Puro.earth has certified the world’s first bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) project, which involves capturing carbon dioxide (CO₂) from biogas production and storing it underground permanently.
The project is located at the VEAS wastewater treatment plant in Norway and marks an important milestone for the carbon removal sector, as it is the first BECCS project of its kind to be validated and verified. As well as the first European project to receive certification under Puro Standard’s Geologically Stored Carbon methodology.
It was developed by Inherit Carbon Solutions in partnership with HoopCO2 and Northern Lights JV. Collectively, these three organizations have established an integrated value chain that captures biogenic CO₂ produced during wastewater treatment, transports it to a storage facility, and stores it permanently deep beneath the North Sea. Puro.earth has issued over 700 CO₂ Removal Certificates (CORCs) following an independent third-party audit and verification process for the project's first four months of operation, which covers the period from February to May 2026.
The VEAS facility is Norway’s largest wastewater treatment plant, serving over 800,000 people in the Oslo region. During the treatment process, organic waste is processed to produce biogas, releasing biogenic CO₂ as a natural by-product. Normally, these CO₂ emissions would be released into the atmosphere; however, the new project captures these emissions before they are released, enabling them to be stored underground permanently instead.
How does it work?
HoopCO₂, a subsidiary of VEAS, is responsible for capturing and liquefying the biogenic CO₂ at the treatment plant. Subsequently, the CO₂ is transported by truck to the Northern Lights JV receiving terminal in Øygarden on the west coast of Norway. From there, it is transported via pipeline to a storage site around 2,600 meters (8,500 feet) beneath the North Sea seabed, where it is permanently stored in geological formations.
This initiative addresses a key challenge in the biogas sector. Although wastewater treatment plants and other biogas facilities generate significant amounts of biogenic CO₂, not many commercial systems have been capable of capturing, transporting and permanently storing these emissions. Therefore, much of the CO₂ produced during biogas generation has traditionally been released into the atmosphere, representing a missed opportunity for permanent carbon removal. The Norwegian project demonstrates that permanent carbon removal can be achieved using existing wastewater treatment facilities by integrating carbon capture and geological storage technologies.
The certification is also significant for the carbon market. More than 700 CORCs have been issued, providing independently verified evidence that the captured carbon has been permanently removed from the atmosphere. These certificates can be purchased by organizations looking to offset their carbon emissions as part of their climate strategies. The project has already attracted interest from corporate buyers and highlights the growing demand for durable carbon removal solutions that are supported by transparent monitoring and verification.
What comes next?
The project is expected to expand in the coming years. Under the agreement between Inherit Carbon Solutions and Northern Lights JV, the facility will be able to permanently store up to 7,000 metric tonnes of biogenic CO₂ each year during the initial phase. Continuous monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) will enable the regular issuance of additional CORCs as more carbon is captured and stored.
This also represents an important step for Northern Lights JV, which began offering commercial offshore geological storage services for fossil CO₂ in 2025. The VEAS project is the company's first project involving biogenic CO₂. It demonstrates that its storage infrastructure can support different types of carbon capture projects. It also shows that the range of industries that can benefit from permanent geological storage can be extended.
Industry leaders have described the project as a model that could be replicated across Europe and other regions with an established biogas infrastructure. According to Puro.earth, the project shows how existing wastewater treatment plants and biogas facilities can connect to transport and storage systems dedicated to carbon capture, without the need for entirely new industrial networks. This approach could significantly increase the amount of permanent carbon removal available while making use of existing infrastructure.
As biogas production continues to grow, there is considerable potential for additional BECCS projects. As production increases, so does the potential for new projects. This project provides a certified framework for measuring, verifying and issuing carbon removal credits. This establishes a practical pathway for achieving durable carbon removal. It also boosts confidence in the voluntary carbon market.
In summary, this certification is a significant milestone for engineered carbon removal, demonstrating that biogenic CO₂ can be permanently captured and stored and can generate verified carbon removal credits. As similar projects are developed in other locations, this initiative is expected to serve as a template for scaling up BECCS across the global biogas sector.
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