CDR refers to technologies that reduce the concentration of CO₂ in the atmosphere by removing CO₂ from the natural carbon cycle, through either enhanced CO₂ sequestration from the atmosphere (e.g. Direct Air Captured) or by preventing the re-release into the atmosphere (e.g. Biochar Carbon Removal). 

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Carbon removal technologies are distinguished by their “permanence”, that is, by the amount of time the captured CO₂ stays trapped. For example, afforestation is commonly considered a low-permanence technology due to the uncertainty associated with the lifetime of a tree owing to natural and human-induced risk factors. Direct Air Capture and Biochar Carbon Removal (BCR) are two examples of long-term carbon removal technologies.

The biomass residues (such as wood processing waste, agricultural residue, etc.) generate CO₂ emission in two ways:

1. Via natural decay in forests, on farmlands, or landfills. These emissions are largely unaccounted for, as they only partially represent anthropogenic emissions
2. Via combustion of the waste biomass in households, in biomass-fueled power stations, or on farmlands (e.g. crop residues such as corn stover and rice husks)

Biochar carbon removal (BCR) process prevents these emissions. The most common BCR technology is pyrolysis, whereby biomass is heated to more than 700°C without oxygen to capture carbon in the form of biochar. Experts (IPCC, FAO, ICEF) estimate that “roughly 2.5 to 5.0 Gt CO2/y could be removed from the atmosphere” through biochar carbon removal.

Storing biochar in concrete helps to reduce its carbonfootprint in three ways:

1. A CDR process is only considered complete once the captured carbon has been safely stored in a so-called “sink”. ecoLocked’s process turns concrete into a carbon sink thus providing that much-needed safe and durable biochar storage solution. Through this process, concrete product manufacturers and construction project owners can compensate for their scope 1-3 emissions. This process is called "insetting" as it removes and stores carbon directly in the finished product, turning it carbon-neutral or even carbon-negative.
2. ecoLocked Materials^® partially replace conventional materials in the concrete mix, such as cement and sand. By reducing the need for these emission-intensive materials, the overall CO₂ footprint of the concrete is lowered.
3. The integration of ecoLocked Materials® in concrete can improve functional properties, which can be leveraged to reduce operational emissions from buildings. For example, improving the thermal insulation properties of exterior walls reduces the need for heating and cooling, thus enhancing a building’s energy efficiency.

ecoLocked stores stable carbon permanently inside concrete products used directly in your project ("Insetting"). This storage is MRV-verified via Carbonfuture and Cula and counted within your own Scope 3 emissions — not as external offsets.
You reduce the GWP of your concrete and achieve verifiable climate effects that can be reported under established standards - either in the form of an EPD (product / project based) or carbon credits (company level).

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• Our technology prevents fraud insofar as our carbon materials are permanently integrated into concrete with a very low risk of reversal (see Sanei et al., 2024, Winters et al., 2022)
• We only use certified, sustainable input materials where a positive climate additionality compared to the counterfactual scenario has been validated (see also our Material Selection Policy)
• Our entire process, including our own production site, is certified according to an established, ICROA-endorsed standard (CSI Global C-Sink) and all negative emissions we offer have been measured and audited by independent third parties (MRV providers), at the moment Cula Technologies and Carbonfuture.
• Credits are only issued if the integration in concrete can be proven. Our projects usually take place in a reasonable radius around credit buyer sites (right now mostly in Central Europe) and can be visited.
• The credits are kept in the CSI digital public registry, endorsed by ICROA standards, and their status can always be viewed by the buyer. This prevents double-counting or double-selling of credits, as it used to happen in the past with Excel lists.
• Both us and our suppliers are regularly audited by a third-party certification body (CERES.CERT) according to the CSI Global C-sink standard.

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Insetting - directly reducing your own footprint:

‍When you use ecoLocked Materials in your own buildings or construction projects, the CO₂ stored within is directly accounted for within your corporate footprint. This CO₂ removal occurs within your value chain, thereby reducing your reported footprint accordingly.

Under the CSRD/ESRS and SBTi standards, this is considered part of your own reduction efforts.

• CSRD / ESRS: Reported as removals from own operations and the value chain. Disclose storage medium & permanence
• SBTi: Qualifies as Direct removal if the removal occurs on your own assets

Offsetting - compensating emissions elsewhere:

When you purchase CO₂ credits from ecoLocked without using the materials yourself, the CO₂ removal is accounted for outside your value chain. Your reported corporate footprint remains unchanged, and the compensation is reported separately.

Under CSRD/ESRS, this is reported as emissions removals outside your value chain. Under SBTi, this is considered a measure to compensate for residual emissions.

• CSRD / ESRS: Reported separately as GHG removals outside the value chain​. Disclose storage medium & permanence
• SBTi: Recognized as Beyond Value Chain Mitigation (BVCM) to compensate for remaining emissions

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The carbon is converted into a highly stable solid form and chemically integrated into concrete and similar mineral-based materials. Once embedded, the carbon becomes part of the material’s microstructure and remains immobilized for hundreds to thousands of years.
 The risk of re-release is extremely low because the carbon is not stored biologically or in a reactive form. Even if the concrete is demolished or recycled, the carbon remains in a solid, mineral-bound state rather than reverting to CO₂.

Our approach delivers environmental and community benefits in addition to durable carbon removal. Using biomass residues for biochar supports waste valorization, reduces landfill needs, and creates economic opportunities for rural communities involved in local sourcing and processing. Replacing a portion of sand and aggregates lowers quarrying pressure and supports healthier ecosystems through sustainable biomass use.

We use a rigorous MRV framework that measures the carbon stabilized in our material, tracks it through the full value chain and validates each step with independent third-party auditors. Credits are then issued through established carbon removal standards so buyers can rely on transparent, high-integrity accounting.

Yes. Our process fits directly into existing biomass sourcing networks and concrete production, which is one of the world’s largest industrial ecosystems. Because concrete is produced at large global volumes, it represents a uniquely scalable carbon sink.

Yes. Our credits are categorized as durable carbon removal and can be applied to neutralize residual emissions within corporate net-zero pathways. They align with the expectations of leading frameworks such as SBTi and are accepted within voluntary markets focused on high-quality removals.