Verra runs the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) Program from Washington, D.C. Its VM0049 carbon capture and storage methodology now meets the Core Carbon Principles set by the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM). Verra announced the approval on September 28, 2026. Eligible DAC, BECCS, CO2 transport, and geological storage projects can now issue CCP-labelled credits.
The bigger story is market infrastructure. Engineered carbon removal is moving toward commercial scale. The rulebooks that finance it are now catching up.
Pipeline networks like this one move captured CO2 to storage sites, an activity covered by Verra’s CCP-approved VMD0057 transport module.
What Did ICVCM Approve for Verra’s CCS Methodology?
ICVCM approved VM0049 Carbon Capture and Storage, v1.0 and 4 accompanying modules, according to Verra’s September 28, 2026 announcement. Projects using them can now generate credits eligible for the CCP label.
The approved modules cover direct air capture (VMD0056), CO2 transport (VMD0057), and storage in saline aquifers and depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs (VMD0058). The fourth, VMD0059, covers bioenergy with carbon capture and storage, or BECCS.
"Carbon capture and storage is one of the hardest, most technically demanding technologies in the market, and it has to be done right. The ICVCM’s approval confirms that VM0049 and its accompanying modules meet the highest bar for integrity in the industry, giving buyers and governments confidence in VCS projects that apply an approach essential to reaching net zero."
Mandy Rambharos, CEO, Verra
The CCP label works on two levels. A crediting program must first be CCP-Eligible. Each methodology must then be CCP-Approved on its own merits.
Verra’s VCS Program cleared the program-level test in 2024. The VM0049 decision completes the pathway for CCS credits.
Key Facts
- Verra announced ICVCM approval of VM0049 v1.0 and 4 modules on September 28, 2026.
- Approved modules are VMD0056 for DAC, VMD0057 for CO2 transport, VMD0058 for geological storage, and VMD0059 for BECCS.
- VM0049 has been active since June 2024 and applies to projects worldwide.
- Renewable power used by projects must come from new sources built to serve the CCS project.
- A new post-combustion and process capture module is open for public comment from September 29 to October 29, 2026.
- Salesforce plans to contract $100 million in durable carbon removal by the end of 2030.
>> In Other News: New International Coalition Establishes Shared Principles for Responsible Research Into Ocean Iron-Based Carbon Removal
How Does VM0049’s Modular Framework Work?
VM0049 lets developers combine separate capture, transport, and storage modules to match each project’s design. Verra says the structure supports project expansion, shared pipelines and storage sites, and emerging technologies.
A DAC plant can pair VMD0056 with the transport and storage modules. A biomass power plant can swap in VMD0059 instead. Both projects draw on the same accounting backbone.
That flexibility fits how storage is being built today. California achieved its first CO2 injection at Carbon TerraVault I on May 26, 2026. The Greensand storage site in the Danish North Sea began operations in September 2026.
VM0049 lets developers combine CCP-approved capture, transport, and storage modules to match each project’s configuration.
Power projects that use existing storage wells can benefit too. Google’s Illinois gas-plus-CCS power deal relies on ADM’s EPA-approved Class VI wells in Decatur.
VM0049 also sets a strict energy rule. Projects using renewable electricity must prove it comes from new sources developed specifically for the CCS project. Existing renewable supply doesn’t qualify.
Verra has also digitalized VM0049 and its four modules on its Project Hub. The digital version simplifies project registration.
>> RELATED: What It’ll Really Take to Make Carbon Capture and Storage Work
Which Capture Pathways Could Join VM0049 Next?
Verra opened consultation on a new post-combustion and process CO2 capture module on September 29, 2026. Comments are open through October 29, 2026.
The draft covers capture from bioenergy, bioproducts including biofuels, and combustion-based industrial heat and power. It also covers iron, steel, hydrogen, fertilizer, and cement production.
Verra has also built a natural gas processing capture module, VMD0062, for use under VM0049. The CCP approval covers VM0049 v1.0 and the 4 assessed modules. BECCS already sits inside that approved set, with VMD0059 active since April 22, 2025.
Sustainable biomass such as wood chips fuels the bioenergy facilities covered by Verra’s CCP-approved VMD0059 BECCS module.
How Does Verra’s Framework Compare with ACR’s CCS Methodology?
ACR is a Little Rock, Arkansas crediting program and a nonprofit enterprise of Winrock International. It published version 2.0 of its CCS methodology on May 4, 2026. North American developers now have two expanded crediting routes for CCS and engineered removal.
ACR’s version is built around U.S. and Canadian rules. Its MRV requirements parallel U.S. EPA Class VI and Section 45Q expectations. It also permits CO2-enhanced oil recovery under defined accounting rules.
Decarbonfuse covered how ACR’s updated CCS rules opened its market to DAC and BECCS. Here’s how the two frameworks line up.
| Feature | Verra VM0049 v1.0 | ACR CCS Methodology v2.0 |
|---|---|---|
| Geographic scope | Global | United States and Canada |
| Effective date | Active since June 2024 | Published May 4, 2026 |
| Structure | Separate capture, transport, and storage modules | Single methodology document |
| Removal pathways | DAC (VMD0056), BECCS (VMD0059) | DAC, BECCS, BiCRS |
| Storage options | Saline aquifers, depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs | Saline reservoirs, depleted oil and gas reservoirs, CO2-EOR |
| MRV benchmark | VCS Program rules and module requirements | Parallels U.S. EPA Class VI and Section 45Q |
| ICVCM status | Methodology CCP-Approved, announced September 28, 2026 | ACR program CCP-Eligible since April 2024 |
ACR puts U.S. and Canadian storage capacity at 2,500 to 20,000 billion metric tons of CO2, according to its May 2026 announcement. Saline reservoirs hold the largest share.
"Under the Paris Climate Agreement, all scenarios that limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius include CCS due to the need for rapid and deep emission reductions across all sectors."
Mary Jane Coombs, Director of Industrial Programs, ACR
VM0049 isn’t the first engineered-removal methodology to earn CCP status. ICVCM approved 6 carbon removal methodologies in 2025. They included Direct Air Capture v1.1 and Biogenic Carbon Capture and Storage v1.1 from Isometric, a London-based carbon removal registry.
VM0049 brings the same seal to one of the market’s broadest CCS frameworks.
Why Do Corporate Buyers Care About the CCP Label?
Corporate buyers increasingly treat CCP status as a quality filter. A 2025 Integrity Council report said CCP-labelled credits earn an average price premium of up to 25%, citing market analysts.
Salesforce, the San Francisco cloud software company, plans to contract $100 million in durable carbon dioxide removal by the end of 2030. The pledge is part of its First Movers Coalition commitment.
In January 2026, Milkywire, a Sweden-based climate platform, completed $5 million in pre-purchases for Salesforce. The Salesforce-backed carbon removal deals covered over 12,500 tonnes from 19 suppliers.
Large DAC projects aim to serve this demand. They include Stratos in Texas, developed by Occidental subsidiary 1PointFive. States are adding support too, including California’s $11 million DAC fund.
1PointFive shows construction progress at STRATOS in West Texas, a direct air capture plant that pulls CO2 from the air for permanent underground storage, one of the pathways covered by Verra’s CCP-approved VM0049 modules.
Salesforce’s $100 million target signals real appetite for verified, durable supply. With 4 CCP-approved modules now in place, VM0049 projects can compete for that demand with a recognized integrity credential.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between CCP-Eligible and CCP-Approved?
CCP-Eligible applies to a whole crediting program, such as Verra’s VCS Program. CCP-Approved applies to a specific methodology. Credits need both to carry the CCP label.
Can direct air capture projects earn CCP-labelled credits under VM0049?
Yes. The VMD0056 direct air capture module is one of the 4 modules covered by the approval Verra announced on September 28, 2026. Projects must still meet all applicable CCP requirements.
Does VM0049 apply to projects outside North America?
Yes. Verra designed VM0049 as a globally applicable framework for CCS projects with permanent geological storage.
Where the Integrity Seal Leads Next
The September 28 announcement gives CCS and engineered-removal developers a widely recognized integrity signal. The next milestones to watch are the October 29 consultation close and the first CCP-labelled issuances under VM0049.
For ongoing coverage of carbon removal, BECCS, and corporate CDR procurement, subscribe to Decarbonfuse.com.
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