assessing the quality of carbon credits, Version 3.00_. (2022, May). https://carboncreditquality.org/methodology.html
NIST (2015, April 20). Overview of ASTM D7036: A Quality Management Standard for Emission Testing. https://www.nist.gov/system/files/documents/2017/10/31/overview-astm-d7036.pdf
NIST Handbook 44 (2025). Specifications, Tolerances, and Other Technical Requirements for Weighing and Measuring Devices - 2025 Edition. NIST. https://www.nist.gov/pml/owm/publications/nist-handbooks/handbook-44-current-edition
US Department of Energy (DoE) (2022) Best Practices for Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of Direct Air Capture with Storage (DACS). https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2022-06/FECM%20DACS%20LCA%20Best%20Practices.pdf
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (2023, April 18). Understanding Global Warming Potentials | US EPA. Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved June 14, 2023, from https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/understanding-global-warming-potentials
U.S. DoE. (2022). Best Practices for Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of Direct Air Capture with Storage (DACS). U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management. https://www.energy.gov/fecm/best-practices-LCA-DACS
California Air Resources Board (2018). CCS protocol under the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS). https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2020-03/CCS_Protocol_Under_LCFS_8-13-18_ada.pdf
Terlouw, T., Bauer, C., Rosa, L., and Mazzotti, M. (2021). Life cycle assessment of carbon dioxide removal technologies: a critical review. Energy & Environmental Science, 14, 1701–1721. https://doi.org/10.1039/D0EE03757E
Shi, X., Xiao, H., Azarabadi, H., Song, J., Wu, X., Chen, X., and Lackner, K. S. (2020). Sorbents for the Direct Capture of CO2 from Ambient Air. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 59, 6984–7006. https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.201906756↩
Custelcean, R. (2022). Direct Air Capture of CO2 Using Solvents. Annual Review of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, 13, 217–234. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-chembioeng-092120-023936↩
Fujikawa, S., and Selyanchyn, R. (2022). Direct air capture by membranes. MRS Bulletin, 47, 416–423. https://doi.org/10.1557/s43577-022-00313-6↩
Renfrew, S. E., Starr, D. E., and Strasser, P. (2020). Electrochemical Approaches toward CO2 Capture and Concentration. ACS Catalysis, 10, 13058–13074. https://doi.org/10.1021/acscatal.0c03639↩
Al Hameli, F., Belhaj, H., and Al Dhuhoori, M. (2022). CO2 Sequestration Overview in Geological Formations: Trapping Mechanisms Matrix Assessment. Energies, 15, Article 20. https://doi.org/10.3390/en15207805↩
Rochelle, C. A., Czernichowski-Lauriol, I., and Milodowski, A. E. (2004). The impact of chemical reactions on CO2 storage in geological formations: A brief review. Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 233, 87–106. https://doi.org/10.1144/GSL.SP.2004.233.01.07↩
Ricks, W., Xu, Q., and Jenkins, J. D. (2023). Minimizing emissions from grid-based hydrogen production in the United States. Environmental Research Letters, 18, 014025. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/acacb5↩
Goeppert, A., Czaun, M., Prakash, G. K. S., and Olah, G. A. (2012). Air as the renewable carbon source of the future: An overview of CO2 capture from the atmosphere. Energy & Environmental Science, 5, 7833–7853. https://doi.org/10.1039/C2EE21586A↩
Sanz-Pérez, E. S., Murdock, C. R., Didas, S. A., and Jones, C. W. (2016). Direct Capture of CO2 from Ambient Air. Chemical Reviews, 116, 11840–11876. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chemrev.6b00173↩
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For example, 49 CFR §195.402 - Transportation of Hazardous Liquids via Pipeline: Procedural manual for operations, maintenance, and emergencies, and 40 CFR §146.94 - Class VI Wells: Emergency and remedial response. ↩↩2
Water neutrality is defined as: the total demand for water should be the same after new development is built, as it was before. That is, the new demand for water should be offset in the existing community by making existing infrastructure and homes in the area more water efficient. ↩
ISO 14064-3:2019, Section 5.1.7 ↩
Carbon Credit Quality Initiative. Methodology for assessing the quality of carbon credits, Version 3.0 (May 2022). https://carboncreditquality.org/methodology.html↩
Lyons, L., Kavvadias, K. and Carlsson, J., (2021). Defining and accounting for waste heat and cold. EUR 30869 EN, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg. doi:10.2760/73253. https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC126383↩
Flow meters must be calibrated to national traceable standards by an ISO 17025 accredited metrology laboratory. Flow meters may include critical nozzle flow meters (i.e. ISO 9300:2022 compliant meters), coriolis mass flow meters, and other applicable meters for mixed gas flows, as long as properly calibrated and maintained. ↩
Dinh, T.-V., Choi, I.-Y., Son, Y.-S., and Kim, J.-C. (2016). A review on non-dispersive infrared gas sensors: Improvement of sensor detection limit and interference correction. Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, 231, 529–538. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.snb.2016.03.040↩
Sandoval-Bohorquez, V. S., Rozo, E. A. V., and Baldovino-Medrano, V. G. (2020). A method for the highly accurate quantification of gas streams by on-line chromatography. Journal of Chromatography A, 1626, 461355. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chroma.2020.461355↩