A different kind of carbon project
A recent agreement between Verde Resources and Biochar Solutions is a good example of where parts of the carbon market seem to be heading. Instead of building standalone offset projects, the idea here is pretty simple: store carbon inside something we’re already using anyway—roads.
Under the deal, Biochar Solutions will supply up to 38,500 tonnes of engineered biochar per year. That material will be used in Verde’s ‘BioAsphalt’, essentially mixing carbon-storing material directly into road construction.
It’s a small shift in concept, but a meaningful one. Rather than offsetting emissions somewhere else, this approach builds carbon storage directly into physical infrastructure.
What is biochar and how does it work?
Biochar is essentially a stable form of carbon made from organic waste (i.e., agricultural residues, wood chips, or plant material). It’s produced through a process called pyrolysis, where biomass is heated in a low-oxygen environment.
Instead of decomposing and releasing carbon back into the atmosphere as CO₂, that carbon is converted into a solid form that can remain stable for decades or even centuries depending on how it’s used.
In simpler terms: It’s taking plant-based carbon and “locking it in place” before it has a chance to go back into the air.
That’s why biochar is considered a carbon removal solution, not just an emissions reduction. The carbon was already in the atmosphere, absorbed by plants, and is now being stored long-term.
What that actually means in numbers
Not all of that biochar turns into credits. Based on the agreement, about half (roughly 50%) is expected to qualify, depending on verification.
That puts the potential at around 19,000 tonnes of CO₂ stored per year, which translates to roughly 19,000 carbon credits annually. On its own, that’s not a huge number. For context, major corporate buyers are now securing millions of tonnes of carbon removal each year, and the broader voluntary market has historically seen tens to hundreds of millions of credits retired annually.
So, this isn’t moving the market overnight, but that’s not really the point. What makes this interesting is that it’s already been tested in the real world. A pilot project with Auburn University’s National Center for Asphalt Technology resulted in eight verified carbon credits. It’s miniscule, but it proves the concept can actually pass verification standards, which is usually the hard part. A lot of carbon removal ideas never make it past that stage.
Why buyers should care
One of the bigger questions in carbon markets right now is permanence (how long the carbon actually stays out of the atmosphere). This is where something like biochar-in-asphalt starts to make sense. In Canada, roads can last over 30 years, sometimes longer depending on maintenance. That’s not permanent in the geological sense, but it’s a lot more stable than some short-term nature-based solutions for example. That puts it somewhere in the middle-to-high permanence range, which is exactly where a lot of buyers are starting to focus. For many, it’s less about volume now, and more about what kind of credit they’re buying.
At roughly 19,000 credits per year, this project is small compared to the broader market. But it shows a shift in how carbon removal is being deployed. Instead of relying on standalone projects, carbon is starting to be built directly into our materials and infrastructure. If that model scales, the impact could be far larger than the volumes we see today.
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