MUSCAT, APRIL 26
Leading international testing, inspection and certification agency TÜV NORD CERT has announced that a pair of landfill gas recovery projects in the Sultanate of Oman have recently advanced under the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) — a leading global framework for certifying greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction and removal projects in the voluntary carbon market.
The VCS projects in question — 4544 at Al Multaqa landfill in Muscat Governorate and 4550 at Barka landfill in South Al Batinah Governorate — have been developed in partnership with Oman Environmental Services Holding Co. SAOC (be'ah) and OQ Trading, the agency said in a post marking Earth Day.
“Both projects focus on capturing and reducing methane emissions from engineered landfills while contributing to Oman’s broader net zero ambitions,” the company said, adding that it conducted independent validation and verification activities on-site to ensure methodological integrity, transparency, and robust data management throughout the project lifecycle.
German-headquartered TÜV NORD CERT is an independent Validation and Verification Body (VVB) for the Verified Carbon Standard, which has been developed and administered by the international non-profit organization Verra. The VCS prescribes rigorous rules and methodologies to ensure that carbon credits — known as Verified Carbon Units (VCUs) — represent real, measurable, and independently verified climate benefits. Projects under the VCS span areas such as renewable energy, forestry, and carbon capture, and must undergo validation and verification by accredited third parties before credits are issued and traded.
The Al Multaqa landfill gas recovery project in Muscat is emerging as a notable contributor to Oman’s participation in voluntary carbon markets, having already generated approximately 39,229 VCUs across 2021–2022. Implemented under the VCS, the project captures and flares methane emissions from a closed landfill cell — converting a potent greenhouse gas into lower-impact emissions while creating tradable carbon credits. With validation, verification, and issuance successfully completed, the initiative underscores the growing role of waste-sector decarbonisation projects in supplying high-integrity credits and positioning Oman as an emerging player in the global carbon market.
Likewise, the Barka landfill gas recovery project has been registered under the VCS. By capturing landfill gas and planning its conversion into electricity through a 0.6 MW engine, the project moves beyond flaring toward value-added utilisation — enhancing both emissions reduction and credit quality. The project has the potential to generate a steady stream of high-integrity VCUs for international markets.
TÜV NORD CERT said the Al Multaqa and Barka landfill gas recovery projects will deliver tangible environmental gains by targeting methane — one of the most potent greenhouse gases — through capture and controlled utilisation or flaring.
By converting landfill emissions into measurable climate action and supporting the generation of verified carbon credits, the projects contribute meaningfully to the Sultanate’s Net Zero 2050 ambitions and reinforce the role of science-based frameworks in advancing environmental integrity, the agency added.
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