In plain English
Electricity from Biomass (Dedicated Plants)
Electricity from Biomass (Dedicated Plants) is a reduction method run by Clean Development Mechanism. People often refer to it by its code, ACM0018. It works in the energy space.
In short
Power generation in plants firing only biomass.
What it is
This large-scale consolidated methodology under the Clean Development Mechanism covers electricity generation from biomass in power only plants, meaning plants that produce electricity without cogeneration of heat. Eligible activities include new biomass fired power plants at sites with no prior generation, capacity additions and replacement of equipment, optionally combined with solar thermal energy. Emission reductions come from displacing grid electricity that would otherwise be generated from fossil fuels. One credit is one Certified Emission Reduction equal to one tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent.
What it rewards
The reward is a credit called a Verified Carbon Unit (VCU). One credit stands for one tonne of carbon dioxide kept out of the atmosphere (or taken back out of it). One tonne of CO₂-equivalent verified-and-issued. A whole period of work is issued as one batch of credits at a time, in the same way a registry issues a batch.
What gets measured
To earn VCU credits, a project has to measure and prove a few things. An independent reviewer checks the evidence before any credits are issued.
The baseline: what would most likely have happened to the land or the emissions if the project had not gone ahead.
The activity data for the period, with clear units and a clear source for every number.
The net result actually achieved, checked by an independent reviewer before any credits are issued.
Who takes part
Standard Registry. Owns the policy, approves participants, anchors each issuance to its evidence.
Project Proponent. Registers the project and submits monitoring reports.
Validation & Verification Body. Independently validates the design and verifies monitored data.
How it works
- 1
The project team registers the project and its plan.
- 2
An independent reviewer checks that the plan is sound and that the benefit is real and would not have happened anyway.
- 3
The team looks after the site and measures the agreed indicators over time.
- 4
The independent reviewer verifies those measurements.
- 5
Credits are issued for the verified result, and a buyer can retire a credit to claim the benefit once.
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