Biomass
Burial
THS v1.0 - Annex H
Biomass Burial takes harvested woody biomass and agricultural residue that would otherwise decompose and release its carbon back to the atmosphere, and instead buries it in engineered anaerobic conditions - purpose-built pits, bunkers, or monofill cells - where the absence of oxygen dramatically slows decomposition, locking the biomass carbon away for centuries. This is one of the most straightforward technology-nature hybrids in the Teravent system: the biological carbon is already there in the harvested biomass; the engineering challenge is preventing it from decomposing.
How this pathway works
Dead wood and crop residue normally decompose over years to decades, with most of the carbon eventually returning to the atmosphere as CO₂ or, under oxygen-poor conditions, as methane - a substantially more potent greenhouse gas. Biomass Burial intercepts this natural cycle by placing harvested woody biomass or baled agricultural residue into engineered burial systems specifically designed to exclude oxygen and manage any methane produced, allowing the biomass carbon to persist far longer than it would through natural decomposition while capturing or destroying any fugitive methane that does form.
Under the Teravent Hybrid Carbon Standard (THS v1.0) Annex H, this pathway is classified as hybrid because the durability of the carbon storage is entirely dependent on the engineered burial system's ongoing integrity - unlike passive biomass decomposition, the anaerobic environment must be actively designed, constructed, and monitored to prevent oxygen ingress and manage decomposition byproducts. Teravent Hybrid Credits (THC) are issued for verified net tonnes of biomass carbon durably stored, net of full lifecycle project emissions.
THS v1.0 - Annex H
This pathway is governed exclusively by the Teravent Hybrid Carbon Standard (THS v1.0). No external registry, standard, or methodology is referenced or incorporated.
Three approved methodology variants
THS v1.0 Annex H approves three methodology types, differentiated by biomass form and burial engineering approach.
Whole logs, branches, or chipped woody biomass from forestry residue, storm-damaged timber, or urban wood waste are placed into purpose-excavated pits or trenches, then sealed with a low-permeability cap (clay or synthetic liner) to exclude oxygen and prevent water infiltration that could accelerate decomposition. Trench design accounts for local hydrogeology to avoid groundwater contact and includes provisions for any gas venting or capture required.
- Buried biomass mass and species composition per batch, weighed and assayed prior to burial
- Cap integrity inspection confirming continued oxygen exclusion
- Gas monitoring (methane, CO₂) at vent points or via subsurface probes
- Groundwater quality monitoring at nearby wells per DNSH provisions
- Decomposition model validated against periodic gas and moisture readings
Agricultural residue - corn stover, wheat straw, rice straw - is compacted into dense bales, reducing void space and oxygen retention within the bale itself, then placed into engineered bunker structures with additional oxygen-excluding cover material. Bale density and moisture content at burial are carefully controlled, since these directly affect the residual oxygen available to support any initial aerobic decomposition before anoxic conditions fully establish.
- Bale mass, density, and moisture content per batch, recorded prior to burial
- Bunker integrity and cover material inspection
- Gas monitoring (methane, CO₂) at bunker vent points
- Counterfactual fate documentation for the residue (landfill, open-field burning, or left-to-decompose baseline)
- Decomposition model validated against periodic monitoring
This methodology applies engineered sanitary-landfill-grade monofill cells - dedicated exclusively to biomass, separate from municipal solid waste - with full leachate collection and gas capture infrastructure comparable to modern regulated landfills. The dedicated monofill design, combined with active gas capture (routing captured methane to combustion or utilisation rather than atmospheric release) and leachate management, provides the highest engineering assurance of the three methodologies, at correspondingly higher capital cost.
- Buried biomass mass and composition per cell, weighed prior to placement
- Gas capture system flow rate and methane concentration, with captured gas routed to combustion or utilisation
- Leachate collection and treatment system operation and water quality monitoring
- Cell cap and liner integrity inspection per regulated landfill standards
- Decomposition and gas generation model validated against monitoring data
Which emission sources must be counted
Measurement, reporting
& verification
Biomass mass and species composition are directly weighed and assayed prior to burial, giving very high confidence in the gross carbon input quantity. Long-term decomposition rate under anaerobic conditions is confirmed via periodic gas and moisture monitoring at vent points or subsurface probes, calibrated against a validated decomposition model appropriate to the biomass type and burial engineering. Methane generation is measured directly where gas capture infrastructure is present (BMB-M03) or estimated via emissions factors calibrated to monitored gas concentrations (BMB-M01, BMB-M02).
Demonstrating additionality
Leakage types & deductions
Buffer pool & NPRR assessment
| Methodology | NPRR Rating | Buffer Pool Rate | Primary Reversal Risks |
|---|---|---|---|
| BMB-M01 Anaerobic Pits | Low | 7–20% | Cap failure allowing oxygen ingress; groundwater intrusion |
| BMB-M02 Bale Bunkers | Low | 7–22% | Insufficient initial anoxia; bunker cover degradation |
| BMB-M03 Deep Monofill | Very Low | 7–15% | Gas/leachate system malfunction; lowest risk given engineering standard |
Key registration criteria
Sustainable Development
Goal alignment
Deployment scope: Global - regions with significant forestry residue, storm-damaged timber, or agricultural residue volumes and suitable geological conditions for burial engineering.
Ready to register your
biomass burial project?
Submit a Project Concept Note under THS v1.0 Annex H to begin your registration. Select the BMB-M code matching your burial engineering approach, install gas/leachate monitoring, and appoint an accredited VVB to validate your PDD.