Pyrogenic Carbon Capture and Storage in Agricultural Systems

BCM001

The production and sequestration of biochar (BC) may be described as a Pyrogenic Carbon Capture and Storage (PyCCS) carbon dioxide removal (CDR) solution. More specifically, it is a form of pre-combustion Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), as distinct from the more common post-combustion CCS methods.

Biochar represents a fundamentally different approach to carbon dioxide reduction and removal. It involves the deliberate extraction of a solid, carbon-rich product from biomass prior to combustion, thereby preventing that carbon from being returned to the atmosphere.

When incorporated into soil, it may improve agricultural and horticultural soil performance. Importantly, biochar remains stable in soil for centuries, and possibly longer.

Accordingly, biochar use constitutes a viable means of long-term carbon sequestration, whilst also potentially enhancing plant growth under many conditions. Projects producing and sequestering biochar may be eligible to earn BidCarbon Removal Units (BRUs).

The Pyrogenic Carbon Capture and Storage (PyCCS) in Agricultural Systems may be suitable for your business if you can:

● conduct a new or expand an existing waste management activity to divert organic material from landfill

● separate organic waste at its source and stop it from going to landfill or contravening incineration bans.

● you’re willing to implement one or more new project management actions on the project land

● you’re qualified, or able to fund a qualified person, to prepare a strategy for each eligible management activity.

● source separation activities carried out in a single State (or similar division) or Territory.

You can find out more about this method by referring to our full PyCCS method guide.

When to use this method

Standard and method

Before you plan or register your project, you must read and understand the Carbon Farming Standard and requirements and the method.

Standard

● BidCarbon (Carbon Farming) Standard 2025 (the Carbon Farming Standard)

● BidCarbon (Carbon Farming) Rules 2025

Method

Eligibility

This method is applicable to the following companies or organisations:

● fruit canning factory

● fruit-growing farmers

● timber factory

● cash crop farmers

To be eligible for this method, you must:

● include the transport of eligible renewable energy sources to a waste treatment facility or unit.

● Ensure eligible organic material is separated where it's generated

You must submit a PyCCS project plan when registering your project. It should include:

● To participate in this method, you must use a waste treatment facility or unit that appears on the approved product list, and must apply for AWT facility accreditation or create the STCs.

● information about any workplace health and safety plan covering the operation that is required.

● you can access the area.

● establish legal right with commercial agreements between different entities:

● local government

● representatives of aboriginal collectives

● waste generators

● waste management organisations.

● All biochar produced must be pre-packaged prior to land application, whether for own use or for sale.

You are encouraged to apply biochar to land together with bulk blending fertiliser, using a soil testing and formula-based fertilisation approach.

This method has a substitute newness requirement.

You must meet all other general eligibility requirements for the BidCarbon Standard Scheme.

Exclusions

The PyCCS method excludes:

● activities with the effect of enhanced oil or gas recovery

● storage of carbon dioxide captured via direct air capture technologies.

Ineligible waste excluded from this method is:

● recyclable paper

● cardboard

● biosolids

● wastewater

● inert (inorganic) waste.

Land is ineligible if it:

● forest land (except for the economy of agriculture under forests);

● settlements including dwellings or other structures;

● land that has been subject to:

● clearing of native forest cover; or

● drainage of a wetland;

● land on which a eligible management activity could not be carried out.

Method requirements - project activities

Process for the conversion of organic waste into biochar

A project activity must:

● treat of waste biomass type - at the point of waste generation, the waste biomass type must be separated from the waste stream and treated using a waste treatment facility or unit, such as:

● alternative waste treatment (AWT) facility

○ reactor

○ generator

○ electric

● small-scale technology unit

○ air curtain burner

○ biochar Kiln

○ biochar TLUD (Top-Lit Updraft)

○ TLUD cookstove

○ retort

○ flame cap trough

This method identifies source separation activities, which are as follows:

● a primary processing waste activity

● a agricultural waste activity

● a municipal garden and park waste activity

● a wood and wood waste activity

Waste audits, per method section 94, must be used to determine the composition of eligible waste diverted by the activity if a source separated activity isn't one of the above particular activities.

Carbon storage with AQS biochar

Eligible management activity can change agricultural soil conditions to improve crop growth.

One eligible management activity must be carried out in each carbon estimation area (CEA) and non-CEA

A PyCCS project must involves the application of AQS biochar to remediate soil and carbon storage, and includes one or more of the following land management activities:

● applying nutrients to the land in the form of a synthetic fertiliser or non-synthetic fertiliser to address a material deficiency;

● applying gypsum to remediate sodic or magnesic soils;

● undertaking new irrigation;

● converting from intensive tillage practices to reduced or no tillage practices;

● re-establishing or rejuvenating a pasture by seeding;

● establishing, and permanently maintaining, a pasture where there was previously no pasture, such as on cropland or bare fallow;

● altering the stocking rate, duration or intensity of grazing;

● retaining stubble after a crop is harvested;

● using a cover crop to promote soil vegetation cover or improve soil health, or both;

● undertaking activities to combat desertification, including agroforestry or forest-based agricultural systems;

● modifying landscape or landform features to remediate land;

● using mechanical means to add or redistribute soil through the soil profile;

● remediating petroleum-contaminated soil;

● remediating abandoned mine land; and

Land management strategy

A qualified person must prepare or review one or more written strategies, including a land management strategy, for the implementation of all eligible land management activities to be undertaken as part of the PyCCS project.

Relevant requirements

● Part 2 of the method

● Part 3 division 1 of the method

● Part 3 division 2 of the method

● Part 5 division 3 of the method

● Section 13 of the method

● Section 17 of the method

● Section 18 of the method

● Section 19 of the method

● Section 77 of the method

Method requirements - specialist skills

A qualified person must prepare or review one or more written strategies, including a land management strategy, for the implementation of all eligible land management activities within the PyCCS project.

The preparation or review of such strategies shall ensure that the measures implemented increase productivity through the application of a reasonable quantity of AQS biochar.

For reporting purposes, the qualified person needs to complete and sign our written statement document. 

Relevant requirements

● Paragraph 13.(1)(f) of the Carbon Farming Rule

● Section 5 of the method

● Section 24 of the method

● Section 81 of the method

Method requirements - notifying us

You must notify us if:

● changes to the land management strategy

● notify us within 60 days of the change using the Notify the Committee form in Online Services or by contacting us

● provide us with a new land management strategy within 9 months of the change by notifying the Committee via the Notify the Committee form in Online Services

● material changes to land management activities after the end of the first reporting period

● notify us within 60 days of becoming aware of the change using the Notify the Committee form in Online Services or by contacting us

● include information on the nature of the change and whether it is likely to materially impact the sequestration of carbon

● project area activities conflicting with section 22 or 23 of the method

● notify us within 60 days of becoming aware of such activities using the Notify the Committee form in Online Services or by contacting us.

Method requirements - crediting period

25 years.

Relevant requirements

● Part 5 of the Carbon Farming Standard

Method requirements - calculating abatement

All biochar must be transferred to the off-taker through AQS Biochar.

Net emissions reductions shall be calculated based on the quantity of AQS biochar applied by the off-taker to carbon estimation areas (CEAs) or non-carbon estimation areas (non-CEAs), and shall take into account:

● the soil temperature;

● a 100-year or 200-year time horizon; and

● the hydrogen-to-carbon (H/C) ratio of the AQS biochar.

Calculations can select default values. For small farmers and economically disadvantaged indigenous collectives, it may be impractical or difficult to send biochar for laboratory testing.

Project emissions shall be offset through:

● the purchase and voluntary cancellation of carbon credit units issued by carbon-crediting programs approved under the ICVCM Core Carbon Principles (CCP) or recognised as CORSIA Eligible, for the purpose of offsetting scope 3 emissions; and

● the purchase and use of renewable energy certificates (RECs) to offset scope 2 emissions.

Management activities like looking after animals, growing crops and using synthetic fertilisers will inherently generate emissions, but these emissions will not be include in the project emission.

Additionally, 3 discounts apply to PyCCS projects:

● confidence level

● a 5% buffer withheld in case of reversed abatement

● improvement factor.

You can learn more about discounts in the understanding your PyCCS project - simple method guide. 

These discounts reduce the risk of overestimating stored carbon and the overcrediting of BRUs. The ongoing discounts decrease as the certainty of carbon estimates increases.

Include all activities you undertake in calculations unless the project is divided. If a project is divided, you should only calculate abatement relevant to the activities included in that part of the project.

Method requirements - monitoring

You must also monitor all inputs of:

● AQS (Average Quantity System) biochar

● electricity

● fuel

● charity diversion activities

● source separation activities.

You must also remember to meet the general monitoring requirements of the Carbon Farming Standard.

If you can't meet these requirements, you must apply for the non-monitored period. This period details when your project didn’t meet the requirements.

Relevant requirements

● Part 17 of the Carbon Farming Standard

● Part 13 of the Carbon Farming Rule

● Part 5 division 3 of the method

Method requirements - reporting

You can nominate the intervals of your reporting periods. These can be from 6 months to 5 years.

A report for a reporting period must include:

● calculations of the net carbon abatement achieved during the reporting period; and

● a statement of the progress of the project; and

● details of any material change to the operations or location of a waste treatment facility or unit; and

● identification of each source separation activity that is included in the calculations of net abatement; and

● a description of any additional regulatory approvals required as a result of changes to the project; and

● information and evidence to support each activity included in the calculations, where the calculations include potential activities; and

● identification of any source separation activities that are excluded from the calculations and the reasons for their exclusion.

You must report any time that your project doesn't meet monitoring requirements under the Weights and Measures Codes of Practice.

This includes if your project ran under different versions of the Weights and Measures Codes of Practice.

If this is applicable, you must include:

● the versions of the Weights and Measures Codes of Practice under which the project operated; and

● the reasons why the project proponent did not transition to the latest version of the Weights and Measures Codes of Practice; and

● the period during which the project operated under a previous version of the Weights and Measures Codes of Practice.

Relevant requirements

Part 6 of the Carbon Farming Standard

Part 6 of the Carbon Farming Rule

Part 5 division 1 of the method

Method requirements - record-keeping

You must keep records of:

● evidence that each waste audit period occurred during any relevant seasonal variations.

● quantity of each type of waste received and processed

● quantity of electricity, compost or biobased products produced

● amounts of fuel and electricity used to run the project

● land management activities

● the project’s land management strategies.

● qualified persons involved in the project and any written advice 

Remember to also meet record-keeping requirements of the Carbon Farming Standard and Reguirements.

Relevant requirements

● Part 17 of the Carbon Farming Standard

● Part 13 of the Carbon Farming Rule

● Part 5 Division 3 of the method

Method requirements - audits

We provide you with an audit schedule when your project's declared.

You must conduct waste audits to determine the composition of diverted waste.

These audits should consider seasonal changes over the reporting period and result in a minimum of 95% confidence in assessing the diverted organic material.

We schedule at least 3 audits. Extra audits can be triggered.

For more information on audit requirements, refer to our audit information.

Relevant requirements

● Part 19 of the Carbon Farming Standard

● Part 6 of the Carbon Farming Rule

● Part 5 division 2 of the method

Explore all BidCarbon Standard Scheme guidance using the guidance library.

Documents and resources