European carbon registry Rainbow has finalized a revision of its BioCCS methodology to align with the EU Carbon Removals and Carbon Farming (CRCF) regulation. The update integrates CRCF requirements directly into the voluntary carbon market framework, meaning project developers can use one set of rules instead of proving compliance separately for voluntary and EU-recognized claims. The methodology now includes new baseline scope sections, stricter risk mitigation triggers that apply to moderate-risk projects, and a lower threshold for in-person audits from 10,000 to 5,000 credits per year. Rainbow's BioCCS methodology lists biomass carbon removal and storage as one of several eligible CO2 capture modules, alongside biochar and other storage pathways. Project developers can combine modules based on their specific technology. The revision also broadens the leakage framework across project types, covering counterfactual storage, biomass diversion, bioenergy and material diversion, and land-use change. For developers, this means one set of rules can satisfy both voluntary registry requirements and future EU-recognized claims, reducing duplication of effort.
