Welcome to Carbon Insider - Carbon Unbound's weekly briefing on the deals, data, and developments shaping the global carbon removal market. Let's get into it. Have we missed anything? Get in touch here to send news for feature or publish.
CDR News
Help AirMiners Unfreeze $750k of DoE Carbon Removal Funding
AirMiners, the accelerator behind 227 carbon dioxide removal startups and over $250 million in funding raised, is calling on its community to help unlock $750,000 in frozen U.S. Department of Energy funding tied to its EPIC DAC grand prize finalist status. The award has been in limbo for 18 months since a January 2025 announcement was delayed, and organisers are asking supporters to sign a letter urging the DOE to resolve the holdup. The push highlights growing frustration over stalled federal support for direct air capture and carbon removal innovation at a critical moment for the industry.
Puro.earth Certifies World’s First BECCS Project In Norway
Carbon removal registry and Carbon Unbound series partner Puro.earth has certified and issued CO2 Removal Certificates (CORCs) for a milestone bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) project at the VEAS wastewater treatment facility in Norway, marking a major first for the carbon removal industry.
Developed by Inherit Carbon Solutions, the project is the world's first validated and verified initiative to capture biogenic CO2 generated during biogas production and permanently store it in geological formations underground. It also stands as the first European BECCS project to receive certification under the Puro Standard, one of the leading frameworks for durable carbon removal credits.
World's Largest Ocean-Based Carbon Removal Facility Breaks Ground in Singapore
Construction has officially begun in western Singapore on what is set to become the world's largest ocean-based carbon dioxide removal (CDR) facility - a major milestone for the growing marine carbon capture industry.
The plant, developed by Equatic partnership with Singapore National Water Agency (PUB) and UCLA, will use an electrochemical process to pull carbon dioxide directly from seawater, tackling climate change at scale by tapping into the ocean's vast natural capacity to absorb CO2. Once extracted, much of the captured carbon will be converted into stable mineral compounds, allowing it to remain securely stored for thousands of years without the risk of re-release into the atmosphere.
Cemex Secures €200 Million in Spanish Government Funding for Major Carbon Capture Project
Global cement and building materials producer Cemex has been awarded a €200 million ($218 million) grant through Spain's PERTE program for industrial decarbonisation, funding a landmark carbon capture initiative at its Alcanar plant in Tarragona, Catalonia.
The project, known as SOMZERO, represents a total initial investment exceeding €450 million ($490 million) and is designed to convert the Alcanar facility into one of Southern Europe's first net-zero cement plants. Beyond decarbonising a single site, the initiative aims to establish a replicable carbon capture and storage (CCS) model that other heavy industry players — particularly in hard-to-abate sectors like cement manufacturing — could adopt at scale.
Delta And Shell Aviation Strike 5-Year Deal To Boost SAF Supply
Delta Air Lines has entered a landmark five-year partnership with Shell Aviation to significantly scale up its use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) through 2030, marking a shift away from one-off fuel purchases toward building the long-term supply chain infrastructure needed to make lower-carbon air travel a mainstream reality.
The agreement targets five key U.S. airport hubs: Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Portland International Airport (PDX), John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York, Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), and Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP).
Agreena’s Soil Carbon Project Confirmed BBB After Delivering 2.3M Verified Credits
Danish agricultural carbon company Agreena has received a BBB ex-post rating from independent carbon ratings firm BeZero Carbon for its flagship soil carbon program, placing it among the top five projects globally in the soil-related agricultural practices category and confirming a pre-issuance rating assigned in February 2025.
The rating applies to the Agreena Carbon Project, registered under Verra’s Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) using methodology VM0042, following its first issuance of 2.3 million Verified Carbon Units (VCUs) across 1.6 million hectares of European regenerative farmland in September 2025.
Verra Has Opened a Public Consultation on a Major Revision of Biochar Methodology
erra has launched a public consultation on a significant revision to VM0044, its methodology for biochar utilisation in soil and non-soil applications, under the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) Program. The proposed update, tracked as methodology development ID #M0226, would be published as version 2.0 of VM0044 if approved. The consultation period runs from July 15 through August 17, 2026, giving stakeholders a window to weigh in on the proposed changes.
VM0044 provides a framework for quantifying carbon dioxide removal generated when waste biomass is converted into biochar at dedicated production facilities — a process increasingly recognised as a durable, nature-based carbon removal pathway. The methodology covers a wide range of eligible applications, including biochar use in crop and grassland soils, as well as emerging non-soil uses like biochar-amended concrete and building materials. Applicable globally, VM0044 has become a key reference point for biochar carbon credit projects worldwide.
EU Commission Proposes Integrating CDR into ETS
The European Commission has proposed integrating carbon dioxide removals (CDR) into the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS), with plans to procure 250 million tonnes of removals between 2031 and 2040.
DBG Energy to Develop Industrial-Scale Biochar Facility in Belize
DBG Energy has announced plans to develop an industrial-scale biochar facility in Belize, expected to generate more than 42,000 tonnes of durable carbon removal credits annually.
A Healthier Earth and Mangrove Systems Launch Carbon Removal Portfolio for Data Centres
A Healthier Earth and Mangrove Systems have partnered to launch the first integrated carbon removal portfolio for the data centre sector, combining multiple carbon removal pathways into a single offering.
Mati Carbon Joins First Landscape Accelerator India Cohort
Mati Carbon has joined the inaugural Landscape Accelerator India cohort, an initiative led by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and Boston Consulting Group (BCG) to accelerate landscape restoration and climate action.
JERA Invests AUD25 Million in Silva Capital Nature-Based Carbon Fund
JERA, Japan's largest power generation company, has agreed to invest AUD25 million (US$17.5 million) in Australian developer Silva Capital's fund to support the development of nature-based carbon credit projects.
Welcome to Carbon Insider - Carbon Unbound's weekly briefing on the deals, data, and developments shaping the global carbon removal market. Let's get into it. Have we missed anything? Get in touch here to send news for feature or publish.
CDR News
Help AirMiners Unfreeze $750k of DoE Carbon Removal Funding
AirMiners, the accelerator behind 227 carbon dioxide removal startups and over $250 million in funding raised, is calling on its community to help unlock $750,000 in frozen U.S. Department of Energy funding tied to its EPIC DAC grand prize finalist status. The award has been in limbo for 18 months since a January 2025 announcement was delayed, and organisers are asking supporters to sign a letter urging the DOE to resolve the holdup. The push highlights growing frustration over stalled federal support for direct air capture and carbon removal innovation at a critical moment for the industry.
Puro.earth Certifies World’s First BECCS Project In Norway
Carbon removal registry and Carbon Unbound series partner Puro.earth has certified and issued CO2 Removal Certificates (CORCs) for a milestone bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) project at the VEAS wastewater treatment facility in Norway, marking a major first for the carbon removal industry.
Developed by Inherit Carbon Solutions, the project is the world's first validated and verified initiative to capture biogenic CO2 generated during biogas production and permanently store it in geological formations underground. It also stands as the first European BECCS project to receive certification under the Puro Standard, one of the leading frameworks for durable carbon removal credits.
World's Largest Ocean-Based Carbon Removal Facility Breaks Ground in Singapore
Construction has officially begun in western Singapore on what is set to become the world's largest ocean-based carbon dioxide removal (CDR) facility - a major milestone for the growing marine carbon capture industry.
The plant, developed by Equatic partnership with Singapore National Water Agency (PUB) and UCLA, will use an electrochemical process to pull carbon dioxide directly from seawater, tackling climate change at scale by tapping into the ocean's vast natural capacity to absorb CO2. Once extracted, much of the captured carbon will be converted into stable mineral compounds, allowing it to remain securely stored for thousands of years without the risk of re-release into the atmosphere.
Cemex Secures €200 Million in Spanish Government Funding for Major Carbon Capture Project
Global cement and building materials producer Cemex has been awarded a €200 million ($218 million) grant through Spain's PERTE program for industrial decarbonisation, funding a landmark carbon capture initiative at its Alcanar plant in Tarragona, Catalonia.
The project, known as SOMZERO, represents a total initial investment exceeding €450 million ($490 million) and is designed to convert the Alcanar facility into one of Southern Europe's first net-zero cement plants. Beyond decarbonising a single site, the initiative aims to establish a replicable carbon capture and storage (CCS) model that other heavy industry players — particularly in hard-to-abate sectors like cement manufacturing — could adopt at scale.
Delta And Shell Aviation Strike 5-Year Deal To Boost SAF Supply
Delta Air Lines has entered a landmark five-year partnership with Shell Aviation to significantly scale up its use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) through 2030, marking a shift away from one-off fuel purchases toward building the long-term supply chain infrastructure needed to make lower-carbon air travel a mainstream reality.
The agreement targets five key U.S. airport hubs: Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Portland International Airport (PDX), John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York, Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), and Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP).
Agreena’s Soil Carbon Project Confirmed BBB After Delivering 2.3M Verified Credits
Danish agricultural carbon company Agreena has received a BBB ex-post rating from independent carbon ratings firm BeZero Carbon for its flagship soil carbon program, placing it among the top five projects globally in the soil-related agricultural practices category and confirming a pre-issuance rating assigned in February 2025.
The rating applies to the Agreena Carbon Project, registered under Verra’s Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) using methodology VM0042, following its first issuance of 2.3 million Verified Carbon Units (VCUs) across 1.6 million hectares of European regenerative farmland in September 2025.
Verra Has Opened a Public Consultation on a Major Revision of Biochar Methodology
erra has launched a public consultation on a significant revision to VM0044, its methodology for biochar utilisation in soil and non-soil applications, under the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) Program. The proposed update, tracked as methodology development ID #M0226, would be published as version 2.0 of VM0044 if approved. The consultation period runs from July 15 through August 17, 2026, giving stakeholders a window to weigh in on the proposed changes.
VM0044 provides a framework for quantifying carbon dioxide removal generated when waste biomass is converted into biochar at dedicated production facilities — a process increasingly recognised as a durable, nature-based carbon removal pathway. The methodology covers a wide range of eligible applications, including biochar use in crop and grassland soils, as well as emerging non-soil uses like biochar-amended concrete and building materials. Applicable globally, VM0044 has become a key reference point for biochar carbon credit projects worldwide.
EU Commission Proposes Integrating CDR into ETS
The European Commission has proposed integrating carbon dioxide removals (CDR) into the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS), with plans to procure 250 million tonnes of removals between 2031 and 2040.
DBG Energy to Develop Industrial-Scale Biochar Facility in Belize
DBG Energy has announced plans to develop an industrial-scale biochar facility in Belize, expected to generate more than 42,000 tonnes of durable carbon removal credits annually.
A Healthier Earth and Mangrove Systems Launch Carbon Removal Portfolio for Data Centres
A Healthier Earth and Mangrove Systems have partnered to launch the first integrated carbon removal portfolio for the data centre sector, combining multiple carbon removal pathways into a single offering.
Mati Carbon Joins First Landscape Accelerator India Cohort
Mati Carbon has joined the inaugural Landscape Accelerator India cohort, an initiative led by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and Boston Consulting Group (BCG) to accelerate landscape restoration and climate action.
JERA Invests AUD25 Million in Silva Capital Nature-Based Carbon Fund
JERA, Japan's largest power generation company, has agreed to invest AUD25 million (US$17.5 million) in Australian developer Silva Capital's fund to support the development of nature-based carbon credit projects.
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