Credits and projects · China

China opens consultation on 11 draft CCER methodologies, from battery storage to green ammonia and waste-oil biodiesel

China's Ministry of Ecology and Environment posted 2 consultation letters covering 11 draft CCER methodologies on 16 October 2026.

The drafts span 6 fuel and storage project types in one letter and 5 energy, transport and waste project types in the other.

Comments were due by 23 October 2026, a 7-day window after posting.

16 Oct 2026Credits and projectsChinaPublished 12 Nov 2026
Lujiazui financial district in Pudong, Shanghai, seen across the Huangpu River (Shanghai hosts China's national carbon exchange)
Lujiazui financial district in Pudong, Shanghai, seen across the Huangpu River (Shanghai hosts China's national carbon exchange). Photo: King of Hearts, CC BY-SA 4.0, source. Resized only; no other change.
Report

What happened

The General Office of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) posted two letters on 16 October 2026, both dated 15 October, inviting public comment on draft methodologies for China Certified Emission Reductions (CCER). Letter Huanban Bianhan [2026] No. 346 covers six drafts and letter No. 345 covers five. Each draft comes with an explanatory note. Any organisation or individual could send written comments, with a closing date of 23 October 2026.

The six drafts in letter No. 346 are: methanol from gasification of agricultural and forestry biomass; the same route coupled with green hydrogen; hydrotreated (hydrocarbon) biodiesel made from waste oils and used as fuel; ester-type biodiesel from waste oils used as fuel; sodium-ion battery energy storage stations; and vanadium redox flow battery storage stations.

The five drafts in letter No. 345 are: synthetic ammonia made with renewable energy; electrification of haul vehicles at mines; pumped-storage hydropower stations; chemical recycling of low-value waste plastics; and centralised anaerobic digestion of food waste with biogas recovery.

The consultation follows a separate set of nature-based releases in the same period. Revised afforestation and mangrove methodologies were posted on 10 October, and two new forestry methodologies, for tree forest management and reforestation, on 9 November.

Context

Background

The CCER market reopened on 22 January 2024. According to the MEE's 2026 market report, 18 methodologies had been formally issued by the end of 2025, covering renewable power, ecosystem carbon sinks, non-CO2 gases and energy efficiency; the data book records 12 of them as published during 2025. Several of the newest types, such as renewable hydrogen by electrolysis and SF6 recovery from electrical equipment, were issued in December 2025.

Supply has grown with the methodology list. Registered projects rose from 33 with 17.7637 Mt of credits at the end of 2025 to 41 projects and 24.2335 Mt by the end of August 2026. CCER trading in 2025 reached 8.8441 Mt worth CNY 626 million at an average CNY 70.76 per tonne, and the average to the end of August 2026 was CNY 86.51.

How much demand new methodologies can meet also depends on offset rules. China lets national ETS entities cover up to 5% of the allowances they must surrender with CCERs. Singapore applies the same 5% share to international credits under its carbon tax, while Japan's GX-ETS and the legal ceiling in South Korea's K-ETS are set at 10%, and Vietnam's pilot ETS allows up to 30% of allocated allowances.

Data

How it compares

Limits on using offset credits for compliance in Asian carbon pricing schemes (government rules)

Source: Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE); METI (Industrial Structure Council); Korea Ministry of Government Legislation, National Law Information Center (law.go.kr); National Environment Agency (NEA); Laws & Regulations Database of the ROC (Ministry of Justice); Official Gazette of Viet Nam (congbao.chinhphu.vn). Checked 2026-11-12. All limits are taken from laws, decrees or official guidance published by each government. Bases differ (allowances due, emissions or allocation), so the percentages are not directly comparable.

Table of the same figures
SchemeCredits that countLimit on use
China national ETSCCERUp to 5% of allowances due
Japan GX-ETSEligible offset creditsUp to 10% of each year's emissions
South Korea K-ETSOffset credits (KOC/KCU)Up to 10% of the surrender obligation (legal ceiling; exact limit set in the allocation plan)
Singapore carbon taxInternational carbon credits (ICCs)Up to 5% of taxable emissions, from 1 January 2024
Taiwan carbon feeDomestic credits / MOENV-recognised foreign creditsUp to 10% / up to 5% of chargeable emissions (foreign credits only for firms not designated high leakage risk)
Vietnam pilot ETSCarbon creditsUp to 30% of a facility's allocated allowances
Ahead

What is next

No further dates are set in the official texts we checked.

Record

Sources

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