Europe’s First Biochar-Asphalt Carbon Credits Break €300 Mark

Europe has taken a significant step in carbon removal innovation with the issuance of the first verified CO₂ removal credits (CDRs) generated from asphalt infused with biochar. The credits, certified under the Finland-based standard Puro.earth, are priced above €300 ($347) per tonne of CO₂ equivalent, signalling growing market interest in durable carbon storage solutions.

A mound of biochar lies beside a smooth asphalt forest road, with a blurred car visible in the background. AI generated picture. 

The project integrates biochar directly into road surfaces, enabling permanent carbon storage within asphalt—a material traditionally associated with high emissions. The developer said the approach combines environmental gains with improved material performance. ‘These verified premium credits enable buyers to contribute directly to the decarbonisation of one of the world’s hardest-to-abate industries: construction’, the company stated on social media. ‘They originate from our Carbon Removal Park Baltic Sea, where biochar was added to asphalt to permanently store carbon while improving material performance.’

Biochar, a stable, carbon-rich byproduct of biomass pyrolysis, can trap carbon for centuries while strengthening building materials. At the Baltic Sea Carbon Removal Park, around seven tonnes of biochar were mixed into asphalt at a 3% ratio. This pilot phase was followed by the issuance of 137 CO₂ removal certificates in mid-September. According to Puro.earth registry data, 120 of these units were transferred to UK-based sustainability consultancy Anthesis.

The developer, Novocarbo, headquartered in Hamburg, said that incorporating biochar helps increase asphalt stiffness, limit surface wear, and extend the pavement’s lifespan. The company raised €25 million in 2023 to scale its European network of carbon removal parks and plans to launch around 200 facilities by 2033, targeting 1 million tonnes of CO₂ removals annually by 2030. Its current sites are located in Grevesmühlen, Lippstadt, and along the Rhine River.

While biochar-asphalt projects remain at an early stage, the concept highlights the growing role of carbon removal in the construction industry. By turning roads into long-term carbon sinks, these innovations are redefining how infrastructure can contribute to both durability and decarbonisation.