Methodology
RIV-ENGY-01-ADGAS-V3.0
V3
Overall Available Credits
56822
tCO₂eq
Overall forecasted delivery
304764
tCO₂eq
Most used mechanism
Avoidance
Last Update
July 30, 2024
using this methodology
18
Projects
Fossil fuels like natural gas, oil, and coal drive 75% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, with the energy sector responsible for 98% of this impact. While low-emission alternatives exist, various barriers slow their adoption. Biogas, produced through the anaerobic digestion of organic materials such as agricultural waste, offers a renewable solution. It can be used for gas network injection, cogeneration, or heat generation, with the added benefit of producing digestate—a nutrient-rich fertilizer for agriculture.
The Riverse methodology supports projects that transform organic waste into renewable biogas, promoting a sustainable energy transition. This document provides a concise overview of our methodology.
Anaerobic digestion is a biological process where microorganisms break down organic matter in the absence of oxygen, producing biogas (a mixture of methane and carbon dioxide) and digestate.
The biogas can be used to generate electricity, heat, or be upgraded to biomethane for injection into the gas grid or as vehicle fuel.
Additional notes for Biogas projects:
The biogas model quantification takes into account every part of a project-based comparative life-cycle assessment.
The methodology quantifies GHG emissions avoided compared to baseline scenarios using the ISO 14064-2 standard. The baseline considers the market mix of gas consumed in the country where the project operates, as biomethane is injected into the national grid. Avoided emissions are calculated for reducing emissions from fertilizer use and for displacing fossil fuel-based energy.
The project scope includes:
Key scientific resources informing this methodology include:
These references provide essential data and methodologies for evaluating the environmental impact and GHG emissions reductions associated with biomethane projects.
Because the carbon credits are of the type “avoidance” and not “removal” and issuance is done ex-post. The sequestration horizon for permanence does not need to be considered.
Riverse ensures that carbon financing spurs additional climate action by enabling solutions that wouldn't occur without carbon finance revenue. Carbon credits cannot be issued for activities that would have happened anyway.
Regulatory Surplus Analysis:Although national and regional targets promote increased biogas production (e.g., France's Programmation Pluriannuelle de l'Énergie and the EU's Renewable Energy Directive (RED II)), there is no regulatory mandate requiring biogas production. Thus, biogas projects remain voluntary and are not obligatory for compliance. Any increase in biogas production thanks to the support of this directive is accounted for in the GHG reduction quantifications.
Barrier Analysis:Biogas projects will typically prove their additionality using barrier analysis. This analysis shows that they face financial, technological, or institutional barriers that pose a threat to their overall operations, and that can only be overcome with solutions funded by carbon finance. For instance:
To be eligible for carbon credit certification, projects must prove an IRR (Internal Rate of Return) of less than 10% after all subsidies and preferential purchase agreements.
Note that for investments in expanding operations, only the activities enabled by the expansion are eligible for Riverse Carbon Credits.
Each project has to prove it does not cause significant social or environmental harm on the following points:
A risk matrix is assessed for all projects and validated during the VVB audit.
Riverse imposes a strict rule regarding the use of dedicated food crops in feedstock mixes:
Upstream and downstream emissions: Leakage may occur when emissions are shifted upstream or downstream in the supply chain and outside the project’s direct scope. Such emissions shall be included by default in the GHG reduction quantification as part of the life-cycle approach. The upstream and downstream emissions included in the quantification are detailed in the Baseline Scenario and Project Scenario sections. Below are the identified risks that must be mitigated for each project:
To verify avoided emissions and monitor projects, Project Developers must submit the following on a regular basis (at least annually):
We adhere to the ISO14064-2 standard to accurately quantify GHG emissions reductions and sequestration. Our approach ensures that all calculations are transparent, consistent, and reliable.
Every project undergoes rigorous validation and recurring verification/monitoring audits by accredited Validation and Verification Bodies (VVBs). This process guarantees the credibility and accuracy of our projects' emissions reductions.
Overall Available Credits
56822
tCO₂eq
Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.
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Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.
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Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.
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Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.
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All projects must comply with the following eligibility criteria: Measurability, Reality, Additionality, Permanence (not applicable here, avoidance credits), No Double Counting, Co-benefits, Substitution, Environmental and Social Do No Harm, Leakage, Technology Readiness Level, Target Alignments, and Minimum Impact.
Specific Scope for Biogas Projects:
Version management is handled through a system that ensures consistency and traceability of changes.
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