AurCrest Gold,Blue Source Canada
Date: 2020-05-13
Further to our Aug, 2019 coverage, Toronto-headquartered AurCrest Gold Inc. is reporting an agreement with the Lac Seul First Nation (LSFN) and carbon offset developer Blue Source Canada ULC to develop a forest carbon project on the Lac Seul reserve northwest of Sioux Lookout, Ontario.

On December 13, 2019, the Company announced an Emissions Reduction Benefits Management Agreement (ERBMA) with Lac Seul to develop forest carbon sequestration opportunities in the First Nation's territory in Northwestern Ontario. Under the terms of the ERBMA, AurCrest is the sole and exclusive agent for LSFN to manage and develop projects within LSFN traditional territory to harvest ERBs. AurCrest entered into the CDMA with Bluesource to provide the expertise associated with development and monetizing the carbon offsets.

Bluesource helps forest owners evaluate opportunities and generate value in diverse carbon markets by developing and monetizing offsets on their behalf. (Source: AurCrest Gold Inc., PR, 11 May, 2020) Contact: AurCrest Gold Inc., Christopher Angeconeb, Pres., CEO, (807) 737-5353, christopherangeconeb@gmail.com, Ian Brodie-Brown, Dir. Bus. Dev., (416) 844-9969, ianbrodiebrown@gmail.com, www.aurcrest.ca; Blue Source Canada, (403) 262-3026, www.bluesource.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News AurCrest Gold,  Blue Source Canada,  Carbon Offset,  

Iceland
Date: 2020-05-08
In Reykjavik, the Icelandic government has announced several new environmental policies and proposals including grants totaling 550 million ISK ($3,750,000 US) to projects addressing climate change.

Of the total 550 million ISK, roughly 200 million ISK will be invested in projects aiming to naturally store carbon dioxide long-term in order to reduce levels of greenhouse gases in the earth's atmosphere. Carbon sequestration is a key part of the government's plan to achieve the Paris Climate Agreement's terms.

Additional grants totaling 75 million ISK will support the creation of new birch forests; 25 million ISK will address land reclamation projects; 60 million ISK for land quality recovery schemes; and 20 million ISK will be dedicated to wetland recovery.

A further 300 million ISK will be used to reduce Iceland's energy consumption and 50 million ISK has been earmarked for the government's recently launched climate fund to support climate change research and projects raising awareness of the impacts of global warming.

The release notes the government aims to reduce carbon emissions by 40 pct by 2030. (Source: : Iceland Minister for the Environment, Reykjavik Grapevine, 1 May, 2020) Contact: Iceland Minister for the Environment, Gudmundur Ingi Guobrandsson, www.government.is/ministries/ministry-for-the-environment-and-natural-resources

More Low-Carbon Energy News Climate Change,  CCS,  Carbon Emissions,  

Woody Biomass
Date: 2020-05-01
"Mature trees do not stop absorbing carbon. It's just the opposite. Carbon sequestration actually accelerates as a tree grows older. 'Managed forests' is usually code for trees farms full of longleaf pine that are cut [down] frequently and absorb a lot less carbon than mature forests."

"From an emissions standpoint, the UK would be better off burning coal and leaving those (older) trees standing as long as possible." -- Bill Moomaw, Biomass Energy Researcher, UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) (Source: IPCC, Eco Business, Mongabay, 20 April, 2020)

A Bioenergy & Alternative Fuels report subscriber noted the following:

First, the 40 million acres, more or less, of managed southern pine plantations are loblolly pine not longleaf pine. These two pine varieties have important differences in growth rate and ecological values.

Second, and more much importantly, mature pine forest do not 'accelerate' their storage as they mature. These are privately owned lands and the details of the site and management practices are very important, but the annually growth rate (carbon accumulation) on most pine sites slows after 15-20 years. The TOTAL carbon on the acre/hectare increase, but at a slower annual rate.

Finally, and completely absent from these discussion that are typically led by scientist or environmental groups who do not have a clear understanding of the on the ground ownership and motivations of private landowners in the southern US, is that without a source of income some of these forest will be converted to some other uses, probably pasture, which has very limited carbon storage potential. In effect these EU experts are trying to shift the costs of carbon sequestration to private landowners. One can argue that if they want to sequester carbon in trees, and take on the additional risk of unplanned, large scale release from fire, disease or hurricane, that is fine, but they should pay the landowner for the carbon and the lost income.

Editor's Note: We thank our reader for his input and clarification of our report.

More Low-Carbon Energy News Woody Biomass,  

IPCC
Date: 2020-04-22
"Mature trees do not stop absorbing carbon. It's just the opposite. Carbon sequestration actually accelerates as a tree grows older. 'Managed forests' is usually code for trees farms full of longleaf pine that are cut [down] frequently and absorb a lot less carbon than mature forests."

"From an emissions standpoint, the UK would be better off burning coal and leaving those (older) trees standing as long as possible." -- Bill Moomaw, Biomass Energy Researcher, UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) (Source: Eco Business, Mongabay, 20 April, 2020)

More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Emissions ,  

Western Sydney University
Date: 2020-04-20
In the Land Down Under, a newly released study from Western Sydney University has found that mature forests may absorb significantly less carbon dioxide than previously thought, suggesting Earth may be closer to a climate change tipping point than previous models suggested.

Reseacrhers led by Professor Belinda Medlyn, spent four years pumping roughy 38 pct more CO2 than would naturally be absorbed into an adult eucalyptus forest and then measured how much CO2 the trees could absorb. Initially the trees absorbed 12 pct of the CO2 but were unable to capture the additional CO2 to prevent it from re-entering the atmosphere. Current climate change models estimate that mature trees should absorb and capture approximately 12 pct of the CO2 in the atmosphere.

The study found that although the trees could absorb the expected 12 pct, they were unable to retain the CO2 through sequestration and passed about half of the CO2 they had absorbed into the soil, where it was processed and then returned to the atmosphere via soil bacteria or small fungi on the forest floor. The other half of the carbon dioxide was released through the trees themselves. (Source: Western Sydney University, Lifesly, 17 April, 2020) Contact: Western Sydney University, Prof. Belinda Medlyn, Research Leader, www.westernsydney.edu.au

More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Sequestration,  Carbon Storage,  Carbon Emissions,  

American Forest Foundation
Date: 2020-03-30
The American Forest Foundation (AFF), in partnership with The Nature Conservancy (TNC), is touting its introduced the Family Forest Carbon Program (FFCP). The program addresses barriers that deter family forest owners from participating in carbon markets while providing companies an opportunity to reduce their carbon footprint.

The Family Forest Carbon Program offers a practice-based approach, where landowners are given incentive payments to implement science-based sustainable forest practices guaranteed to produce additional carbon sequestration. This unique, practice-based methodology takes into account the constraints of small forest ownership, yet is more credible and scalable, to allow small landowners to contribute at a landscape level. The program also provides a range of co-benefits that address biodiversity, forest health, water quality, ecosystem resilience and related issues.

Download Family Forest Carbon Program details HERE . (Source: American Forest Foundation, Sustainable Brands, Mar. Apr., 2020) Contact: Family Forest Carbon Program, Tom Martin, President & CEO, 202-765-3472, tmartin@forestfoundation.org, www.forestfoundation.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News American Forest Foundation,  Carbon Credits,  ,  

Carbon Sequestration
Date: 2020-03-23
According to a new study authored by Dr. Doborah Bossio of the Nature Conservancy and University of California-Davis, repairing, protecting and properly managing the ecosystem and the earths soil, the soil can absorb roughly 5.5 billion tpy CO2. The study found the soil's total potential carbon sequestration to be 23.8 gigaton of carbon dioxide -- an average of 5.5 billion tpy -- 40 pct of this potential is left to leave the existing land to itself.

According to Bassio, "Much of the ongoing destruction in these ecosystems is the footprint of expanding agriculture. In other words, slowing or stopping this expansion is a very important strategy. So the restoration of the soil will be of great benefit to humanity. In this way, the quality of water, food production and resistance of crops will increase. The incentive structure in agriculture should be directed from payments to ecosystem services, food, water, climate and biodiversity, Bassio added. (Source: SOMAG, 22 Mar., 2020)Contact: UC Davis, Dr, Deborah Bassio, www.asi.ucdavis.edu/people/deborah-bossio; UC Davis, www.ucdavis.edu; Nature Conservancy,(703) 841-5300, www.nature.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News Soil Carbon,  UC Davis,  Nature Conservancy,  ,  

Red Trail Energy
Date: 2020-03-13
Following up on our 13th Dec., 2019 report, Richardton, North Dakota-based corn ethanol producer Red Trail Energy LLC reports that with the completion of a drill pad at its Richardton ethanol facility it expects to begin drilling a one-mile or deeper stratigraphic well for carbon dioxide (CO2) sequestration in April. (Source: Red Trail Energy, KFGO, 11 Mar., 2020) Contact: Red Trail Energy, Gerald Bachmeier, CEO, (701) 974-3308, www.redtrailenergy.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Red Trail Energy,  CCS,  Carbon Capture,  

Washington State
Date: 2020-03-09
Sitting in Olympia last Thursday, the Washington State Senate reported the near unanimous passage of House Bill 2528 recognizing the state's timber industry's efforts to reduce carbon emissions through reforestation and other management practices. The legislation also recognizes the role of forest products in carbon sequestration and directs the state Department of Commerce to promote markets for the state's forest products.

Having been amended in the Senate, House Bill 2528 returns to the the Washington State House for full approval the on to the governor to be signed into law. (Source: The World, Various Media, chronicleonline. 7 Mar., 2020)

More Low-Carbon Energy News Woody Biomass,  Reforestation,  Carbon Sequestration,  

Consumers Energy
Date: 2020-03-04
In its 2019 Clean Energy Plan, Jackson, Michigan-headquartered Consumers Energy announced it aimed to reduce 90 pct of the carbon emissions it generates by eliminating the use of coal and working with customers to use energy more efficiently in an effort to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2040.

Consumers previously committed to being coal-free by 2040 in its Integrated Resource Plan which included building 6,000 MW of new solar by 2030. The utility also launched a public outreach campaign focused on energy efficiency. The new commitment will supplement Consumers' existing plan to eliminate coal, expand renewable energy resources and help customers reduce their energy use. Consumers also may offset further emissions through strategies such as carbon sequestration, landfill methane capture or large-scale tree planting. (Source: Consumers Energy, PR, Grand Rapids Business Journal, Mar., 2020) Contact: Consumers Energy, Patti Poppe, CEO, (517) 788-0550, info@cmsenergy.com, www.ConsumersEnergy.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Consumers Energy,  Net-Zero Carbon,  

Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative
Date: 2020-02-26
In the Aloha State, the Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative (HLRI) is reporting the planting of 500,000 native trees in February as part of its effort to reduce the effects of climate change through carbon sequestration. The February plantings covered more than 1,200 acres of former pastureland on both Oahu and Hawaii Island.

According to the release, over the 50-year lifetime of a single tree, it will produce $31,250 worth of oxygen and $62,000 worth of air pollution control. Each tree will recycle $37,500 worth of water and prevent $31,250 of soil erosion. This data suggests that one tree will produce a societal benefit of $162,000. (Source: Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative, Big Island Now, 23 Feb., 2020) Contact: Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative , www.legacyforest.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Capture,  Reforestation,  Carbon Emissions,  

Heriot-Watt University
Date: 2020-02-07
In the UK, Heriot-Watt University reports its researchers led by Professor John Underhill are to map out the UK's best sites for carbon capture by studying the geology of depleted gas fields in the North Sea. The team will use data from the Oil and Gas Authority's (OGA) National Data Repository (NDR), which was opened up to access for the first time in 2019.

Prof. Underhill believes the southern North Sea is one of the UK's most promising options for large-scale carbon capture and storage (CCS).

The £1.4 million study, which is funded by the Oil and Gas Technology Centre's (OGTC) Subsurface Solution Centre and matched funding from industry and Heriot-Watt University, is intended to help policymakers determine the most suitable CCS sites. (Source: Heriot-Watt University Website, insider.co.uk, 5 Feb., 2020) Contact: Heriot-Watt University, Prof. John Underhill, Dr Susana Garcia, Assoc. Dir., Heriot-Watt Research Centre for Carbon Solutions, www.hw.ac.uk; Oil and Gas Technology Centre, +44 1224 063200, www.theogtc.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Heriot-Watt University,  CCS,  Carbon Storage,  Carbon Sequestration,  

Finland Climate Change
Date: 2020-02-05
In Helsinki, the government of Prime Minister Sanna Marin (SDP) has announced it will establish a muliti-million euro climate fund under the Finnish state-owned development and investment company VAKE. The initiative is part of the Marin government's long-awaited roadmap toward a carbon-neutral Finland by 2035. The fund will be targeted to combat the climate emergency, promote digitalization and expedite the transition to low-carbon industrial processes.

The government also announced it will encourage "clean investments" by gradually lowering the electricity tax for manufacturing industries as of next year to the minimum level allowed in the European Union.

The government also intends to increase carbon sequestration by three megatonnes by adopting a new climate programme for the land use, land-use change and forestry sector. The increase would account for less than 10 pct of the 35-megatonne change needed in the carbon balance to achieve carbon neutrality by 2035, according to the Finnish Climate Change Panel at the University of Helsinki.

To meet its goal, Finland must cut its CO2e emissions from roughly 56.5 to 21.5 megatonnes by 2035. (Source: Finnish Climate Change Panel, Helsinki Times, 4 Feb., 2020) Contact: Finland Minister of the Interior, Maria Ohisalo, +358 295 480 171, +358 9 160 44635 - fax, www.intermin.fi/en/frontpage; Finnish Climate Change Panel, +358 50 4151201, www.ilmastopaneeli.fi

More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Neutral,  Carbon Emissions,  CO2,  Climate Change,  Carbon Sequestration,  CCS,  

University of Tennessee
Date: 2020-01-27
A UT microbiologist has received a portion of a $3.1 million grant from the US DOE to study how global warming could affect peatlands and their vast carbon stores in the future.

Steven Wilhelm, the Kenneth and Blaire Mossman Professor of Microbiology, is part of a team led by Jean-Philippe Gibert, a food web expert and assistant professor of biology at Duke University. Wilhelm's co-investigators include David Weston and Dale Pelletier, staff scientists in the Biosciences Division of Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and Jonathan Shaw, professor of biology at Duke. In the three-year project, the group will study and model the effects of warming on the complex network of bacteria, protists, and viruses that interact with peat moss.

Peat moss plays a key role in slowing climate change by keeping 370 million metric tpy of CO2 out of the atmosphere -- equivalent to the emissions from nearly half the car traffic in the US.

Though peatlands cover just 3 pct of the Earth's surface they store twice as much carbon as all the world's forests. Over hundreds or thousands of years, Sphagnum and other peatland plants pull carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere as they grow, trapping the carbon inside layers of partially decayed plant material up to 20 feet deep. But warming trends could put that carbon storage at risk. Rising temperatures could thaw or dry out peat wetlands, making them more prone to decay and wildfires. Decomposing or burning plants mean the heat-trapping gas long locked up in peatlands could be released, accelerating the global warming process.

To better predict the impacts of warming on peatlands and the carbon they contain, the team is studying a set of players they say are largely overlooked: microbes. Their previous work suggests that under future warming, the community of microbes and other tiny organisms that grow in and around peat mosses could shift balance, which could affect the ability of peatlands to sequester carbon. (Source: University of Tennessee, Knoxville, PR, 27 Jan., 2020) Contact: University of Tennessee, Karen Dunlap, 865-974-8674, kdunlap6@utk.edu, Amanda Womac , 865-974-2992, awomac1@utk.edu, www.utk.edu; Duke University, Robin Smith, (919-681-8057, robin.a.smith@duke.edu, www.duke.edu

More Low-Carbon Energy News Peatland,  Carbon Storage,  Carbon Sequestration,  Carbon Emissions,  University of Tennessee,  

Gas Technology Institute
Date: 2020-01-27
In Des Plaines, Illinois, the not-for-profit Gas Technology Institute (GTI), a research, development and training organization focused on natural gas and energy markets, is reporting the launch of a hydrogen fuel technology center.

GTI focuses its R&D efforts on the generation of clean hydrogen using hydrocarbon fuels that incorporate carbon capture and/or carbon sequestration CCS) in a cost-effective manner. These technology efforts are directed at both large-scale hydrogen production using natural gas feedstock, and smaller distributed hydrogen production for transportation or remote power generation using either gaseous or liquid hydrocarbon fuels, according to the release.

Additionally, GTI is partnered with private industry to develop, evaluate, and demonstrate technologies that further the use of hydrogen (H2) as a transportation fuel by delivering infrastructure, vehicle, engine, fuel dispensing, and system solutions for clean transportation fuel cell vehicles. (Source: GTI, Green Car Congress, 26 Jan., 2020) Contact: GTI, 847-768-0500 847-768-0501 - fax, info@gti.energy, www.gti.energy

More Low-Carbon Energy News Gas Technology Institute ,  Alternative Fuel,  Hydrogen Fuel,  Alternative Fuel,  GTI,  ,  

Blue Carbon
Date: 2020-01-15
U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) reports the Blue Carbon For Our Planet Act has been sent to the U.S. House Natural Resources; Science, Space, and Technology and the House Administration Committees. If enacted, the Act would create an Interagency Working Group on Coastal Blue Carbon and a national map of coastal blue carbon ecosystems and their sequestration potential, study the effects of environmental stressors on rates of carbon sequestration, improve protections for existing coastal blue carbon ecosystems and restore degraded ecosystems.

Blue Carbon is the carbon stored in coastal ecosystems of mangroves, tidal marshes and sea grass meadows contain large stores of carbon deposited by vegetation and various natural processes over centuries. These ecosystems sequester and store more carbon per unit area than terrestrial forests. (Source: Florida Daily, IUCN Global Marine and Polar Programme, 13 Jan., 2019) Contact: The Blue Carbon Initiative, www.thebluecarboninitiative.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News Blue Carbon,  Carbon Sequestration,  Carbon Sink,  

Greenhouse Gas,Center for Biological Diversity
Date: 2019-12-18
Bill Would Pause New Fossil Fuel Leasing, Tie Future Fossil Fuel Permits to Carbon Sequestration WASHINGTON— In Washington, House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.)has introduced legislation aiming to set an overall cap on greenhouse gas emissions from public lands and to achieve "net zero" emissions from public lands by 2040.

The legislation would temporarily pause all new fossil fuel leasing on public lands until the Department of the Interior develops a comprehensive strategy to achieve "net zero" emissions on these lands.

If interim benchmarks for greenhouse gas emissions reductions are not met by 2025, fossil fuel leasing, as well as drilling and other permits to develop fossil fuels on existing leases, would be curtailed until the bill's targets were achieved. Unfortunately the legislation fails to permanently end new fossil fuel leasing which would be allowed to continue even beyond 2040 if emissions resulting from federal lands fossil fuel use were sufficiently offset by carbon capture and sequestration (CCS), forest regrowth and other land-use changes, or by the deployment of large-scale renewable energy facilities on public lands.

The federal government owns roughly 640 million acres, about 28 pct of the 2.27 billion acres of land in the United States. Four major federal land management agencies administer 610.1 million acres of this land (Source: Center for Biological Diversity, 17 Dec., 2019) Contact: Center for Biological Diversity, www.biologicaldiversity.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News GHG,  Greenhouse Gas Emissions,  

University of Virginia
Date: 2019-12-11
A recently released study from the University of Virginia notes that farming, agriculture and other land practices presently contribute around 11 gigatons to CO2 emissions per year -- roughly one quarter of all greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. However, the study argues that the land could actually be converted into an absorber of carbon, given the right conditions.

Among the measures recommended by the study were richer countries transitioning to plant-based diets and reducing food waste, while aiding poorer nations to curb deforestation and restore degraded land. If a concerted global effort was made, land could be absorbing three gigatons of carbon by 2050, turning one of our biggest liabilities into a helping hand in the fight against climate change. The study also recommends:

95 pct reduction in deforestation and land degradation by 2050. This would include more robust conservation policies in developing tropical countries, as well as the conversion of coastal wetlands into protected areas and the prohibition of peatland burning.

25 pct reduction in agricultural emissions by 2050. This would include introducing synthetic or organic fertilizers, enhancing the water-agriculture interface in places where rice cultivation is a primary industry and managing emissions from fermentation and manure.

50 pct adoption of plant-based diets by 2050. This would involve encouraging a healthier diet through consumer campaigns and governmental policies, as well as the development of new foodstuffs to entice unconvinced consumers.

50 pct reduction of current level of food waste by 2050. This would involve tightening up gaps in the supply chain, improving consumer awareness through advertising campaigns and enhancing refrigeration and distribution capabilities in the developing world.

Restoration of forests, coastal wetlands and drained peatlands. This would involve financing ecosystem services, improving in local and national conservation policies and investing in restoration practices.

Improving forestry and agroforestry management. This would include optimising current forestation conservation process and integrating agroforestry into lands currently used for agriculture and grazing.

Enhancing soil carbon sequestration capabilities. This would include controlling soil erosion, reducing tillage of the land and restoring degraded soils, as well as the application of biochar where appropriate.

Deploying bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) in developed countries. This would involve investing into the research and development of BECCS technologies and deploying them in relevant sites. (Source: University of Virginia, Environmental Technology, 1 Dec., 2019) Contact: University of Virginia, Stephanie Roe, Environmental Researcher, Report Lead Author, 434-924-7761, www.evsc.as.virginia.edu

More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon,  Carbon Storage,  

Green Climate Fund
Date: 2019-11-15
In South Korea, the Green Climate Fund (GCF) is reporting approval of $161 million in funding for climate resilient projects in Chile, Kyrgyzstan and Nepal. The project, which are supported by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), are aimed at building resilience and mitigating the effects of climate change.

FAO supports countries to enhance their planning and capacities for climate change-related investments under the GCF Readiness and Preparatory Support Programme.

In Chile, GCF has approved a new $63 million REDD+ Results Based Payment Funding Proposal to restore and conserve about 25,000 hectares of native forest. The project is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 1.1 million tons of CO2, while promoting afforestation in more than 7,000 hectares and the sustainable management and conservation of over 17,000 hectares of forest.

Land-locked Kyrgyzstan will benefit from a $30 million GCF grant supplemented by another $20 million for a project aimed at increasing carbon sequestration through forest and pasture rehabilitation.

In Nepal, GCF allocated nearly $40 million in grant funding to address forest degradation, flooding and soil erosion in the Churia hills region. The Nepal Ministry of Forests and Environment will contribute $8 million to the 7-year effort.

The GCF supports developing countries efforts to respond to the challenge of climate change, limit or reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, adapt to climate change, and promote low-emission and climate-resilient development. (Source: UN Food and Agriculture Organization, PR, 13 Nov., 2019) Contact: UN Food and Agriculture Organization, +39 06 570 53625, FAO-Newsroom@fao.org, www.fao.org/home/en; Green Climate Fund, www.greenclimate.fund

More Low-Carbon Energy News Green Climate Fund,  Reforestation,  Carbon Sequestration,  Climate Change,  

Columbia University Earth Institute,
Date: 2019-10-23
According to a recently published Columbia University Earth Institute study published in Nature Geoscience, Northern peatlands may hold twice as much carbon as scientists previously suspected. The study findings suggest that peatland areas play a more important role in climate change and the carbon cycle than they're credited for.

The report notes that global climate models, which scientists use to predict climate change and its impacts, rarely account for the carbon that peat and other soils absorb, store and release.

Their new study incorporates 4,139 radiocarbon measurements from 645 peatland sites in northern Europe, Asia, and North America. But the main innovation is in how the researchers calculated the carbon storage in peatlands.

The report notes researchershave calculated that northern peatlands hold 1.1 trillion tons of carbon rather than previous estimates of roughly 545 billion tons. The report concludes that peatlands are decaying faster and releasing more carbon as the planet's thermostat climbs. (Source: Columbia University, Earth Institute, 21 Oct., 2019) Contact: Columbia University Earth Institute, Prof. Jonathan Nichols, 212-854-3830, www.earth.columbia.edu

More Low-Carbon Energy News Peatland,  CO2,  Carbon Sequestrartion,  Carbon Emissions,  Carbon Sequestration,  

City of Santa Rosa
Date: 2019-10-14
As previously reported, in February the Santa Rosa City Council in Sonoma County, California appointed a climate action subcommittee to facilitate the implementation of a climate action plans. To that end, the subcommittee is now advancing significant policy changes focused on transportation, energy-efficient buildings, solid waste reduction and carbon sequestration.

Sixty percent of Santa Rosa's GHG emissions come from motor vehicles. As Sonoma County prepares to extend Measure M -- a quarter-cent sales tax that has leveraged $5 of state and federal funding for every $1 of local transportation tax revenue -- the city needs to take a critical look at reliable and frequent public transit.

With 29 pct of the city's emissions coming from inefficient building energy use, the subcommittee is recommending all city buildings join Sonoma Clean Power's "Evergreen" program, which delivers 100 pct renewable and local energy, promising an immediate 41 pct reduction in building emissions.

The subcommittee has also advanced a comprehensive zero-waste plan that could reduce the city's GHG emissions by up to 9 pct. The city also maximized its recyclabling and composting efforts. The city is also exploring . (Source: City of Santa Rosa, Santa Rosa Press Democrat, 13 Oct., 2019) Contact: City of Santa Rosa, www.srcity.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News Climate Change,  

Center for American Progress
Date: 2019-10-11
The Washington-based Center for American Progress (CAP) has released a framework for how the U.S. could cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 43 pct below 2005 levels by 2030 -- consistent with the IPCC's special report on 1.5 degrees C of warming -- and set the U.S. on a path to net-zero emissions by 2050. To that end, the report calls for strong economy-wide targets; sets specific sector-by-sector benchmarks for success; estimates the emission reductions these would deliver; and discusses how to spur the rest of the world to follow along.

The report lays out how we can build the 100 pct Clean Future in two parts. First, it highlights successful climate action by governors and legislatures in nine states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico that have committed to 100 pct clean goals. CAP recommends building on that success at the national level by embracing three key pillars from some of those states: an ambitious 100 pct clean target; a worker-centered approach to ensure good paying, quality jobs; and a plan that is committed to reductions in legacy pollution that has disproportionately affected economically disadvantaged communities and communities of color.

The second part of the report considers emissions by sector and recommends achievable benchmarks to guide a sustained, concerted, and urgent policy program to achieve a 100 pct Clean Future by 2050:

At least 65 pct of electricity must come from clean sources by 2030 and 100 pct no later than 2050.

Car and SUV sales must reach 100 pct zero-emission by 2035, and vehicle miles traveled in urban areas must be reduced 18 pct below baseline.

All new buildings and appliances must be electric and highly efficient by 2035.

The nation must invest at least $120 billion in agriculture by 2030, more than doubling conservation, research, and renewable energy funding.

We must cut manufacturing emissions 15 pct by 2030 and set in motion a technology agenda for deep decarbonization.

We must protect 30 pct of America's lands and oceans by 2030 and deploy climate-smart agricultural practices on 100 million acres, building toward a gigaton of new carbon sequestration by 2050.

CAP offers policy recommendations to accomplish these benchmarks and deliver additional emission reductions throughout the report, including a combination of sector-specific deployment policies, direct federal spending, a broad price on carbon pollution, and mandatory emissions reductions in communities historically overburdened by pollution.

Download the A 100 Percent Clean Future report HERE.

Download CAP fact sheet HERE. (Source: Center for American Progress, PR, Oct., 2019) Contact: Center for Amercian Progress, Neera Tanden, CEO, Sam Hananel, 202-478-6327, www.americanprogress.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News Center for American Progress,  Climate Change,  Clean Energy,  Carbon Emissions,  

Exmoor,Carbon Sequestration
Date: 2019-10-07
In the UK, the Exmoor National Park Authority has this week declared a climate emergency and agreed to work towards being a carbon neutral Authority by 2030. The Authority also agreed to sign on to the Devon Climate Declaration, alongside 25 other organizations, and to join forces with both Devon and Somerset County Councils to formulate carbon plans that meet or exceed Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) targets.

The Exmooor National Park Authority noted it has already cut its carbon emissions by 30 pct by: improving energy efficiency within Authority-owned buildings; installing renewable energy along with a scheme to facilitate installation of 73 new renewable energy systems in local communities, farms and houses across Exmoor; the restoration of nearly 2,500 hectares of peatland in the National Park through the Exmoor Mires Partnership, with plans to extend this to at least 3,000 hectares.

Peatlands are the UK's single most important terrestrial carbon store, containing 20 times more carbon than all UK forests. A functioning bog absorbs around 0.87 tpy of carbon per hectare year while dry peatland releases CO2 -- degraded peat in England is emitting an estimated 11 million tpy of CO2. (Source: Exmoor National Park Authority, Somerset County Gazette, 6 Oct., 2019) Contact: Exmoor National Park Authority, +44 1398 323665, www.exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk

More Low-Carbon Energy News Peatland,  CO2,  Carbon Sequestrartion,  Carbon Emissions,  Carbon Sequestration,  

Foundation for Climate Restoration
Date: 2019-09-18
The New York-based not-for-profit Foundation for Climate Restoration (F4CR) ihas released the findings from its first Wite Paper -- Climate Restoration: Solutions to the Greatest Threat Facing Humanity and Nature Today. Key points from the report include:

Current international commitments to limit temperature rise to 2 degree C over pre-industrial conditions would still leave atmospheric CO2 at levels 50 pct higher than humans have ever experienced -- presenting conditions humans are unlikely to survive long-term.

Climate Restoration is possible using both technologies and financing available today.

Climate Restoration solutions must be permanent, scalable and financeable. Examples of solutions that meet these criteria include mineralizing CO2 into synthetic limestone, large-scale restoration of native forests and promoting photosynthesis and healthy fisheries through ocean restoration methods.

Because commercially viable carbon sequestration solutions already exist, the private sector can play a significant role in leading the way toward Climate Restoration. Companies are already buying carbon byproducts and can use their purchasing power to restore the climate if we further raise awareness of products derived from Climate Restoration methods and establish a supportive policy environment.

Download the Climate Restoration: Solutions to the Greatest Threat Facing Humanity and Nature Today White Paper HERE.

Climate Restoration is the global movement to return the Earth's climate systems to the safe and healthy state in which humanity and our natural world evolved. This requires returning atmospheric CO2 to safe levels of less than 300 parts per million (ppm) and restoring sufficient Arctic ice to prevent permafrost melt and the resulting disastrous methane emissions. Over the course of the last 100 years, CO2 levels have already increased by nearly 50 pct, exceeding 415 ppm in 2019, and continue to climb. (Source: Foundation for Climate Restoration , PR, 17 Sept., 2019) Contact: Foundation for Climate Restoration, Rick Parnell, CEO, (347) 741-1503, www.f4cr.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News Foundation for Climate Restoration,  Climate Change,  Carbon Emissions ,  

AurCrest Gold, Blue Source
Date: 2019-08-21
Toronto-based AurCrest Gold Inc. reports it and Alberta-headquartered Blue Source Canada have inked a Carbon Development & Marketing Agreement to collaborate to develop forest carbon sequestration opportunities on behalf of Canadian First Nations communities.

As previously reported, three Northwestern Ontario First Nations groups, AurCrest and carbon offset developer Blue Source, will work together to assess the potential of forests to capture and sequester carbon dioxide (CO2) within the First Nation's traditional territory for the development of Greenhouse Gas offsets.

AurCrest, a mineral exploration company focused on the acquisition, exploration, and development of gold properties, holds a portfolio of properties in Ontario, which include the Richardson Lake and Bridget Lake gold properties. (Source: AurCrest Gold Inc., PR, 19 Aug., 2019) Contact: AurCrest Gold Inc. Christopher Angeconeb , CEO, (807) 737-5353, christopherangeconeb@gmail.com; Blue Source, (403) 262-3026, www.bluesource.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News AurCrest Gold,  Blue Source,  Carbon Sequestration,  Carbon Offset,  

GEVO
Date: 2019-08-02
Englewood, Colorago-headquartered biobutanol and biofuels specialist GEVO Inc. is reporting a partnership with Locus Agricultural Solutions® (LocusAG) to trial a new technology to improve the capture of soil carbon, reduce applied nitrogen fertilizer needs and improve crop yields.

LocusAG's Rhizolizer® line of fresh, non-GMO soil probiotic treatments have been used to treat 40,000 commercial agriculture acres across several crops, with positive results in improving crop productivity, crop quality, vigor and sustainability. Treatments are now being tested on Gevo's 30-acre farm co-located at its Luverne, MN ethanol facility.

According to LocusAG, the treatments have the potential to amplify crop soil carbon sequestration by up to an additional 3 to 6 metric tpy of CO2 equivalents per acre while increasing crop yields and grower profits. (Source: GEVO, PR, Newswire, 31 July, 2019) Contact: LocusAG, Paul Zorner, CEO, www.LocusAG.com; Gevo, Patrick Gruber, CEO, 303-858-8358, pgruber@gevo.com, www.gevo.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News GEVO,  Soil Carbon,  Carbon Sequestration,  

University of Wisconsin-Madison
Date: 2019-07-08
At the University of Wisconsin-Madison, an research analysis across 180 countries found that global wood products -- all the paper, lumber, furniture and more -- offset less than 1 pct of of annual global carbon emissions -- 335 million tons of CO2 in 2015, 71 million tons of which were unaccounted for under current UN standards.

Current U.N. guidelines only allow countries to count the carbon stored in wood products created from domestic timber harvests, not the timber grown locally and shipped internationally, nor products produced from imported lumber. These regulations create a gap between the actual amount of carbon stored in the world's wood products and what is officially counted.

The researchers asked the question, can we continue to consume wood products and have climate change benefits associated with that consumption?" To address that question, the researchers developed a consistent, international analysis of the carbon storage potential of these products, which countries must now account for under the global Paris Agreement to reduce carbon emissions.

They used data on lumber harvests and wood product production from 1961 to 2015, the most recent year available, from the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization. The researchers modeled future carbon sequestration in wood products using five broad models of possible economic and population growth, the two factors that most affect demand for these products. In 2015, that gap amounted to 71 million tons of CO2, equivalent to the emissions from 15 million cars. If those guidelines remain unchanged, by 2065 another 50 million tons of CO2 may go unaccounted for due to this gap. But this additional, uncounted carbon does not significantly increase the proportion of global emissions offset by wood products, according to the study.

Craig Johnston, a professor of forest economics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Volker Radeloff, a UW-Madison professor of forest and wildlife ecology, published their findings July 1 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. (Source: WU-Madison, PR, July, 2019) Contact: WU-Madison, Craig Johnston, (608) 890-3609, craig.johnston@wisc.edu, www.wisc.edu

More Low-Carbon Energy News CO2,  Carbon Emissions,  Woody Biomass,  Carbon Storage,  

IndigoAg
Date: 2019-06-21
"If we took every cultivated acre on earth, which is about 3.5 billion acres, and got it back to 3 pct, that would take 1 trillion tons of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere and it hold it in the soil. A trillion tons of carbon dioxide happens to be the increase that we've had in the atmosphere since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution.” -- David Perry, CEO, IndigoAg Contact: Indigo Ag, David Perry, CEO, (844) 828-0240, info@indigoag.com, www.indigoag.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News CCS,  Carbon Dioxide,  CO2,  Carbon Storage,  

IndigoAg
Date: 2019-06-21
Boston-based Indigo Ag is touting the June 12th launch of its Terraton Initiative carbon sequestration program that will pay farmers to use regenerative farming practices and remove carbon from the atmosphere. Since its launch, farmers have pledged more than 700,000 acres to the program. Indigo provides seed treatments and electronically connects grain growers and buyers.

The Terraton Initiative is a global effort to capture 1 trillion tons of CO2 from the atmosphere by using agricultural plants and then storing that carbon in the soil. Through farming practices, such as cover crops, no-till, crop rotations and complimentary livestock enterprises, farmers can develop carbon-enriched soils, the company says. Basically, more plants equal more photosynthesis, which captures more carbon and creates healthier soil for better crop yields, the company says.

As part of the Terraton Initiative, Indigo created Indigo Carbon, which is the platform that will pay farmers for increasing the carbon content of their soil and reducing overall emissions. Farmers joining Indigo Carbon within the first 12 months are eligible to receive a minimum of $15 per metric ton of carbon dioxide sequestered. Most farmers can sequester 2 to 3 tons per acre per year, which would be an added revenue of $30 to $60 per acre, the company adds.

Indigo's Terraton Initiative details are HERE. (Source: IndigoAg, PR, AgPro, 20 June, 2019) Contact: Indigo Ag, David Perry, CEO, (844) 828-0240, info@indigoag.com, www.indigoag.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News IndigoAg,  Carbon Capture,  

Rutgers
Date: 2019-06-17
In the Garden State, Rutgers University and Duke Farms in Hillsborough Township report they are collaborating on a study to develop 2,700 acres as an experimental carbon sink to absorb and store atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2). Higher levels of carbon dioxide are a factor in global warming and climate change.

The Rutgers University researchers, from the New Brunswick, Newark and Camden campuses, will conduct monitoring and research at the largely wooded Duke Farms over five years. The study will begin by compiling baseline data on the presence of carbon in various land types and land management protocols. The Rutgers scientists will then create strategies to remove CO2 from the atmosphere and store it in soil and vegetation. The study will also determine the greenhouse gas emissions supporting the Duke Farms operations compared to the carbon stored on the property. (Source: Rutgers, Bridgewater Courier, 13 June, 2019) Contact: Rutgers Climate Institute, Marjorie Kaplan, Assoc. Dir., (848) 932-5739, www.climatechange.rutgers.edu; Duke Farms, Michael Catania, Exec. Dir., www.dukefarms.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News CCS,  Carbon Sequestration,  Carbon Sink,  

Carbon Engineering Ltd
Date: 2019-05-24
Kallanish Energy is reporting Squamish, BC-based Carbon Engineering Ltd and Houston-headquartered oil major Occidental Petroleum subsidiary Oxy Low Carbon Ventures LLC (Oxy) are in the process of engineering and designing a plant to capture CO2 emissions from the air, and to use those emissions in enhanced oil recovery (EOR) activities.

The plant, which would be located in the Permian Basin, is being billed the world's largest Direct Air Capture (DAC) and sequestration facility and is designed to capture 500 kilotonnes per year of CO2 directly from the atmosphere.

Plant construction could get underway in 2021 for operation in 2023. Plant costs and other details have not been revealed. (Source: Carbon Engineering, Kallanish Energy, May, 2019) Contact: Oxy Low Carbon Ventures, www.oxy.com/OurBusinesses/midstreamMarketing/LowCarbonVentures; Carbon Engineering, Steve Oldham, CEO, info@carbonengineering.com, www.carbonengineering.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Engineering ,  EOR,  Carbon Sequestration,  CCS,  

Carbon Storage
Date: 2019-05-15
Researchers at GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel investigating the possibilities and limits of the sub-sea CO2 storage report it is possible to reduce anthropogenic CO2 emissions by separating CO2 from flue gases and storing the captured CO2 in geological formations. The researchers also note negative emissions can be achieved by coupling biogas production with CO2 separation and storage.

Assessments by the IPCC show that these approaches are essential parts of the technology mix needed to limit global warming to less than 2 degrees C.

In Europe the largest potential to store CO2 is located offshore in deep saline aquifers and other sub-seabed geological formations of the North Sea where over 10,000 oil and gas wells have been drilled. At many of these wells, methane gas from shallow biogenic deposits is leaking into the environment because the surrounding sediments were mechanically disturbed and weakened during the drilling process. The study notes that CO2 stored in the vicinity of these wells may leak and ultimately return into the atmosphere.

"We have performed a release experiment in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea to determine the footprint and consequences of such a leak", explains study lead author Dr. Lisa Vielstadte from GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel.

In the study, CO2 released at the seabed in 82 meters of water was tracked and traced using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) equipped with chemical and acoustic sensors and additional measurements on board of Research Vessel Celtic Explorer. The resulting data showed that CO2 gas bubbles were completely dissolved close to the seafloor and the pH value of ambient bottom waters was lowered from a background value of 8.0 to a more acidic value of 7.0 at the release site as a consequence of the dissolution process. This bottom water acidification has detrimental effects on organisms living at the seabed", However, strong bottom currents induced a rapid dispersion of the dissolved CO2 such that the area at the seabed where potentially harmful effects can occur is small.

Accordingly, the study tentatively concluded it is possible to store CO2 safely in sub-seabed formations if the storage site is located in an area with a small number of leaky wells, the report summarizes. (Source: Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel , PR, 14 May, 2019) Contact: GEOMAR - Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Dr. Lisa Vielstadte, +49 431 600-0, Fax:+49 431 600-2805, www.geomar.de/en

More Low-Carbon Energy News CO2,  Carbon Emissions,  Carbon Sequestration,  CCS,  

Loughborough Univ
Date: 2019-05-08
Loughborough University has been awarded £200,000 in grant funding from the UK Department for Transport and Supergen Bioenergy Hub -- a group of experts focussed on developing sustainable bioenergy systems -- for two projects which aim to make the transport sector more environmentally friendly. The projects will explore biofuel production, bioenergy carbon capture, and storage and utilisation.

One project, led by Dr Jin Xuan, a Senior Lecturer in Low Carbon Processes, will examine the role of e-biofuel in reducing emissions and increasing the sustainability of the road transport sector while enhancing renewable energy security. The research will examine the feasibility of a novel electrochemical process to produce biofuels while reusing the captured CO2.

The project will develop a new concept of e-biofuel which combines the advantages of both e-fuel (produced from renewable electricity and CO2) and biofuel (produced from biomass) to intensively decarbonise the road transport sector. It also provides Loughborough researchers with a new link to the Supergen Bioenergy Hub and the Department of Transport.

A second project led by Dr Tanja Radu, a Lecturer in Water Engineering, will research algae-based biomethane fuel purification and carbon sequestration. The project aims to develop and assess an innovative process for the simultaneous production of high-purity biomethane as a potential natural gas vehicle fuel, together with the sequestration of remaining biomass and biogas carbon into algal co-product and biochar.

The Supergen Bioenergy Hub at Aston University aims to bring together industry, academia and other stakeholders to focus on the research and knowledge challenges associated with increasing the contribution of UK bioenergy to meet strategic environmental targets in a coherent, sustainable and cost-effective manner. (Source: DfT, Loughborough University, East Midlands Business Link, 8 May, 2019) Contact: Loughborough University, www.lboro.ac.uk; Supergen Bioenergy Hub, Professor Patricia Thornley, Dir., p.thornley@aston.ac.uk, www.supergen-bioenergy.net

More Low-Carbon Energy News Bioenergy news,  Biofuel news,  CCS news,  Biogas news,  

AurCrest Gold, Lac Seul First Nation
Date: 2019-05-08
Toronto-headquartered Canadian minerals exploration specialist AurCrest Gold Inc. reports it and the Lac Seul First Nation are partnering to investigate carbon sequestration opportunities in the First Nation's traditional territory in Northwestern Ontario.

Lac Seul First Nations seeks to determine the feasibility of valuing their traditional territory for purposes of CCS and monetizing carbon offset credits for sale to the benefit of the First Nation and its business partners.

AurCrest and its subsidiary Wiigwaasaatig Energy Inc. will work with the First Nation to finalize a definitive carbon credit management agreement to develop and implement sequestration project opportunities. (Source: AurCrest Gold Inc., Accesswire, 7 May, 2019) Contact: AurCrest Gold, www.aurcrest.ca; Lac Seul First Nation, www.lacseul.firstnation.ca

More Low-Carbon Energy News CCS,  

Date: 2019-05-03
"Agriculture is responsible for one-third of global carbon emissions, but an increasing number of farmers and ranchers think it can be a powerful ally in the fight to slow climate change, through a set of techniques called carbon farming.

"The underlying principle of carbon farming is straightforward -- to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, where it drives climate change, and put it back into plants and the pedosphere, the Earth's living soil layer. One way farmers do this is by fertilizing their lands with nutrient-rich compost.

"As plants grow, they store carbon in their leaves and roots and bank it in organic matter, such as decomposing plant pieces in the soil. Soil microorganisms, including bacteria and fungi, also store carbon. This prevents the carbon from escaping into the atmosphere and joining oxygen to form carbon dioxide.

"Carbon farming has taken hold in California, which is increasingly stepping up as a pioneer of progressive climate policy in the U.S., even as the Trump administration denies the reality of climate change.

"Today, more than 80 ranchers and farmers in the state are implementing the practice. And the number is likely to increase, since the 2018 Farm Bill includes provisions for a pilot program that gives farmers an incentive to farm carbon.

"Grassland soils naturally absorb and store carbon in soil organic matter, but common agricultural practices, like plowing and tilling, diminish this ability by breaking apart the soil and releasing its stored carbon into the atmosphere. The good news is that carbon can be reabsorbed by the very same soil. Dozens of farming methods, including composting, managed grazing, no-till agriculture and cover crops, are thought to achieve this feat. Many of them mirror age-old, organic farming techniques.

"The potential for land-based carbon sequestration in California is significant. Rangelands cover about 56 million acres, half the state's overall land area. According to The New York Times, if 5 pct of that soil is treated with compost, the carbon sequestered would offset about 80 pct of the state's agricultural emissions, the equivalent of removing nearly 6 million cars from the road. If scaled to 41 pct, it would render the state's agricultural sector -- now accounting for 8 pct of the state's overall emissions -- carbon neutral for years. This amount is anything but negligible: California is the most populous state in the U.S. and the country's second-largest emitter of greenhouse gases. Overall, it's responsible for 1 pct of global greenhouse emissions.

"Ultimately, carbon farming may only pull a limited amount of carbon from the atmosphere. But in California, grasslands appear to be a less vulnerable carbon storage option than fire-prone forests. With global greenhouse gas emissions on the rise, we need to commit to using carbon farming." (Source: NPR, High Country News, May, 2019)

More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Emissions,  Carbon Sequestration,  Carbon Farming,  CO2,  Carbon Emissions,  

Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry
Date: 2019-04-26
At Queen's Park in Toronto, the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry reports it is cancelling the government's $4.7-million per year 50 Million Tree Program as part of it budgetary restraint effort. According to the industry group Forests Ontario, more than 27 million trees have been planted across Ontario through the reforestation-carbon sequestration program since 2008.

Forests Ontario notes about 40 pct forest cover is needed to ensure forest sustainability. The average coverage in southern Ontario is 26 pct with some areas hovering at 5 pct. (Source: Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, Canadian Press, National Post, 25 April, 2019) Contact: Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, 800-667-1940, www.ontario.ca/page/ministry-natural-resources-and-forestry; Forests Ontario, (416) 646-1193, www.forestsontario.ca

More Low-Carbon Energy News Reforestation,  Carbon Sequestration,  

University of Edinburgh
Date: 2019-04-10
In the UK, researchers at the University of Edinburgh and University College London have found that natural forests store more carbon for longer periods compared to plantations and agroforestry. The researchers found the carbon sequestration potential of natural forests is 40 times greater than that of plantations, reforestation and re-greening efforts and the cultivation of commercial crops.

In reaching their conclusions, the researchers examined commitments made by 43 countries in tropical and subtropical regions, where trees grow faster and thus hold greater promise of removing atmospheric carbon.

These countries have pledged as of October 2017 to restore a combined 2.92 million square kilometers (1.13 million square miles) of degraded and deforested land -- an area almost twice the size of Alaska. Some of these are national commitments, while others were made under the Bonn Challenge launched in 2011 by the German government and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The latter initiative aims to restore 3.5 million square kilometers (1.35 million square miles) of degraded and deforested land by 2030 -- greater than the land mass of India.

The researcher's analysis found that at present, 45 pct of the commitments made by the 43 countries involve planting commercially profitable trees. Many of these plantations are expected to occur in countries like Brazil, China, Indonesia, Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In China, 98.8 pct of the area to be restored will host plantations. In Brazil, it's just over 80 pct of the targeted restoration area, with well under 1 pct for natural forests. (Source: University of Edinburgh, Mongabay, April, 2019) Contact: University of Edinburgh, /www.ed.ac.uk

More Low-Carbon Energy News University of Edinburgh,  Carbon Sequestration,  Forest Carbon Sink,  Reforestation,  

Royal Dutch Shell
Date: 2019-04-10
Oil major Royal Dutch Shell reports it plans to invest $300 million in forests, wetlands and other natural ecosystems around the world over the next three years as part of its strategy to "act on global climate change." The investment programme will contribute to the Shell Group's three-year target, beginning in 2019, to reduce its net carbon footprint by between 2 pct and 3 pct, according to Shell.

Projects in Shell's pipeline include a 5 million tree planting initiative in the Netherlands, a 300-hectare reforestation project in Spain and an 800-hectare endangered native forest regeneration project in the state of Queensland. (Source: Shell, Various Media, Bunkerspot, April, 2019) Contact: Royal Dutch Shell, Ben van Beurden, CEO, www.corporate-office-headquarters.com/shell-oil-company

More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Emissions,  Royal Dutch Shell,  Reforestation,  Carbon Sequestration,  

LanzaTech
Date: 2019-03-20
Emissions Reduction Alberta reports it is supporting a LanzTech project that will demonstrate the company's next-generation microbubble bioreactor (MBR) technology, which will maximize the quantity of fuels produced per tonne of wood waste in an integrated biorefinery.

LanzaTech proposes to demonstrate the MBR by producing ethanol from the off-gas of forestry-residue pyrolysis in Alberta, with extended benefits for converting other resources such as industrial waste gases and agricultural residues using LanzaTech's gas fermentation platform. This project takes a major step towards creating value from new waste resources, such as gasified agricultural residues, and serving hard-to-decarbonize sectors, such as aviation (jet fuel from ethanol) and consumer goods (materials from fermentation-derived chemicals), according to Emissions Reductions Alberta.(Source: Emissions Reductions Alberta, News Website, 12 Mar., 2019) Contact: Emissions Reduction Alberta, (780)498-2068, info@eralberta.ca, www.eralberta.ca; LanzaTech, Dr. Jennifer Holmgren, CEO, (630) 439-3050, jennifer@lanzatech.com, www.lanzatech.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News LanzaTech,  Carbon Sequestration,  Ethanol,  

RMIT University
Date: 2019-03-01
In the Land Down Under, Scientists at RMIT University in Melbourne are claiming the development of a new way to turn CO2 back into coal -- breakthrough that could pave the way for new carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies with the greatly limited possibility of "leakage."

According to the researchers, most carbon capture methods involve compressing CO2 into liquid form to be pumped and stored underground. Despite progress, the best carbon capture and storage technologies still aren't economical. They also pose environmental concerns.

To turn CO2 into coal, scientists developed a liquid metal catalyst that is highly conductive. The conversion process begins by dissolving the captured CO2 in an electrolyte liquid. After a small amount of the catalyst is added, a current is run through the solution. Chemical reactions caused solid flakes of carbon "coal" to separate from the solution. Because the carbonaceous solids are stable, they could be compacted and buried in the ground.

The process is efficient and scalable, but researchers acknowledge more work is needed before the method can be commercialized, according to the researchers. The research was conducted at RMIT's MicroNano Research Facility and the RMIT Microscopy and Microanalysis Facility, with support from the Australian Research Council Centre for Future Low-Energy Electronics Technologies (FLEET) and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science (ACES). The paper is published in Nature Communications -- Room temperature CO2 reduction to solid carbon species on liquid metals featuring atomically thin ceria interfaces -- DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-08824-8. (Source: RIMT University, Nature Communications, UPI, Feb., 2019) Contact: RMIT University, Australian Research Council , Dr, Torben Daeneke, Dr. Dorna Esrafilzadeh +61 3 9925 2000, www.rmit.edu.au

More Low-Carbon Energy News CO2,  Carbon Sequestration,  Coal,  

GroundMetrics
Date: 2019-02-22
San Diego-based electromagnetic sensor system company and oil and gas technology pioneer GroundMetrics Inc reports it will use proprietary sensor systems and machine learning to monitor CO2 in the subsurface through a new project awarded by the US DOE.

In partnership with the DOE's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory LBNL) and Expero Inc., GroundMetrics will develop a continuous sequestered carbon monitoring system to measure resistivity changes in the subsurface. The system will help carbon sequestration managers monitor CO2 saturation and thus provide time and cost-effective insight into how the CO2 is being distributed underground and whether it is leaking.

GroundMetrics offers full-field survey and monitoring services as well as partnership opportunities to oil and gas, geophysical service, and mineral exploration companies. (Source: GroundMetrics, Inc., PR, 21 Feb., 2019) Contact: GroundMetrics, George Eiskamp, CEO, Jessie Kaffai, (858) 381-4155, jkaffai@)groundmetrics.com, www.groundmetrics.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News CCS,  CO2,  Carbon Dioxide,  Carbon Sequestration,  

GTI
Date: 2019-02-15
The Des Plaines, Illinois-headquartered Gas Technology Institute (GTI) has released a site-specific engineering design titled Low-Carbon Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) from Wood Wastes, a blueprint for converting an existing biomass facility into an RNG production site, using the wood waste feedstock.

New RNG production facilities using the commercial technologies outlined in the analysis could reduce criteria pollutants by approximately 99 pct compared to existing operational biomass power plants and produce a very low carbon fuel in the base case and below zero in the case including carbon sequestration technologies, according to the study.

The engineering design illustrated in the report was performed by GTI, Black & Veatch, Andritz, and Haldor Topsoe. The engineering design study was funded by California Air Resources Board (CARB), PG&E, SoCalGas, Northwest Natural and SMUD.

Download Low-Carbon Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) from Wood Wastes report HERE. (Source: GTI, Feb., Green Car Congress, 15 Feb., 2019) Contact: GTI, Vann Bush, VP Technology Technology Development and Commercialization, (847)768-0500, www.gastechnology.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News GTI,  RNG,  Woody Biomass,  Rnewable Natural Gas,  

Carbon Capture
Date: 2019-02-13
In Washington, Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn) and Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND) have introduced the Carbon Capture Modernization Act to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel producers by creating additional incentives for utilities to install carbon capture and storage technology.

The bi-partisan Act, which is cosponsored by Sens. Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), John Barrasso (R-Wy), Jon Tester (D-Mont), Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Steve Daines (R-Mont), updates the tax credit system for coal producers and incentivizes underground carbon sequestration rather than releasing carbon emissions into the atmosphere.

"Climate change will continue to threaten our economy and our future if we don't find ways to decrease our nation's carbon footprint, While we continue to transition to clean and affordable forms of energy, this legislation helps ensure that carbon dioxide released by fossil fuel power plants is captured and stored before it can be emitted into the atmosphere. This bill supports the good work that Minnesota Power, Minnesota's rural electric co-ops, and other utilities in our state are doing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions," Sen. Smith stated in a release. (Source: Various Media, Brainerd Dispatch, 12 Feb., 2019) Contact: Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn), www.smith.senate.gov/content/about-tina; Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND), www.hoeven.senate.gov

More Low-Carbon Energy News CCS,  Carbon Sequestration,  Carbon Emissions,  Climate Change,  

Carbon Sequestration,UC Davis
Date: 2019-01-21
In the Golden State, the University of California, Davis, and the UC Working Lands Innovation Center are reporting receipt of $4.7 million in grant funding over 3-years from the California Strategic Growth Council to research scalable methods of using soil amendments to sequester greenhouse gases like (CO2) in soil. The project aims to find ways to capture billions of tons of CO2 and bring net carbon emissions in California to zero by 2045.

The consortium will conduct and oversee 29 treatment and control sites across California and assess whether soil amendments -- pulverized rock, compost and biochar -- can bring additional carbon Capture and storage (CCS) co-benefits, such as improved crop and rangeland productivity and soil health to California growers and ranchers across diverse regions.

The sites range from croplands in the Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys to the Imperial Valley, as well as ranchlands from Marin County to Southern California.

In addition to UC Berkeley and UC Davis, the consortium also includes scientists from UC Merced, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab and California State University, East Bay. The group will be working with the California Collaborative for Climate Change Solutions (C4S), Larta Institute, the Almond Board of California, commercial manufacturers of compost and biochar, ranchers and farmers, carbon offset registries, the USDA California Climate Hub, and UC Cooperative Extension. (Source: UC Davis, PR, 16 Jan., 2019) Contact: UC Davis, John Muir Institute of the Environment , Benjamin Houlton, Dir., (530) 752-7627, johnmuir.ucdavis.edu; California Strategic Growth Council, www.sgc.ca.gov, UC Working Lands Innovation Center Grant Award, www.sgc.ca.gov/programs/climate-research/docs/20181221-CCR_Summary_2019CCR20007.pdf

More Low-Carbon Energy News UC Davis,  CCS,  CO2,  Carbon Sequestration,  Greenhouse Gas,  

CCS,University of Wyoming School of Energy Resources
Date: 2019-01-18
In Cheyenne, the freshman republican governor of Wyoming, Mark Gordon, is reportedly seeking $10 million from the state legislature's Joint Appropriations Committee to fund a carbon capture test project at the University of Wyoming School of Energy Resources in Laramie.

The $10 million in state funds would be used to try and acquire an additional $40 million from the U.S. DOE for another project that would be connected with the Integrated Test Center in Gillette.

The proposed 5-MW equivalent pilot project would use enhanced coal-based technology that captures at least 75-pct of the carbon emissions, according to the governor's request. (Source: Office of Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon, Wyoming Public Media, 16 Jan., 2019) Contact: Office of Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon, www.facebook.com/markgordon4wyoming; University of Wyoming School of Energy Resources, www.uwyo.edu/ser

More Low-Carbon Energy News CCS,  CO2,  Carbon Sequestration,  Greenhouse Gas,  

Very Large Scale Decarbonization Partners
Date: 2019-01-16
In London, U.K. Energy and Clean Growth Minister Hon. Claire Perry has announced the U.K. will lead an international challenge to capture and sequester CO2. Additionally, Houston-headquartered Very Large Scale Decarbonization Partners (VLS Decarb) has announced its intention to carry out field trials of its highly innovative CO2 sequestration system in several U.K. and EU locations, including several U.S. shale basins where, pending results, these trial sites will be developed into fully functioning carbon dioxide storage facilities capable of permanently storing a significant percentage of annual U.S. CO2 emissions. VLS Decarb will target U.S. shale basins in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas.

VLS Decarb is now securing long term carbon storage contracts from industrial, institutional and governmental clients seeking to mitigate CO2 emissions associated with their operations.

VLS Decarb's proprietary technologies have the potential to permanently sequester approximately 35 years of global electric power CO2 emissions associated with the energy consumed in simultaneously sequestering all global CO2 emissions from all sources during the same time. (Source: VLS Decarbonization Partners, LLC, PR, Jan., 2019) Contact: VLS Decarbonization Partners, John Francis Thrash MD, jfthrash@vlsdecarb.com, www.vlsdecarb.com ; U.K. Energy and Clean Growth Minister, www.gov.uk/government/ministers/minister-of-state-minister-for-energy

More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Sequestration,  CCS,  Carbon Storage,  CO2,  

Equinor
Date: 2019-01-11
In Oslo, Reuters is reporting the Norwegian Oil Ministry has awarded a license to Oslo-headquartered Equinor to develop carbon dioxide (CO2) storage under the North Sea. The company is now expected to submit a development plan for the Norwegian parliament's approval in 2020 or 2021. The preliminary estimates from 2016 showed it could cost approximately $852 million to establish a full CCS chain, including CO2 transportation by ships and the sub-sea storage.

The planned storage will be located near Norway's largest oil and gas field, Troll, and aims to be able to receive CO2 from onshore power, cement plants and sources. About 1.5 million tpy of CO2 could be stored beneath the seabed during the first phase of the project, according to Equinor.

If approved, the storage operation is expected to begin operations operations in 2023 or 2024. (Source: Equinor, Gassnova, Reuters, 11 Jan., 2019) Contact: Equinor, www.equinor.com/en

More Low-Carbon Energy News Equinor,  Carbon Sequestration,  CO2,  Carbon Storage,  

Date: 2019-01-07
In a tacit recognition of the agricultural community's growing concern with climate change, includes a $25 million climate-friendly soil health pilot program that will incentivize and reward carbon sequestration by farmers through the use of "no-till", strip-till, cover crops and more diverse crop rotations.

No-till farming is a way of growing crops or pasture from year to year without disturbing the soil through tillage. No-till is an agricultural technique which increases the amount of water that infiltrates into the soil, the soil's retention of organic matter and its cycling of nutrients.

The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 -- Farm Bill -- reauthorized many expenditures in the prior United States farm bill: the Agricultural Act of 2014. The $867 billion reconciled farm bill was passed by the Senate on December 11, 2018, and by the House on December 12, 2018. (Source: No-Till Farmer, Washington Post, USDA, Wikipedia, Jan., 2019)

American Farmland Trust
Date: 2018-11-28
Washington, DC-headquartered American Farmland Trust (AFT) is reporting new commitments to combating climate change, including the addition of Jennifer Moore-Kucera as director of its "Farmers Combat Climate Change" initiative. AFT also reiterated its support of the US Climate Alliance's Natural and Working Lands Challenge in developing policies and programs to increase carbon sequestration and reduce GHGs on farm and ranch land to combat climate change.

The US Climate Alliance is a bipartisan coalition of U.S.states and unincorporated self-governing territories that are committed to upholding the objectives of the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement (COP15).

The initiative supports farmers and ranchers in adopting climate-smart farming practices on land they own and rent, encourages smart growth and protecting farmland to reduce transportation emissions and expands renewable energy siting while protecting productive, versatile and resilient farmland. "The goals and strategies outlined in the Farmers Combat Climate Change Initiative will play a critical role in helping farmers, ranchers, and urban growth planners develop and implement practices that can reduce greenhouse emissions, sequester carbon, and help mitigate, if not begin to reverse the negative impacts predicted by climate change models," according to Jennifer Moore-Kucera. (Source: American Farmland Trust, The Fence Post, 26 Nov., 2018) Contact: American Farmland Trust, John Piotti, Pres., CEO, Jennifer Moore-Kucera, Carbon Initiate Dir., (202) 331-7300, www.farmland.org; US Climate Alliance, www.usclimatealliance.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News COP15,  US Climate Alliance,  American Farmland Trust,  Climate Change,  Carbon Emissions,  

Blue Carbon
Date: 2018-11-05
Holyrood is reporting the Scottish Government and a group of Scottish universities have established the Blue Carbon Forum to measure the ability of Scotland's marine environment to store carbon dioxide.

The programme is being developed by Marine Scotland in partnership with Scottish Natural Heritage, St Andrew's University, Glasgow University, Heriot-Watt University, Napier University, and the Scottish Association for Marine Science.

Scotland Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham said: "The potential role of our marine environment in tackling the greenhouse gas problem is enormous, with recent research by the University of St Andrews estimating that more carbon is captured and stored in sea lochs alone than in our terrestrial environment, such as forests and peatlands. Scottish Natural Heritage has estimated that the amount of carbon stored within Scotland's Marine Protected Areas is the equivalent of four years of Scotland's total greenhouse emissions," the Environment Secretary added.

Chair of the Blue Carbon Forum Professor John Baxter said: the "Programme will provide essential information to help inform what is required to be done to enhance and protect these key habitats into the future which is essential for the mitigation of future climate change." (Source: Gov. of Scotland, Holyrood Mag., Nov., 2018) Contact: St. Andrews University Professor John Baxter, +44 (0)1334 46, jmb24@st-andrews.ac.uk, startlink]St. Andrews Univ., www.st-andrews.ac.uk

More Low-Carbon Energy News Blue Carbon,  CO2,  Carbon Sink,  Carbon Sequestration,