scholarly journals Greenhouse Gas Abatement Potentials and Economics of Selected Biochemicals in Germany

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 2230
Author(s):  
Frazer Musonda ◽  
Markus Millinger ◽  
Daniela Thrän
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Succinic Acid ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Mathematical Optimization ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
Carbon Price ◽  
Abatement Costs ◽  
Technological Readiness

In this paper, biochemicals with the potential to substitute fossil reference chemicals in Germany were identified using technological readiness and substitution potential criteria. Their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions were quantified by using life cycle assessments (LCA) and their economic viabilities were determined by comparing their minimum selling prices with fossil references’ market prices. A bottom up mathematical optimization model, BioENergy OPTimization (BENOPT) was used to investigate the GHG abatement potential and the corresponding abatement costs for the biochemicals up to 2050. BENOPT determines the optimal biomass allocation pathways based on maximizing GHG abatement under resource, capacity, and demand constraints. The identified biochemicals were bioethylene, succinic acid, polylactic acid (PLA), and polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA). Results show that only succinic acid is economically competitive. Bioethylene which is the least performing in terms of economics breaks even at a carbon price of 420 euros per ton carbon dioxide equivalent (€/tCO2eq). With full tax waivers, a carbon price of 134 €/tCO2eq is necessary. This would result in positive margins for PHA and PLA of 12% and 16%, respectively. From the available agricultural land, modeling results show high sensitivity to assumptions of carbon dioxide (CO2) sequestration in biochemicals and integrated biochemicals production. GHG abatement for scenarios where these assumptions were disregarded and where they were collectively taken into account increased by 370% resulting in a 75% reduction in the corresponding GHG abatement costs.

scholarly journals Greenhouse gas emissions from the water–air interface of a grassland river: a case study of the Xilin River

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xue Hao ◽  
Yu Ruihong ◽  
Zhang Zhuangzhuang ◽  
Qi Zhen ◽  
Lu Xixi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Land Use ◽  
Nitrous Oxide ◽  
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Nitrous Oxide Emissions ◽  
Gas Emissions ◽  
Sand Land ◽  
Very High

AbstractGreenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from rivers and lakes have been shown to significantly contribute to global carbon and nitrogen cycling. In spatiotemporal-variable and human-impacted rivers in the grassland region, simultaneous carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide emissions and their relationships under the different land use types are poorly documented. This research estimated greenhouse gas (CO2, CH4, N2O) emissions in the Xilin River of Inner Mongolia of China using direct measurements from 18 field campaigns under seven land use type (such as swamp, sand land, grassland, pond, reservoir, lake, waste water) conducted in 2018. The results showed that CO2 emissions were higher in June and August, mainly affected by pH and DO. Emissions of CH4 and N2O were higher in October, which were influenced by TN and TP. According to global warming potential, CO2 emissions accounted for 63.35% of the three GHG emissions, and CH4 and N2O emissions accounted for 35.98% and 0.66% in the Xilin river, respectively. Under the influence of different degrees of human-impact, the amount of CO2 emissions in the sand land type was very high, however, CH4 emissions and N2O emissions were very high in the artificial pond and the wastewater, respectively. For natural river, the greenhouse gas emissions from the reservoir and sand land were both low. The Xilin river was observed to be a source of carbon dioxide and methane, and the lake was a sink for nitrous oxide.

scholarly journals Application of Hydrochar, Digestate, and Synthetic Fertilizer to a Miscanthus x giganteus Crop: Implications for Biomass and Greenhouse Gas Emissions

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (24) ◽  
pp. 8953
Author(s):  
Toby Adjuik ◽  
Abbey M. Rodjom ◽  
Kimberley E. Miller ◽  
M. Toufiq M. Reza ◽  
Sarah C. Davis
Keyword(s):  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Nutrient Management ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Biomass Yield ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Hydrothermal Carbonization ◽  
Control Treatment ◽  
Miscanthus X Giganteus ◽  
Synthetic Fertilizer ◽  
Ghg Fluxes

Miscanthus x giganteus (miscanthus), a perennial biomass crop, allocates more carbon belowground and typically has lower soil greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions than conventional feedstock crops, but best practices for nutrient management that maximize yield while minimizing soil GHG emissions are still debated. This study evaluated the effects of four different fertilization treatments (digestate from a biodigester, synthetic fertilizer (urea), hydrochar from the hydrothermal carbonization of digestate, and a control) on soil GHG emissions and biomass yield of an established miscanthus stand grown on abandoned agricultural land. Soil GHG fluxes (including CH4, CO2, and N2O) were sampled in all treatments using the static chamber methodology. Average biomass yield varied from 20.2 Mg ha−1 to 23.5 Mg ha−1, but there were no significant differences among the four treatments (p > 0.05). The hydrochar treatment reduced mean CO2 emissions by 34% compared to the control treatment, but this difference was only statistically significant in one of the two sites tested. Applying digestate to miscanthus resulted in a CH4 efflux from the soil in one of two sites, while soils treated with urea and hydrochar acted as CH4 sinks in both sites. Overall, fertilization did not significantly improve biomass yield, but hydrochar as a soil amendment has potential for reducing soil GHG fluxes.

Assessment of the risks of using hydrogen instead of carbon-containing fuels in the ferrous metallurgy

2021 ◽  
Vol 77 (8) ◽  
pp. 925-930
Author(s):  
E. A. Alabushev ◽  
I. S. Bersenev ◽  
V. V. Bragin ◽  
A. A. Stepanova
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Ferrous Metallurgy ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Emissions ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Metallurgical Industry ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Explosion Hazard ◽  
Social Risks ◽  
Reduce Carbon Dioxide

The Paris Agreement, adopted in December of 2015 at the 21st session of the UNFCCC Conference of the Parties and effected from November of 2016, coordinates the efforts of states to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, including carbon dioxide. One of its largest emitters to the atmosphere is the metallurgical industry. Among the proposed ways to reduce carbon dioxide emissions is the widespread use of hydrogen in the ferrous metallurgy. An overview of the problems that the ferrous metallurgy will face when replacing carbon-containing fuels with hydrogen is presented. It was noted that the use of hydrogen in the ferrous metallurgy contains such technological risks as high cost in comparison with currently used fuels and reducing agents; explosion hazard and corrosion activity, the need for a radical reconstruction of thermal units when using hydrogen instead of traditional for the ferrous metallurgy natural, coke and blast furnace gases, as well as solid fuels. It is shown that minimizing these risks is not always possible or economically feasible, and the result of using hydrogen in the ferrous metallurgy instead of carbon-containing fuel from the point of view of reducing greenhouse gas emissions may be low with a significant increase of economic and social risks.

scholarly journals An assessment of greenhouse gas emissions: implications for the Australian cotton industry

2010 ◽  
Vol 148 (5) ◽  
pp. 501-510 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. N. MARASENI ◽  
G. COCKFIELD ◽  
J. MAROULIS
Keyword(s):  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Carbon Price ◽  
Pollution Reduction ◽  
Australian Government ◽  
Cotton Industry ◽  
Environmentally Sustainable ◽  
Farm Inputs

SUMMARYThe majority of cotton produced in Australia is exported. The Australian cotton industry must maintain product quality in order to remain globally competitive. In addition, carbon-conscious consumers need reassurance that the system used to grow the product is environmentally sustainable. The aim of the present study was to estimate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions due to various farm inputs in three common types of cotton farming systems on the Darling Downs region, southern Queensland. Analysis revealed that GHG emissions for dryland solid-plant and dryland double-skip cotton farming systems are similar, but emissions are much higher for irrigated solid-plant cotton farming (1367, 1274 and 4841 kg CO2e/ha, respectively). However, if comparisons of GHG emissions are based on yield (per tonne), the positions of dryland double-skip farming and dryland solid-plant farming are reversed, but the position of irrigated cotton farming still remains as the highest GHG emitter. If the cotton industry comes under the Australian Government Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS) without any subsidies and preconditions, and with a carbon price of A$25/t CO2e, the costs borne by each system would be A$66.8/t for the irrigated cotton industry, A$39.7/t for the dryland solid-plant cotton industry and A$43.6/t for the dryland double-skip cotton industry. This suggests that irrigated cotton would be more profitable in financial terms but with heavy environmental sustainability costs.

The case for long-term studies of greenhouse gas emissions

1999 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 166-168 ◽  
Author(s):  
TIM NEWCOMB
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Greenhouse Gases ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Emissions ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Industrialized Countries ◽  
Intergovernmental Panel ◽  
Long Term Studies

Many nations have recognized the need to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs). The scientific assessments of climate change of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) support the need to reduce GHG emissions. The 1997 Kyoto Protocol to the 1992 Convention on Climate Change (UNTS 30822) has now been signed by more than 65 countries, although that Protocol has not yet entered into force. Some 14 of the industrialized countries listed in the Protocol face reductions in carbon dioxide emissions of more than 10% compared to projected 1997 carbon dioxide emissions (Najam & Page 1998).

scholarly journals Prioritising agri-environment options for greenhouse gas mitigation

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 104-122 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas Warner ◽  
John Tzilivakis ◽  
Andrew Green ◽  
Kathleen Lewis
Keyword(s):  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Crop Yield ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Greenhouse Gas Mitigation ◽  
Intergovernmental Panel ◽  
Ghg Mitigation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Erosion Risk ◽  
Lower Priority

Purpose This paper aims to assess agri-environment (AE) scheme options on cultivated agricultural land in England for their impact on agricultural greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It considers both absolute emissions reduction and reduction incorporating yield decrease and potential production displacement. Similarities with Ecological Focus Areas (EFAs) introduced in 2015 as part of the post-2014 Common Agricultural Policy reform, and their potential impact, are considered. Design/methodology/approach A life-cycle analysis approach derives GHG emissions for 18 key representative options. Meta-modelling is used to account for spatial environmental variables (annual precipitation, soil type and erosion risk), supplementing the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change methodology. Findings Most options achieve an absolute reduction in GHG emissions compared to an existing arable crop baseline but at the expense of removing land from production, risking production displacement. Soil and water protection options designed to reduce soil erosion and nitrate leaching decrease GHG emissions without loss of crop yield. Undersown spring cereals support decreased inputs and emissions per unit of crop yield. The most valuable AE options identified are included in the proposed EFAs, although lower priority is afforded to some. Practical implications Recommendations are made where applicable to modify option management prescriptions and to further reduce GHG emissions. Originality/value This research is relevant and of value to land managers and policy makers. A dichotomous key summarises AE option prioritisation and supports GHG mitigation on cultivated land in England. The results are also applicable to other European countries.

scholarly journals Mixing the Message: Do Dung Beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) Affect Dung-Generated Greenhouse Gas Emissions?

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fallon Fowler ◽  
Christopher J. Gillespie ◽  
Steve Denning ◽  
Shuijin Hu ◽  
Wes Watson
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Nitrous Oxide ◽  
Global Warming ◽  
Greenhouse Gases ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Dung Beetle ◽  
Dung Beetles ◽  
Literature Analysis ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Equivalent

AbstractBy mixing and potentially aerating dung, dung beetles may affect the microbes producing the greenhouse gases (GHGs): carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O). Here, their sum-total global warming effect is described as the carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e). Our literature analysis of reported GHG emissions and statistics suggests that most dung beetles do not, however, reduce CO2e even if they do affect individual GHGs. Here, we compare the GHG signature of homogenized (“premixed”) and unhomogenized (“unmixed”) dung with and without dung beetles to test whether mixing and burial influence GHGs. Mixing by hand or by dung beetles did not reduce any GHG – in fact, tunneling dung beetles increased N2O medians by ≥1.8x compared with dung-only. This suggests that either: 1) dung beetles do not meaningfully mitigate GHGs as a whole; 2) dung beetle burial activity affects GHGs more than mixing alone; or 3) greater dung beetle abundance and activity is required to produce an effect.

scholarly journals National Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory – Romania

2010 ◽  
Vol 67 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marian PROOROCU ◽  
Sorin DEACONU ◽  
Mihaela SMARANDACHE
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Kyoto Protocol ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Great Probability ◽  
Emissions Inventory ◽  
National Inventory ◽  
Commitment Period ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Co2

As a Party to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and its Kyoto Protocol, Romania is required to elaborate, regularly update and submit the national GHG Inventory. In compliance with the reporting requirements, Romania submitted in 2010 its ninth version of the National Inventory Report (NIR) covering the national inventories of GHG emissions/removals for the period 1989-2008. The inventories cover all sectors: Energy, Industrial Processes, Solvent and other product use, Agriculture, LULUCF and Waste. The direct GHGs included in the national inventory are: Carbon dioxide (CO2); Methane (CH4); Nitrous oxide (N2O); Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs); Perfluorocarbons (PFCs); Sulphur hexafluoride (SF6). The emissions trend over the 1989-2008 period reflects the changes characterized by a process of transition to a market economy. With the entire economy in transition, some energy intensive industries reduced their activities and this is reflected in the GHG emissions reduction. Energy represents the most important sector in Romania, accounting for about 69% of the total national GHG emissions in 2008. The most significant anthropogenic greenhouse gas is the carbon dioxide. The decrease of CO2 emissions is caused by the decline of the amount of fossil fuels burnt in the energy sector, as a consequence of activity decline. According to the figures, there is a great probability for Romania to meet the Kyoto Protocol commitments on the limitation of the GHG emissions in the 2008-2012 commitment period.

scholarly journals A framework for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through carbon pricing for offshore outsourcing

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amulya Gurtu
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
National Level ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Carbon Price ◽  
Offshore Outsourcing ◽  
Primary Concern ◽  
Fuel Prices ◽  
Supply Chain Costs ◽  
The Impact

Reducing supply chain costs is a primary concern of every organization. Organizations have implemented offshore outsourcing as an effective strategy towards reducing supply chain costs. However, neither government nor corporate organizations have sufficiently taken into account the effects of this strategy on global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The purpose of this research is to analyze the impact of offshore outsourcing on global GHG emissions, and the effect of changes in fuel prices in addition to a carbon price on additional emissions on supply chain costs. The purpose is supported by five key objectives. The objectives are addressed through a systematic methodology. The analysis is supported by a literature review, and the development and testing of mathematical models. Finally, a framework to reduce global GHG emissions through a carbon price on differential emissions from manufacturing and additional emissions from international transportation is proposed. The findings suggest that offshore outsourcing has increased global emissions. The fuel prices are increasing at a rate higher than the overall rate. A carbon price on excess emissions due to outsourcing coupled with increasing fuel prices impacts supply chain costs adversely and leads to bigger lot-sizes. As an illustration at the national level, the framework showed that emissions for the USA increased by about 20% for every year between 2007 and 2010. As another example from a corporate organization, the net profit (profit after tax) for Wal-Mart was reduced by about 19% for 2006 due to a carbon price on manufacturing emissions alone. The suggested framework is a major contribution for quantifying the extent of changes in the emissions due to offshore outsourcing and the value of these emissions at a prevailing rate of carbon tax in North America. It is intended to provide a basis for reducing emissions and costs from global supply chains. The proposed framework provides a level playing field to manufacturers in different countries using different technologies, provides incentives to organizations for manufacturing in locations where net emissions are low, helps national governments determine how they can generate revenue for dealing with emissions, and, most importantly, aids in reducing overall global GHG emissions.

scholarly journals Achieving Net Zero Emissions Requires the Knowledge and Skills of the Oil and Gas Industry

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
Author(s):  
Astley Hastings ◽  
Pete Smith
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Carbon Capture ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Anthropogenic Activity ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Net Zero ◽  
Low Carbon Energy

The challenge facing society in the 21st century is to improve the quality of life for all citizens in an egalitarian way, providing sufficient food, shelter, energy, and other resources for a healthy meaningful life, while at the same time decarbonizing anthropogenic activity to provide a safe global climate, limiting temperature rise to well-below 2°C with the aim of limiting the temperature increase to no more than 1.5°C. To do this, the world must achieve net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050. Currently spreading wealth and health across the globe is dependent on growing the GDP of all countries, driven by the use of energy, which until recently has mostly been derived from fossil fuel. Recently, some countries have decoupled their GDP growth and greenhouse gas emissions through a rapid increase in low carbon energy generation. Considering the current level of energy consumption and projected implementation rates of low carbon energy production, a considerable quantity of fossil fuels is projected to be used to fill the gap, and to avoid emissions of GHG and close the gap between the 1.5°C carbon budget and projected emissions, carbon capture and storage (CCS) on an industrial scale will be required. In addition, the IPCC estimate that large-scale GHG removal from the atmosphere is required to limit warming to below 2°C using technologies such as Bioenergy CCS and direct carbon capture with CCS to achieve climate safety. In this paper, we estimate the amount of carbon dioxide that will have to be captured and stored, the storage volume, technology, and infrastructure required to achieve the energy consumption projections with net zero GHG emissions by 2050. We conclude that the oil and gas production industry alone has the geological and engineering expertise and global reach to find the geological storage structures and build the facilities, pipelines, and wells required. Here, we consider why and how oil and gas companies will need to morph from hydrocarbon production enterprises into net zero emission energy and carbon dioxide storage enterprises, decommission facilities only after CCS, and thus be economically sustainable businesses in the long term, by diversifying in and developing this new industry.

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