We’ve compiled a list of the questions we get asked most and given you the answers so you can determine if it may be right for your business.
Carbon farming is the process of storing and/or reducing the sequestration of carbon from your agricultural business.
Carbon is the backbone of all life on earth and flows through the environment in what is called the carbon cycle. The major forms of significance to agriculture are soil organic carbon (C), methane (CH4) and Carbon Dioxide (CO2). For accounting purposes, all forms are converted into CO2 equivalents.
Once you have worked with your TEC carbon farming specialist to determine eligibility, and decided what type of project you would like to conduct, we will assist you to register your project with the Clean Energy Regulator.
Once your project is registered, you will implement the management changes on farm to increase carbon sequestration/decrease emissions (inline with the project). When subsequent measurements are due, we will support you to complete the relevant reporting that determines if credits to be administered to you.
There are a number of approved methods for registered carbon farming projects, but the most relevant to broadacre agriculture are:
The TEC carbon farming service is based on a fee-for-service model for all fees associated with developing the project for registration, baseline measurements and support during reporting to generate credits. The exact cost will vary with the scale of the project, the methodology and the frequency of measurement and application for credits.
All projects will be fully quoted following the initial meeting to determine eligibility of your enterprise. We differ from other providers in that we do not take a proportion of the credits as payment for delivering our service. Although this means upfront cost prior to generating credits, it does mean all of the credits are yours to do with what you wish. We believe as the carbon market develops and prices increase, this puts you in a favourable position as you are not having to forfeit credits for the life of the project.
Financial gains from carbon farming are dependent on the scale of the project, the chosen method, and factors such as soil type and climatic conditions. In addition, the success of the project is dependent on consistent application of the management changes required to change carbon sequestration or reduction. We will work with you to implement change and maintain it for the life of the project
There are tremendous opportunities for carbon farming to boost your farms income through the value of credits generated. Not to be overlooked though are the additional production benefits that come from increasing soil carbon (increased soil structure, water holding capacity and plant growth) or reduced emissions from a herd of cattle (improved reproductive performance, higher growth rates).
Given that soil carbon can cycle through the environment, and be released just as easily as stored, sequestration is not regarded as permanent until it has been maintained for 100 years. As a result, registered projects have a permanence period or 25 or 100 years assigned to them.
The permanence period is nominated at the start of the project and cannot be changed. Accounting of sequestration for projects under a 25 year permanence period is adjusted to reflect what would be expected over 100 years.
The natural disaster risks to a carbon farming project are fire and drought. Both have the potential to deplete carbon reserves and slow the rate of sequestration.
Projects are registered with a carbon maintenance obligation that outlines the baseline maintenance level to be kept throughout the project. Major incident must be reported to the Clean Energy Regulator, so note is made during the subsequent measurements. In the event of a major incident and a considerable reduction in carbon there may be the need to relinquish some of the credits generated.
Soil carbon sequestration and vegetation methods are registered against the lands title and the current owner. As such there is potential to transfer the project to the new owner upon sale of the property.
Registering a carbon projects is another way to value add to your property.
The TEC carbon farming service is led by our highly skilled agronomy, soil science and livestock production consultants around the country. With support from specialists in the carbon farming team to get projects registered and baseline soil sampling conducted, we aim to make the whole process of registration seamless.
The TEC carbon farming service is a fully transparent, fee-for-service offering that leave you in full ownership of all credits generated. By charging up front for consultation, baselining and registration up front as a fee for service, we do not take a share of the credits as payment.