Isometric has announced an update to its Biogenic Carbon Capture and Storage (Bio-CCS) Protocol, expanding eligibility to energy-from-waste (EfW) projects. Two of the UK’s largest EfW operators, enfinium and Cory Group, have partnered with Isometric to certify carbon removal from their facilities under the updated protocol.

In the UK alone, EfW has the potential to remove up to 10 million tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere annually, equivalent to the emissions released by over 2.3 million cars over the course of a year.

Stacy Kauk, Chief Science Officer at Isometric, said: “Energy-from-waste presents a significant carbon removal opportunity that has, until now, been difficult to rigorously certify. Isometric is changing that by using new approaches that make it possible to certify only the carbon captured from organic waste, so that every certificate represents a tonne of carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere and real climate benefit.”

EfW facilities combust municipal solid waste to generate energy. If these facilities capture carbon dioxide produced from biogenic materials (such as food, wood, and paper) and store it permanently underground, it can be durably removed from the atmosphere.

Without EfW, the biogenic waste would decompose in landfill, releasing carbon dioxide and methane, a greenhouse gas over 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period. And, without carbon capture, this biogenic carbon dioxide would be released during combustion.

enfinium has selected Isometric to certify carbon removal from its Parc Adfer project. Once operational, the project is forecast to remove up to 120,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year.

Karl Smyth, Director of External Affairs & Strategic Policy at enfinium, said: “Waste to energy carbon capture and storage projects like Parc Adfer can turn unrecyclable waste into high-integrity carbon removal credits that support climate efforts and prevent climate-damaging landfill. The expansion of the protocol reflects the significant potential for this pathway across Europe and sends a clear signal to buyers and regulators that these credits will adhere to the highest standard of scientific rigour.”

Cory Group has selected Isometric to certify carbon removal from its Riverside 1 and 2 projects.

Nick Rothwell, Head of Carbon at Cory Group, said: “The launch of this protocol represents a major step forward for the energy-from-waste sector, establishing a robust framework to validate carbon removals from waste to energy with carbon capture and storage. Isometric’s rigorous measurement approach and transparency set a high bar for integrity in the carbon removal market. For Cory, it unlocks the potential to certify up to 800,000 tonnes of CO₂ removals annually by 2031, delivering a material contribution to the UK’s net zero goals.”

Paul Davies, Chair of the Coalition for Negative Emissions, a trade body representing carbon capture operators, purchasers, and industry bodies, said:  “The energy-from-waste sector has the potential to be the leading source of carbon removals in the UK. Robust standards and certification for these removals, which give purchasers and the public confidence that the removals are sound and have a real environmental impact, are key to developing this market. Isometric’s new protocol gives that confidence and is a hugely valuable contribution to market development.”

The update was developed by Isometric’s in-house Science Team, with input from an expert industry group and an independent Science Network of more than 400 scientific experts. It requires rigorous measurement, including radiocarbon analysis to distinguish biogenic carbon from fossil fuel-derived materials in mixed waste streams.

Certified projects must also meet strict safeguards to ensure they deliver measurable climate benefits. These include requirements that no recyclable materials remain in the waste feedstock, protections against incentivising additional waste generation, and stringent standards for flue gas emissions, in accordance with Isometric’s principle of ‘no net environmental or social harm.’

Learn more: https://isometric.com/

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