Durable CDR hits record 2.3Mt in Q1 2026 — but Microsoft drives 43%

CDR.fyi just published 2026 Q1 Durable CDR Market Update - From Promise to Proof.

CDR.fyi’s Q1 2026 update finds 2.3 million tonnes of durable CDR contracted, roughly 5.6x Q1 2025 volume. Microsoft anchored the quarter with a single 1-million-tonne deal, while 112+ other buyers contracted 1.3 million tonnes between them, the third-highest non-Microsoft quarterly figure on record. Biochar dominated, making up 93% of contracted volume and all top five transactions. Deliveries reached 145K tonnes and retirements just over 100K tonnes, both second-highest on record, with deliveries up 67% year over year. Intermediaries facilitated 74% of contracted tonnes, a record share.

Our take (Context): The headline number looks strong, but the report itself flags the concentration risk: one buyer drove 43% of volume and biochar accounted for nearly all of it. The pace is also down from mid-2025 highs. Worth watching whether buyer breadth and method diversity expand, or whether the market stays dependent on Microsoft and a few intermediaries.

-> Read the full piece at CDR.fyi

Captain Drawdown is flagging this. The reporting is CDR.fyi’s. Go read them directly, not a rewrite from us.

Source: CDR.fyi Blog