Service

Biogenic CO2 Measurement

Accredited service METLAB delivers a complete, accredited service for biogenic CO2 monitoring at Waste-to-Energy and biomass installations – from absorbent preparation and on-site sampling, through 14C radiocarbon analysis, to a final report you can submit to your regulator. Sampling is carried out according to EN-ISO 13833:2013 under our ISO/IEC 17025:2018 accreditation, and the analysis is […]

Accredited service

METLAB delivers a complete, accredited service for biogenic CO2 monitoring at Waste-to-Energy and biomass installations – from absorbent preparation and on-site sampling, through 14C radiocarbon analysis, to a final report you can submit to your regulator. Sampling is carried out according to EN-ISO 13833:2013 under our ISO/IEC 17025:2018 accreditation, and the analysis is performed at an accredited radiocarbon laboratory. The result: one supplier, one contract, audit-ready reports.

What you get with our service:

Accredited sampling to EN-ISO 13833:2013 by experienced METLAB technicians
Carbonate-free 4M NaOH absorbent prepared in our laboratory, delivered to site, and collected after sampling
Continuous, flow-proportional sampling – typically one-month campaigns
14C radiocarbon analysis through an accredited laboratory partner
Final report with biogenic / fossil CO2 fraction, QC evaluation, and performance charts ready for EU ETS submission

METLAB CO2-C14G2 sampler installed inside an air-conditioned cabinet at a customer site, set up for an accredited biogenic CO2 sampling campaign — A METLAB biogenic CO2 sampling campaign in progress at a customer installation

Why operators choose METLAB

Reporting biogenic CO2 under the EU ETS framework rests on two non-negotiable conditions: that the sampling was performed to ISO 13833, and that the 14C analysis was carried out at an accredited laboratory. METLAB covers both ends of that chain – and the accreditation is your assurance that we do it to standard.

ISO/IEC 17025:2018 accredited – emission measurements and calibrations accredited by SWEDAC. Sweden’s first air laboratory, founded in 1965.
More than 10 years of ISO 13833 sampling – our first permanent biogenic CO2 installation has been running continuously since 2015 – among the longest track records in Europe.
The full chain, one supplier – instrument, on-site installation, sampling, accredited 14C analysis, performance evaluation and reporting are all handled under one contract.
Accredited lab and sampler manufacturer in one – we operate the C14G2 sampler in daily field use ourselves, so lessons learned during real campaigns feed directly back into how the equipment and the service are refined.
EU coverage – active campaigns in Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Italy; available across all EU countries. Customer references on request.

How the service works – step by step

From the moment you engage METLAB, the chain of custody stays inside one accredited organisation – preparation, transport, sampling, return, analysis and reporting. Nothing changes hands with a third party until the certificate is in yours:

1. Absorbent preparation – ready-to-use 4M NaOH bottles prepared carbonate-free in our laboratory, so the only carbon the absorbent carries to the lab is the carbon sampled from your stack.
2. Delivery to site – bottles ship in sealed, foam-seated heavy-duty transport cases rated for long-distance transport.
3. Installation and start-up – METLAB engineers install and commission the C14G2 on your stack, or train your local staff to swap absorbent bottles safely.

4. Continuous sampling – flow-proportional sampling over the campaign (typically one month), with continuous leak monitoring.
5. Sample collection and 14C analysis – exposed absorbent returned in the same sealed cases and forwarded to an accredited radiocarbon laboratory.
6. Reporting – a clear, audit-ready report with biogenic / fossil CO2 fractions, QC evaluation and performance charts, ready for submission under the EU MRR.

Carbonate-free absorbent, prepared in our laboratory

The quality of the absorbent sets the quality of the final 14C result. Every bottle we deliver is prepared in METLAB’s CO2-free laboratory, sealed, and packed into custom transport cases that travel with the sample from start to finish. Preparation, transport, sampling and return stay inside one controlled chain – no third-party handling, no carbonate contamination introduced between the lab and the stack.

Pre-labelled bottles of carbonate-free 4M NaOH absorbent prepared by METLAB for shipment to a biogenic CO2 sampling campaign — Pre-labelled, carbonate-free 4M NaOH absorbent ready for shipment from METLAB

The instrument behind the service – C14G2

Our biogenic CO2 service is delivered with the METLAB C14G2 – a third-generation sampler designed and built by METLAB and refined through more than a decade of accredited field use. The sampler captures CO2 in liquid absorbent under flow-proportional control directly from the plant’s CEMS flow signal, and monitors its own O2 downstream of the absorbent for continuous, real-time leak detection.

For full sampler specifications, including dimensions, signal interfaces and installation schematics, see the CO2-C14G2 product page or visit our dedicated landing page at c14.metlab.se.

What a defensible result looks like

The charts below are taken from a real METLAB sampling report at a Waste-to-Energy installation, covering one month of continuous biogenic CO2 sampling. A defensible result rests on two things: that the sample remained truly flow-proportional through every fluctuation of the plant, and that no air ingress contaminated the absorbent. Both signals are continuously monitored and included in the customer report.

Time-series chart showing sample flow tracking flue gas flow across a one-month METLAB biogenic CO2 sampling campaign at a Waste-to-Energy plant — Proportionality – sample flow tracks flue gas flow across the campaign. Even under variable stack conditions the sample remains a true reflection of the plant’s actual emissions.

Time-series chart showing sampler O2 closely tracking stack CEMS O2 across a one-month METLAB biogenic CO2 sampling campaign, with no divergence visible — Leak integrity – sampler O2 tracks the stack CEMS O2 throughout the campaign. Any divergence flags an air leak in real time, hours after onset rather than weeks later when the lab report arrives.

Get started with a biogenic CO2 measurement campaign

Whether you need a one-off campaign for an upcoming compliance deadline or a permanent installation for continuous EU ETS reporting, METLAB delivers the full chain under one contract. Contact us with your plant details and a METLAB engineer will respond within two working days. Customer references available on request.

For a deeper look at the C14G2 – installation schematics, full specifications and customer references – visit our dedicated product page at c14.metlab.se.