Rotting waste, coal seams, manure and flooded rice fields all release methane, and much of it can be collected before it escapes. Methane capture projects collect that gas and destroy it, usually by burning it in a flare or engine. These credits have had a better run with integrity bodies than most avoidance types. This page explains how they work, why methane matters, what they cost and what to check. It is part of our guide to carbon credit project types.
How methane capture projects work
The best-known type is landfill gas. The US EPA says landfill gas is roughly 50% methane and 50% carbon dioxide, and is collected through a series of wells and a blower/flare or vacuum system that brings it to a central pointSource 2. It can then be flared, used to generate electricity or heat, or upgraded to renewable natural gasSource 2. The ICVCM describes landfill gas capture as capturing, treating and using the methane from decomposing waste as a renewable energy resourceSource 4.
Other methane projects include:
- Coal mine methane, including ventilation air methane from underground minesSource 5.
- Manure and biogas, such as household biodigesters that use animal manure for cooking fuelSource 7.
- Rice cultivation, where changing water management cuts methane from flooded fieldsSource 6.
The project measures the methane destroyed, converts it to tonnes of CO₂e and has it verified before credits are issued.
Matched shop
Buy waste methane credits
- Registry serial numbers
- Retirement certificate
- Project documentation
Why methane matters
The US EPA estimates methane’s global warming potential at 27 to 30 times that of CO₂ over 100 years, and says methane emitted today lasts about a decade on averageSource 1. CO₂, by contrast, raises concentrations for thousands of yearsSource 1.
It is also cheap to cut. The IPCC estimates that 50–80% of methane emissions from fossil fuels could be avoided with current technologies at less than $50 per tonne of CO₂e, and lists methane reductions from coal mining, oil and gas, and waste among the large low-cost optionsSource 9. Landfills alone are the third-largest source of human-related methane emissions in the United States, at about 14.4% in 2022Source 2.
Avoidance, not removal
Methane capture credits are avoidance credits: they stop methane reaching the atmosphere rather than taking CO₂ out of the air. The ICVCM describes the methodologies as rewarding the capture and use of methane from decomposing wasteSource 4. There is no stored carbon to reverse; the quality questions are whether the methane would have been captured anyway and whether it was measured correctly.
See removal vs avoidance credits for how this affects the claims you can make.
Risks and integrity issues
- Regulation and additionality. If capture is already required by law, it is hard to show the credits made a difference. The ICVCM’s May 2026 approval for coal mine methane requires a benchmark analysis showing carbon credit revenue decisively improves the project’s economicsSource 5.
- Electricity projects. The ICVCM limited its 2024 landfill gas approval for power generation to projects of 10 MWe or less, with larger ones still under assessmentSource 3.
- Measurement. Credits depend on metering the gas and the share of methane destroyed. Ask for monitoring reports.
Old methane credits
Approval covers specific methodology versions. The ICVCM estimated that about 15 million issued landfill gas credits were affected by its approval decisions, out of about 91 million issuedSource 4. Check the version on the registry record, not just the project type.
Standards and methodologies
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| Methodology | ICVCM decision |
|---|---|
| ACM0001 Flaring or use of landfill gas, v15–19 | Approved, June 2024 |
| AMS-III.G Landfill methane recovery | Approved, June 2024 |
| ACR Landfill Gas Destruction and Beneficial Use, v1–2 | Approved, June 2024 |
| Climate Action Reserve U.S. Landfill Protocol v6 | Approved, June 2024 |
| Verra ACM0008 coal mine methane, v6–8 | Approved with conditions, May 2026 (VAM and CMM only) |
| Gold Standard rice cultivation water management v1.0 | Approved with conditions, February 2026 |
| Gold Standard animal manure and biogas for thermal energy v1.0 | Approved, March 2025 |
As of Oct 2026
Standards named in this table
ACR
Climate Action Reserve
Verra
Gold Standard
Logos identify the organisations named; no endorsement is implied.
Landfill decisions come from the ICVCM’s June 2024 announcementSource 3 and its landfill gas page, which also lists Climate Action Reserve’s Mexico Landfill Protocol v2.0Source 4. The coal mine methaneSource 5, riceSource 6 and biodigesterSource 7 decisions are from later announcements.
What do methane capture credits cost?
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| Year | Average price (USD per tCO₂e) | Volume traded (MtCO₂e) |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 7.46 | 1.5 |
| 2024 | 6.72 | 4.8 |
As of Oct 2026
Ecosystem Marketplace reports that waste disposal volume more than tripled in 2024, driven by demand for CCP-approved landfill gas credits, and that the average price of CCP-approved landfill gas credits rose 35% from the first half of 2024 to the secondSource 8. Landfill gas was the most liquid CCP-approved credit type in 2024, with 3.1 million tonnes traded, a 149% increase on 2023Source 8. Livestock methane sits in its agriculture category, which averaged $7.66 in 2024Source 8. See carbon credit prices for the full snapshot.
Buying methane capture credits
- Check the methodology and version, and whether credits carry the CCP label.
- Ask whether capture is legally required where the project operates.
- Look for monitoring data on gas flow and destruction.
- Verify retirement; see how to verify carbon credits.
Methane capture fits well in a portfolio approach alongside removals. Compare it with renewable energy and clean cookstoves.