Joanna

Audit Analysis

The West Fraser Joanna biochar project has a VVB-confirmed additionality assessment and passed verification, but the volume of material findings (22) and corrective actions (21) reveals significant gaps in operational monitoring, data traceability, and biochar quality testing. Key parameters including natural gas usage, water consumption, and biochar carbon content are not adequately monitored, and the biochar testing was found to be non-IBI compliant. The project-specific baseline, absence of a stated buffer pool or leakage treatment, and reliance on assumed values (e.g., 50% moisture content) introduce moderate over-crediting risk.

Project Description

Red Flags

• ⚠22 material findings and 21 corrective actions identified in the verification report, indicating systemic monitoring and data-quality gaps
• ⚠Biochar testing found non-IBI compliant with missing Type B tests (e.g., PAHs), undermining confidence in carbon content claims
• ⚠Ash streams blended into final product, reducing carbon content and CORCs, yet not fully segregated in operations
• ⚠Natural gas usage for kiln start-up, water consumption, and diesel use are not monitored on site and rely on estimates or literature values
• ⚠No buffer pool percentage or leakage deduction stated in any available document, leaving permanence and leakage risks unquantified

Credit Vintages Exhausted