>Is the VM0044 checklist really free?
Yes. Free Excel download, no paywall, no follow-up email sequence. We ask for an email address so we can send you future revisions when Verra updates the methodology.
>How does VM0044 differ from VM0042?
VM0044 is for biochar applied to soil or non-soil end uses, where the credit comes from long-term carbon storage in the biochar itself, with permanence calibrated by the H/Corg molar ratio over a 100-year horizon. VM0042 is for Improved Agricultural Land Management (cover cropping, reduced tillage, nutrient management, residue retention, irrigation changes), where the credit comes from soil organic carbon sequestration measured against a continuation-of-practice baseline. Different boundary, different quantification approach, different MRV. If you are turning waste biomass into biochar, you want VM0044. If you are changing how a farmer manages a field, you want VM0042 — the sister checklist is at /tools/vm0042-checklist.
>Which version of VM0044 does the checklist cover?
The current public version, VM0044 v1.2 (released 27 June 2025). When Verra releases a new revision we update the file and re-send to everyone who has downloaded it.
>What is included beyond the compliance checklist?
The same Excel includes a full 12-module MRV data-collection schema covering awareness and training, feedstock declaration, safety, farm GIS, soil testing, production facility registration, per-batch production monitoring, application tracking, transportation, chain of custody, monitoring plan, and additionality records. 252 data fields with type, validation, unit, and the VM0044 parameter each maps to.
>Who built the checklist?
The Greentryst team. We built it from the methodology PDF and the same source documents we use across our biochar advisory work. The compliance items map paragraph-by-paragraph to VM0044 v1.2.
>Is this an official Verra document?
No. The methodology is Verra's. The checklist is a third-party readiness aid that maps to Verra's paragraphs. Always validate against the latest VM0044 PDF on the Verra registry before submission.
>Does the checklist cover the H/Corg permanence factor?
Yes. The Quantification section walks through the H/Corg molar ratio measurement, the Table 3 lookup, and the resulting 100-year permanence factor that gates how much carbon can be claimed per tonne of biochar.
>Can I edit and share the checklist inside my team?
Yes. The Excel is unprotected. Edit it, fork it, share it inside your project team or with your VVB. We only ask that you keep the source-citation column intact so reviewers can trace items back to VM0044.
>Will this work for a Puro.earth or Gold Standard biochar project?
No. The checklist is specific to Verra's VM0044. Puro.earth and Gold Standard have their own biochar methodologies with different boundary, permanence, and additionality rules.