What are carbon credits?
Carbon credits are measurable, verifiable emission reductions from projects that reduce, remove or avoid greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Landowners can receive carbon credits relative to the amount of carbon stored on their land and therefore removed from our atmosphere. Carbon credits are purchased by entities that emit carbon into the atmosphere in order to offset their greenhouse gas emissions as incentivized by the government in the Inflation Reduction Act.
What are verified carbon credits?
A verified carbon credit is a certified reduction, removal, or avoidance of one metric ton of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Your carbon credits need to be verified in order to be attractive to buyers looking to offset their carbon emissions. Carbon credit verification takes place in line with nationally recognized carbon standards, such as the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) or Climate Action Reserve (CAR), which are drawn up by independent third-party bodies.
How much could I make selling carbon credits for carbon offsets on my land?
The value of your land for carbon offsets will depend on many factors including the acreage, climate, tree coverage, soil types, surface activity, and more. LandGate has combined these factors to present you with a carbon land value, or an approximation of what your land could be worth in carbon credits through carbon offsets.
How do I get paid for carbon credits on my land?
You would be paid for carbon credits on your land based on the amount of carbon dioxide your specific parcel of land captures. Companies will make offers to purchase or lease your carbon credits for an allotted period of time and you will be paid on a regular basis dependent on the individual contract or carbon storage lease you sign with the purchaser.
What are the types of carbon credits that landowners can potentially sell?
The types of carbon credits potentially available are:
Verified Carbon Units
California Carbon Offsets
Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) Allowances
American Carbon Registry (ACR)
Climate Reserve Tonnes (CRTs)
Carbon Offsets
Carbon Harvest Deferrals
What are Carbon Harvest Deferrals?
Carbon harvest deferrals are a popular land management approach that involves postponing the harvesting of trees to enhance carbon storage in the forest and reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. In other words, a HDC is a guarantee made by the forest owner that a certain amount of CO2 will be prevented from the atmosphere for a period of time by delaying the harvest of the trees. This strategy can be applied to public and private lands and is commonly utilized as a carbon offset solution, allowing companies to compensate for their carbon emissions by supporting projects that sequester carbon in forests.
Companies pay landowners to delay harvesting and sustain the forest, receiving carbon credits in return. Apart from carbon sequestration, these deferrals offer additional environmental benefits such as biodiversity protection, soil preservation, and safeguarding water resources. Nonetheless, there can be economic consequences for landowners who experience delayed income from timber harvesting.
How can I sell carbon credits from my land?
Landowners can list their carbon credits for sale for free on LandGate’s online marketplace for exposure to high-intent carbon developers and investors. It starts by finding your land on LandGate’s map to generate your free Property Report:
