November 4th, 2026
Environmental Finance 2026: Carbon Expert receives two international distinctions in the Voluntary Carbon Market Rankings 2026, organised by London-based Environmental Finance, while the Gold Standard AS Metal Aluminum Recycling project, developed with Carbon Expert support for the purpose of generating carbon credits, is named Best Individual Offsetting Project 2026.
The recognition continues the results achieved in 2025, when the Greentech Plastic Credits through Recycling project won the same Best Individual Offsetting Project category. As a result, in two consecutive years, two Romanian circular-economy projects – PET recycling and aluminium recycling – have received the leading individual international distinction in the Voluntary Carbon Market Rankings.
Three distinctions for Carbon Expert in 2026
In the 2026 edition of the Voluntary Carbon Market Rankings, Carbon Expert was recognised as:
- WINNER – Best Project Developer – Energy Efficiency
- WINNER – Best Project Developer – Public Health
- RUNNER-UP – Best Advisory/Consultancy
The 2026 results were announced by Environmental Finance following a voting process among voluntary carbon market participants. Evaluation criteria include, among others, efficiency, reliability, innovation, quality of information and services, and market influence.
Public Health – projects delivering benefits for communities
The Best Project Developer – Public Health distinction reflects a category in which carbon projects are also assessed through the co-benefits they can deliver to communities. Within the Carbon Expert portfolio, relevant examples include the Kofert Organic and DN Agrar projects in Romania, which reduce methane emissions through composting manure from livestock farms; plastic, aluminium and glass recycling projects in Romania and Germany, including Greentech, AS Metal and REMONDIS Recycling; and the Genesis Biotech biogas project. These initiatives illustrate the types of interventions developed or supported by Carbon Expert that combine emission reductions with environmental, health, circular-economy and positive local impacts.
Kofert Organic and DN Agrar – aerobic manure composting and methane emission reductions
The Kofert Organic and DN Agrar projects focus on composting manure from livestock farms through aerobic fermentation. By replacing traditional manure management practices with a controlled composting process, the projects aim to reduce methane emissions, convert organic waste into natural fertiliser and improve soil health. Carbon Expert also highlights the community dimension: reducing pollution associated with improper manure management, supporting cleaner agricultural practices and creating a replicable model for other rural regions. Each of these projects reduces approximately 50,000 tCO2e per year as a result of the installation of Japanese Kohshin composting technology. The Romanian-Japanese strategic partnership between Carbon Expert, Kohshin Europe and Kohshin Engineering aims to develop similar projects globally in the future.
Project details: Kofert Organic – Manure Composting
DN Agrar – Methane Emission Reduction
International recognition in two consecutive years
The 2026 awards continue Carbon Expert’s results from the previous edition. In 2025, Carbon Expert was named Best Project Developer – Public Health and runner-up in Best Advisory/Consultancy, while the Greentech – Plastic Credits through Recycling project won Best Individual Offsetting Project 2025.
Two types of projects that generated carbon credits: plastic and aluminium recycling
The two projects illustrate how the circular economy and climate finance can intersect. In both cases, recycling allows materials to be returned to the economic cycle and reduces the need for virgin raw materials. From a CO2 emissions perspective, the benefit arises when the alternative process – recycling – produces lower emissions than the baseline scenario based on production from virgin raw materials.
The emissions difference can become eligible for carbon credit issuance only if the requirements of the applicable standard and methodology are met and the reductions are quantified, monitored and verified.
Greentech – carbon credits from PET recycling
The Greentech Plastic Recycling Credits project is a Gold Standard project implemented in Romania and developed by Greentech SA, a Green Group company. The project is an example of using PET recycling to reduce emissions associated with the production of plastic materials from virgin raw materials.
Post-consumer PET is collected and recycled into materials that can re-enter the economic cycle. The use of recycled material reduces the need for production based on virgin raw materials and, consequently, the energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions associated with that process.
More than 45,000 tCO2e of estimated emission reductions per year
For the 2016-2025 crediting period, project information indicates estimated total reductions of approximately 453,800 tCO2e, equivalent to an average of 45,380 tCO2e per year.
Contribution to the circular economy and Sustainable Development Goals
In addition to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the project helps reduce waste volumes, decrease the use of virgin resources and develop the circular economy. Gold Standard certified multiple Sustainable Development Goals: SDG 7 – Affordable and Clean Energy, SDG 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth, SDG 9 – Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities, SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production, and SDG 13 – Climate Action.
AS Metal – carbon credits from aluminium recycling
In 2026, the Best Individual Offsetting Project category was won by another Romanian circular-economy project: AS Metal Aluminum Recycling – A Solution for CO2 Emissions Reduction, Romania. AS Metal Com SRL specialises in recycling aluminium metal waste and converting it into secondary raw materials that can be reintroduced into industrial production.
The emission-reduction logic is directly linked to the very large difference in energy consumption between aluminium recycling and primary aluminium production. Primary aluminium production involves extraction and processing of raw materials and highly energy-intensive industrial processes. By recovering and recycling existing aluminium, the project reduces the need for primary production.
Up to 95% energy savings and 77,500 tonnes of waste processed annually
Through aluminium recycling, this project contributes to energy savings of up to approximately 95% compared with primary aluminium production. For the period May 2022 – February 2024, for example, the AS Metal project achieved more than 108,000 tCO2e of verified emission reductions and energy savings exceeding 250,000 MWh.
Depending on the types of waste processed, AS Metal has a capacity of approximately 49,000-77,500 tonnes of waste per year. The resulting material is returned to the industrial cycle as secondary raw material, reducing both waste volumes and demand for virgin raw materials.
Gold Standard methodology used for recycling
Recycling projects certified by Gold Standard with Carbon Expert support use the UN AMS-III.AJ methodology – Recovery and Recycling of Materials from Solid Wastes. The methodology enables the quantification of emission reductions generated through the recovery and recycling of materials that substitute the production of virgin materials.
For projects of this type, quantification must cover elements such as the quantity of recycled material, the baseline scenario, energy consumption, fuels used, waste processing and avoided production of primary material. These elements are incorporated into the monitoring system and form the basis for determining eligible emission reductions.
Genesis Biotech – turning organic waste into biogas energy
The same circular-economy logic is also found in the recovery of organic waste. While PET and aluminium recycling reduce the need for virgin raw materials, biogas production transforms biodegradable waste into a resource for energy and agriculture.
The Genesis Biotech – Multi-site Biogas Initiative, Romania, developed by Genesis Biotech SRL, is listed in the Gold Standard registry. The initiative comprises four facilities that process biodegradable organic waste from the food industry and related sectors, including supermarkets, food-processing facilities and restaurants.
Biogas feeds cogeneration units that generate electricity for the grid and on-site consumption, as well as thermal energy used in plant processes. The resulting digestate is sanitised and separated into solid and liquid fractions, which are used as organic fertilisers in agriculture. The project therefore links waste management with renewable energy production and nutrient recovery.
For the 2026-2030 crediting period, the Genesis project reduces approximately 190,000 tCO2. Planned sustainable-development impacts cover education, gender equality, clean energy, employment, responsible consumption and climate action.
Project details: Genesis Biotech – Gold Standard registry GS12951
REMONDIS – glass recycling, energy efficiency and circular economy
The REMONDIS project “CO2 Emission Reductions through Glass Recycling, Germany” is developed by REMONDIS Recycling Group and reduces emissions through the recycling of glass waste, avoiding part of the energy consumption required to produce glass from virgin raw materials. The recycling plant in Essen has a production capacity of 160,000 tonnes per year. For the five-year 2020-2025 crediting period, estimated total emission reductions are 4,315 tCO2e. The project is Gold Standard certified and provides a replicable model for similar glass-recycling facilities in Europe. In addition to climate benefits, the project contributes to sustainable development and the local community through employment opportunities and technological impact.
Project details: REMONDIS – Glass Recycling, Germany
From circular economy to carbon credits
In principle, one carbon credit represents one tonne of CO2 equivalent reduced, avoided or removed in accordance with the rules of the applicable crediting programme.
For an industrial activity to generate carbon credits, emission reductions must be demonstrated against a baseline scenario in accordance with the rules and methodology of the applicable standard.
Depending on the project and standard, the process includes:
1. identifying the eligible activity and applicable methodology;
2. establishing the baseline;
3. assessing eligibility and, where applicable, additionality;
4. calculating emission reductions;
5. preparing project documentation;
6. project validation;
7. implementing a Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) system;
8. monitoring results;
9. independent verification;
10. issuance of carbon credits for eligible and verified reductions.
Not every recycling project automatically generates carbon credits
The fact that a company recycles, produces renewable energy, reduces energy consumption or implements a lower-emission technology does not automatically mean that the activity can generate carbon credits.
Eligibility depends on the standard, available methodology, project start date, baseline scenario, additionality, methodological requirements, the MRV system and the current rules of the crediting programme. For this reason, the recommended first step is a carbon-project pre-feasibility study before assuming that emission reductions can be converted into tradable credits.
Carbon Expert’s role in carbon project development
Carbon Expert has more than 15 years of experience in carbon markets and greenhouse gas emissions management. For voluntary carbon projects, our team provides support from the initial opportunity assessment through project development and certification.
Activities may include pre-feasibility analysis, eligibility assessment, methodology identification, emission-reduction calculations, documentation development, preparation for validation and verification, and support in interactions with standards and certification bodies through carbon-credit issuance and sale on the international market.
What do the Environmental Finance 2026 awards demonstrate?
For Carbon Expert, the 2026 awards represent international confirmation of expertise built in the voluntary carbon market. At the same time, the result is relevant for Romania: two Romanian industrial projects have demonstrated that circular-economy investments can be integrated into international carbon projects.
- Greentech – PET recycling – Best Individual Offsetting Project 2025;
- AS Metal – aluminium recycling – Best Individual Offsetting Project 2026.
Carbon Expert – developing the next generation of carbon projects
Experience gained across all certification stages – from initial design through monitoring and carbon-credit issuance for the Greentech and AS Metal projects – is being used to develop new project categories, including industrial projects, circular economy, biogas, organic-waste management and methane-emission reduction.
In an increasingly selective voluntary carbon market, project value is not determined only by the number of credits generated. Methodological integrity, MRV quality, traceability of emission reductions, genuine contribution to decarbonisation and sustainable-development benefits are essential elements.