What Is Biogenic Carbon Dioxide?
CO₂, or carbon dioxide, is a naturally occurring gas made up of one carbon atom and two oxygen atoms. It’s invisible, odourless, and essential in small amounts for life on Earth, but it plays a central role in climate change.
CO₂ is a greenhouse gas, meaning it traps heat in the atmosphere. That’s useful in balance, but since the Industrial Revolution, human activities (burning fossil fuels, deforestation, etc.) have driven atmospheric CO₂ to dangerously high levels.
Biogenic CO₂ is carbon dioxide released as part of the natural breakdown or combustion of organic material like plants, crops, animal waste, or food waste. Unlike CO₂ released by burning fossil fuels, which have been stored underground for millions of years, biogenic CO₂ comes from recent biological cycles. Plants absorb CO₂ as they grow, and that same carbon is released again when those plants are processed or decomposed making it circular and renewable rather than additive.
All our anaerobic digestion plants produce CO₂. We’ve started capturing this biogenic CO₂ at our newest site, which is already delivering over 14,000 tonnes of captured carbon annually. That CO₂ would otherwise have been vented into the atmosphere but instead it’s now being repurposed for use in industries like food and drink (e.g. carbonating drinks), pharmaceuticals, and industrial cooling.
How it works
Biogenic Carbon Dioxide produced as a coproduct can be either
Stored
Carbon Dioxide can be removed from the atmosphere and sequestered in long-term geological storage
Utilised
Carbon Dioxide can be used in industrial processes or products such as carbonated drinks displacing fossil derived carbon dioxide
Carbon Sequestration
Removing Carbon from our shared atmosphere
We’re exploring fitting carbon capture systems to some of our existing sites – it’s a big step toward turning our biogas plants into hubs for negative emissions.
In time, we hope to store that CO2 in geological wells deep beneath the earth’s surface which would make the production of our biomethane carbon negative. A powerful tool in our collective fight against dangerous climate change.
Contact us
Want to speak to the team about Carbon Dioxide?
Carbon Dioxide
Case Studies
AstraZeneca & Future Biogas
Gonerby Moor, Lincolnshire
Biogenic CO₂ FAQs
There are many questions about Biogenic CO2
Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) or Greenhouse Gas Removal (GGR) certificates represent verified tonnes of CO2 that have been permanently removed from the atmosphere. Each certificate corresponds to a specific, measurable removal activity — such as capturing biogenic CO2 from anaerobic digestion and storing it securely underground.
For businesses, purchasing CDR certificates is a credible, science-backed way to compensate for residual emissions that can’t yet be avoided. They demonstrate genuine climate action, strengthen sustainability credentials, and help meet net-zero or compliance goals. Because the removals are verified, durable, and permanent, CDR certificates provide transparency and confidence that your investment is delivering real, lasting climate impact.
Yes. We can work with you to meet your CO2 needs.
Currently, Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) or Greenhouse Gas Removal (GGR) certificates cannot be used for compliance within either the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (UK ETS) or the EU ETS. Both systems presently cover emission reductions and allowances for regulated sectors rather than removals. However, the UK government is actively developing a formal CDR certification framework and exploring how verified removals could be integrated into future compliance markets. In the meantime, CDR and GGR certificates can play a valuable role in voluntary carbon strategies, helping organisations demonstrate credible climate leadership ahead of evolving regulation.
Future Biogas is not yet generating credits. Any credits we do end up producing will likely be accredited under Puro.earth Geologically Stored Carbon 2024 methodology.
