How C-Lock Technology Enable Corporate Participation in Carbon Inventories & Credit Markets
As global pressure mounts to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, corporations in the livestock and agrifood sectors are increasingly turning to carbon credits and emission accounting systems. C-Lock Inc.’s technologies—especially the GreenFeed emission monitoring system—offer scientifically validated tools that enable corporations to credibly quantify, verify, and monetize reductions in enteric methane emissions.
Verra – VM0041 Methodology (2021)
- The Verra Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) officially recognizes GreenFeed as an approved measurement tool for enteric methane in its VM0041 carbon credit methodology.
- Verra’s methodology VM0041 v2.0, Table 3 classifies GreenFeed as a “static head chamber” system capable of measuring CH₄ and CO₂ flux from individual ruminants.
- Verra mandates multi-day, repeated GreenFeed measurements every 2–3 weeks to validate methane reductions—confirming its trust in GreenFeed for carbon credit verification.
FAO (2023) – Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations - Livestock Methane Report
- In the FAO’s report “Methane Emissions in Livestock and Rice Systems”, GreenFeed is highlighted as a best-practice, field-deployable tool for individual CH₄ measurement under both confinement and grazing conditions.
- GreenFeed results showed a correlation of r ≈ 0.96 with respiration chambers, with low bias—demonstrating equivalence to gold-standard lab methods (FAO, 2023).
- FAO emphasized that GreenFeed supports large-scale, on-farm deployment with lower cost and greater practicality than chamber systems—ideal for carbon credit projects.
- The USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) released a formal GreenFeed measurement protocol confirming its status as a “modified open-circuit respiration chamber” suitable for GHG monitoring in commercial beef and dairy systems (USDA ARS, 2024).
- The protocol states GreenFeed reliably measures CH₄ outputs ranging from 80 to 2000 g/day, matching traditional chambers and enabling standardized quantification for carbon credit and sustainability programs.
Global Research Alliance (GRA) – Standard Operating Procedure and United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) - the primary international treaty guiding global efforts to address climate change) Recognition.
- The Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases (GRA) published a Standard Operating Procedure for GreenFeed in 2018, recognized by the UNFCCC as a technical reference for livestock GHG monitoring (GRA SOP).
- GRA confirms widespread global adoption (~80 units as of 2018) and recommends GreenFeed for validating enteric methane mitigation in support of offset markets.
Practical Benefits for Corporate Carbon Programs
- GreenFeed delivers grams/day of CH₄ per individual, allowing companies to:
- Establish baseline emissions.
- Monitor feed additive impact.
- Validate GHG reductions by lot, group, or farm.
- Corporations using GreenFeed can generate certified carbon offsets by:
- Implementing feed-based mitigation strategies (e.g., 3-NOP).
- Verifying outcomes through Verra-compliant measurement protocols.
- Selling credits into voluntary carbon markets or Scope 3 reduction programs.
- GreenFeed data can feed directly into:
- Scope 1 & 3 emission inventories (livestock GHG accounting).
- Sustainability reporting for frameworks like CDP, GRI, TCFD.
- ESG-aligned supply chain programs seeking low-emission beef or dairy.
Why C-Lock is the Strategic Choice for Corporations
| Feature | Corporate Value |
|---|---|
| Verra-approved (VM0041) | Enables CH₄ credit generation |
| FAO + USDA + GRA endorsed | Regulatory-grade credibility |
| Individual-level data | Precise carbon foot printing |
| Field-deployable | Works in commercial and grazing settings |
| Supports ESG goals | Scope 3, CSR, net-zero compliance |
List of Acronyms and Their Definitions
| Acronym | Full Term | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| GHG | Greenhouse Gas | Gases that trap heat in the atmosphere; includes CH₄, CO₂, and N₂O. |
| GRA | Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases | An international research network focused on reducing agricultural GHG emissions. |
| UNFCCC | United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change | The global treaty guiding climate change mitigation and GHG accounting. |
| FAO | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations | A UN agency that sets global standards for agriculture and food systems. |
| LEAP | Livestock Environmental Assessment and Performance Partnership | An FAO-led initiative to develop GHG metrics and environmental standards for livestock. |
| IPCC | Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change | The UN body responsible for assessing climate science and developing global GHG accounting methodologies. |
| VM0041 | Verra Methodology 0041 | A Verra carbon credit protocol specifically for enteric methane reduction in ruminants. |
| VCS | Verified Carbon Standard | A widely used voluntary carbon market program managed by Verra. |
| MRV | Measurement, Reporting, and Verification | A structured process to measure and validate GHG emissions and reductions for policy or market purposes. |
| NDC | Nationally Determined Contribution | A country’s formal GHG reduction pledge under the Paris Agreement. |
| ESG | Environmental, Social, and Governance | Corporate criteria for sustainability and responsible investment. |
| FCR | Feed Conversion Ratio | A metric for efficiency—how much feed it takes to produce a unit of gain or milk. |
| RFI | Residual Feed Intake | A genetic trait indicating feed efficiency independent of growth or production level. |
| PI | Principal Investigator | The lead researcher on a grant or academic project. |
| USDA | United States Department of Agriculture | The U.S. government agency overseeing agriculture and livestock research. |
| ARS | Agricultural Research Service | The USDA’s in-house research division focused on agricultural innovation. |
| SOP | Standard Operating Procedure | A detailed document outlining standardized procedures for operating equipment like GreenFeed. |
| Scope 1 Emissions | Direct Emissions | GHG emissions from sources owned or controlled by the reporting company (e.g., on-site livestock herds). |
| Scope 3 Emissions | Value Chain Emissions | Indirect emissions that occur in the company’s supply chain, such as methane from third-party cattle operations. |
| Paris Agreement | — | A 2015 international climate treaty under the UNFCCC, aimed at limiting global warming to below 2°C. |
| Verra | — | A leading nonprofit organization managing voluntary carbon standards, including the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS). |
| SBTi | Science Based Targets initiative | A global body that helps companies set GHG reduction goals aligned with climate science. |
| CDP | Carbon Disclosure Project | A nonprofit that runs a global disclosure system for companies’ environmental impacts. |
| GRI | Global Reporting Initiative | An international standard for sustainability reporting. |
| TCFD | Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures | A framework to help companies disclose climate-related financial risks. |
| CO₂e | Carbon Dioxide Equivalent | A standardized unit for comparing different greenhouse gases based on their global warming potential. |
| LCA | Life Cycle Assessment | A scientific method for evaluating the total environmental impact of a product across its life stages (e.g., cradle to grave). |