Puro Standard References

The Puro Standard is one of the principal external frameworks referenced by HCAP in supporting high-altitude carbon removal project development, digital MRV, evidence management, and certification preparation. Depending on the project pathway, HCAP refers to relevant requirements concerning carbon removal quantification, durability, life-cycle emissions, monitoring, third-party verification, and evidence management.

Reference to the Puro Standard does not mean that HCAP automatically adopts all of its requirements or that any related project has been certified by Puro.earth. Projects seeking Puro certification must comply with the current Puro Standard General Rules, applicable methodologies, procedures, forms, and other formally published documents.

This page presents methodologies and technical documents referenced by HCAP in supporting the development and certification preparation of biochar carbon removal projects. These references support project design, monitoring plans, carbon removal quantification, life-cycle assessment, evidence management, and independent verification preparation.

Key Reference Areas

1. Feedstock Eligibility and Sustainability

Key considerations include feedstock origin, traceability, competing uses, waste or residue status, contamination controls, and sustainable supply.

2. Production Process

Key considerations include pyrolysis facilities, operating conditions, temperature monitoring, energy consumption, production records, batch management, and quality control.

3. Biochar Quality and Durability

Key considerations include organic carbon content, molar H/C ratio, contaminant testing, carbon stability, and long-term storage durability.

4. Life-cycle Emissions

Key considerations include greenhouse gas emissions from feedstock collection, pretreatment, production, energy use, transportation, final application, and other project activities.

5. End Use and Chain of Custody

Key considerations include transportation, weighing, delivery, receipt, final application, storage location, batch tracking, and controls to prevent repeated use.

6. Monitoring and Verification

Key considerations include monitoring plans, data quality, sample testing, evidence retention, third-party verification, and confirmation of net carbon removal quantities.

Application Note

HCAP assesses the applicability of relevant requirements in light of high-altitude feedstocks, production facilities, energy systems, transportation distances, and end-use conditions. For projects seeking Puro certification, final carbon removal quantities must be quantified under the current Puro Standard Biochar Methodology and independently verified in accordance with the applicable procedures.

This page presents methodologies and technical documents referenced by HCAP in supporting the development and certification preparation of enhanced rock weathering projects. These references support mineral feedstock management, field deployment, environmental monitoring, carbon removal quantification, life-cycle assessment, and digital MRV development.

Key Reference Areas

1. Mineral Feedstock Requirements

Key considerations include mineral type, mineral composition, particle size, reactivity, impurities, heavy metals, radioactivity, and feedstock traceability.

2. Production and Transportation

Key considerations include energy use and greenhouse gas emissions associated with extraction, crushing, grinding, screening, storage, handling, and transportation.

3. Site and Application Management

Key considerations include site selection, homogeneous stratification, application and control areas, application rates, application methods, timing, and plot records.

4. Soil and Water Monitoring

Key considerations include soil chemistry, mineral weathering indicators, alkalinity, dissolved inorganic carbon, metals, groundwater, and surface water.

5. Carbon Removal Quantification

Key considerations include direct measurement, mass balance, soil and water indicators, modelling, baseline setting, uncertainty, and deductions for carbon losses.

6. Environmental and Social Risks

Key considerations include changes in soil pH, metal release, dust, ecological impacts, land use, agricultural production, and stakeholder engagement.

7. Digital MRV

Key considerations include digital management of production facilities, project sites, plots, application records, sampling, laboratory testing, device data, life-cycle emissions, and net carbon removal quantities.

Application Note

Enhanced rock weathering involves significant quantification complexity and monitoring uncertainty. HCAP supports applicability analysis and digital MRV development in consideration of mineral type, climate conditions, soil characteristics, land use, and monitoring capacity. Any carbon removal outcome must be supported by verifiable data, an applicable Puro Standard methodology, and independent third-party verification.