Forest methane uptake
Your Forest Absorbs Methane.
We’re Turning It Into Carbon Credits.
Trees remove methane from the air through their bark. SelvaFlux measures that uptake and is developing the methods required to credit it. Pilot partners can begin building a measurement record now. The work does not require changes to forest management, and SelvaFlux is paid from issued credits.
Say you’re a forest-carbon developer.
The Numbers Don’t Add Up
Many reforestation projects cannot cover their full development, measurement, and verification costs at current credit prices. Revenue also begins years after the first expenses. Projects that cannot raise capital during that gap do not proceed.
Demand Exceeds High-Integrity Supply
Buyers have made hundreds of millions in advance commitments for nature-based credits. The available supply of high-integrity projects remains limited. Many projects do not cover their full costs at the prices buyers currently pay.
Standard project accounts do not include methane uptake through tree bark.
Tree Bark Removes Methane From the Air
Methane is the second-largest contributor to current warming after CO₂. Microbes in tree bark remove methane from the air. Standard forest-carbon accounting does not include this uptake.
SelvaFlux measures the uptake, develops the crediting methodology, and coordinates the independent verification required by registries.
How We Measure It
We measure methane uptake at tree bark and scale it across the site using field surveys, terrestrial laser scanning, and remote sensing. We are also developing the crediting methodology and coordinate the independent verifiers required by registries. The measurement does not require a change to the project’s forest-management plan.
Projected Annual Net Revenue
Estimates by project area and credit price.
| Project size | $20 / t | $50 / t | $75 / t |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 ha | $6.3k | $15.9k | $23.8k |
| 10,000 ha | $63k | $159k | $238k |
| 50,000 ha | $317k | $793k | $1.19M |
A project estimate could be about one-third above or below these values, depending on species, growth rate, and site conditions.
These estimates use current GWP100 standards and assume crediting begins in 1 to 2 years. They show annual revenue to the project after SelvaFlux’s share, using average bark-methane uptake for tropical reforestation. The approved methodology, site measurements, and credit price will determine actual revenue. These estimates are not guaranteed.
Methane Revenue Improves Project Economics
Once crediting begins, measured methane uptake can add annual revenue to a forest project. The added revenue lowers the project’s break-even credit price. For projects near that threshold, it can determine whether financing is available.
At scale, the added revenue could make more forest projects financeable.
Co-fund a pilot
Crediting is a year or two out. A pilot on your land gets your project ready before then.
- A feasibility analysis of your land’s methane potential
- Initial measurement reports for your project
- Priority for crediting when the methodology is approved
- A monitoring record established before the methodology is approved
We’re taking on a small number of high-integrity projects as pilot partners.
We only get paid from the credits we create.
We can measure forest methane uptake across a whole jurisdiction from satellites. The estimate can add forest methane uptake to national and subnational greenhouse-gas accounts.
For governments and jurisdictionsSelvaFlux measures methane uptake. Other forest benefits remain outside the credit.