«Carbon credit price» means two unrelated markets: compliance allowances (EU ETS €80.01) that regulators force industry to buy, and voluntary credits ($0.25–$27) that companies buy for claims. Confusing them is expensive.
| Compliance (allowances) | Voluntary (credits) | |
|---|---|---|
| Who must buy | regulated emitters (law) | no one — voluntary claims |
| Unit | allowance: right to emit 1 t | credit: claimed reduction/removal of 1 t elsewhere |
| Price 2026 | EU €80.01 · UK ≈£55 · California $29.27 | $0.25–$27 by project type (carboncredits.com 2026 ranges) |
| Price driver | cap scarcity set by law | project supply, quality ratings, buyer demand |
| Usable for EU ETS / CBAM? | yes — it IS the instrument | no — voluntary credits cannot offset ETS or CBAM obligations |
Sources per figure; see the methodology. Country-by-country instruments: the hub table.
Boilers, kilns, heat exchangers, valves and steam lines lose energy continuously. Inzonex makes Inzonex Modular Insulation — snap-fastened modules engineered per temperature tier, not generic off-the-shelf jackets:
Every tonne you stop emitting is a tonne you don't have to report: cutting heat loss is a measurable, auditable Scope 1 reduction that flows straight into EU ETS, CBAM and your ESG / CSRD disclosures — not an offset, an actual emission cut.
Indicative 2026 ranges (carboncredits.com market data). Quality initiatives (ICVCM Core Carbon Principles, VCMI) are splitting the market: rated credits command multiples of unrated ones.
You cannot buy $5 voluntary credits to settle a €80.01 ETS bill — compliance demand is locked to allowances. Voluntary credits serve brand claims (with growing scrutiny). The only universal hedge is not emitting the tonne: an avoided tonne is worth the full allowance price, needs no rating agency, and survives every market reform. Price your exposure, then cut the cheapest tonnes.
