US & Canada Biochar Protocol

The Climate Action Reserve (Reserve) U.S. and Canada Biochar Protocol provides guidance to account for, report, and verify carbon removals associated with the production and application of biochar.

The US and Canada Biochar Protocol V1.0 is labeled with the ICVCM CCP Logo. This indicates that the applicable methodology has been assessed and approved as being in adherence to the CCP Assessment Framework.

Current Protocol Version(s) Available for Project Submittal Adoption Date Notes and Supporting Documents
US and Canada Biochar Protocol V1.0 March 19, 2024 **Currently under revision**
 
US and Canada Biochar Protocol V1.0 Summary
 
Protocol development

Protocol Revision

Current update in progress

The U.S. and Canada Biochar Protocol is currently undergoing an update to Version 1.1. For more information, please visit the U.S. and Canada Biochar Protocol development webpage.

Project Listing Documents

The documents below are required during the project listing phase.

Document Description Required Phase Privilege
U.S. and Canada Biochar Project Submittal Form A proposal to undertake a biochar project. Project Submittal Public

Project Registration Documents

The documents and tools below are designed to help project developers organize their project data and facilitate verification. Use of the templates provided is optional; however, the documents are required for verification.

Document Description Required Phase Privilege
Project Data Report Template The purpose of this document is to assist project developers in identifying high areas of risk, highlight important aspects of the Protocol, and facilitate verification. Verification Public
Biochar Sample Reporting Tool v1.0.1 This spreadsheet-based tool helps project developers document how ongoing laboratory results compare to the running averages from prior results and determine if new Initial Parameter Sampling must be performed. Use of the tool is optional. Verification Public
Biochar CRT Calculation Tool v1.0.1 This spreadsheet-based tool assists project developers with the quantification of projects using the U.S. and Canada Biochar Protocol. The equations in the tool mirror those in the protocol and perform calculations for all required and optional SSRs to conduct protocol-compliant carbon removal estimations. Verification Public

Protocol Supporting Documents

Document/Tool (version) Description
Eligible Biochar Feedstocks List The feedstocks listed herein are eligible for inclusion under a biochar project registering under the Reserve’s U.S. and Canada Biochar Protocol.
Eligible Biochar End Uses List The end uses listed herein are eligible for inclusion under a biochar project registering under the Reserve’s U.S. and Canada Biochar Protocol.
Mean annual soil temperature GIS layer The Reserve provides a standardized spatial layer of mean annual soil temperature to be used by project developers to determine the soil temperature of end use locations associated with the biochar from the project.
Randomized Date List for Retention Sampling At the end of each month, the Reserve will post a list of randomized dates for the previous two-month period. Project Developers must retrieve the list for any two-month period during which biochar was produced under the project.
Approved Laboratory Analytical Standards Accepted laboratory analysis methodologies that can be used by projects currently include those specified by:

  1. ANSI/ASABE/USBI S668 Methods for Measurement and Testing of Biochar
  2. IBI Standardized Product Definition and Product Testing Guidelines for Biochar that Is Used in Soil
  3. World Biochar Certificate – Guidelines for a Sustainable Production of Biochar

In addition to the methodologies included in the standards listed above, the following methodologies are approved for use by projects for individual analytical targets:

Analytical Target Methodology
Total H, total C, Corg content and H:Corg ISO 16948 CHN,
ISO 18122 Ash generation (to isolate inorganic C),
ISO 18134-1 Moisture content (optional, if subtracting out H from water in the biochar)
Dry Combust-ASTM D 4373
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, total (8 EFSA PAH) US EPA 8270 (2007) using Soxhlet extraction (US EPA 3540) (toluene extraction not required)
Mercury ISO 16968
Arsenic
Cadmium
Chromium
Cobalt
Copper
Lead
Molybdenum
Nickel
Selenium
Zinc		 ISO 16968
EPA 3050B/EPA 6020

 

Knowledge Hub

  • Empowering Climate Action through Biochar: Insights into the U.S. and Canada Biochar Protocol V1.0 (August 13, 2024)
    Introduction and overview of the recently adopted U.S. and Canada Biochar Protocol