Freres Lumber Co., Inc.

Audit Analysis

Freres Lumber's biochar project has a VVB-confirmed investment additionality test and a 2.5% buffer pool, but the verification report identified six material findings including LCA data errors, missing shipment documentation, and no evidence for sustainable sourcing of offsite biomass. Safeguards are weak (no FPIC, no grievance mechanism), leakage is entirely unaddressed, and several key MRV parameters (FNRB, usage rates, ex-ante lifetime estimate) are absent from the record. The project is functional but carries moderate data-quality and over-crediting risk.

Project Description

Red Flags

• ⚠Six material findings in the verification report, including swapped LCA data (2021 vs 2023 mobile equipment hours) causing overcalculation of 4 CORCs, and no evidence for sustainable sourcing of offsite biomass feedstocks
• ⚠Leakage deduction and justification are entirely absent from the extracted record — no quantification or qualitative treatment found
• ⚠No grievance mechanism, no FPIC, and no benefit-sharing arrangement documented despite safeguards being mentioned in the verification report
• ⚠FNRB value, usage rates (assumed and verified), and ex-ante lifetime ERR estimate are all missing, preventing independent verification of the credit calculation

Credit Vintages Exhausted