climate change mitigation potential of biochar: a review and framework for carbon accounting
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Climate Change Mitigation Potential of Biochar: A Review and Framework for Carbon Accounting Master’s Project presented by John Swanson Advisor: Dr. Daniel Richter. Outline. Prologue: Climate Change What is Biochar? Study Methods Biochar Background Biochar Project Types - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Climate Change Mitigation Potential of Biochar:A Review and Framework for Carbon Accounting
Master’s Project presented by John SwansonAdvisor: Dr. Daniel Richter
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Outline• Prologue: Climate Change• What is Biochar?• Study Methods• Biochar Background• Biochar Project Types• The Climate Mitigation Potential of Biochar• Current Market Incentives• A Carbon Accounting Framework for Biochar• Conclusions
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Prologue: Climate Change
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• Lower atmosphere and oceans are warming
• No natural occurrences (e.g. increased solar irradiance) can account for recent changes
Prologue: Climate Change
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• Combustion of fossil fuels (coal, petroleum, natural gas) is primary cause
• Has caused increases in heat-trapping greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and some halocarbons)
• Increases radiative forcing
Prologue: Climate Change
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• Anticipated effects of climate change include changes in weather patterns, storms, drought
• Affects human habitation, agricultural systems, ecosystems and species (extinctions).
Areas of recent exceptional drought in Texas; The Brazos River is running dry.
Prologue: Climate Change
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• Polar ice and glaciers receding
• Sea levels rising
Hurricane Sandy storm surge inundating New Jersey Coastline, 2012
Marshall Islands high tide, 2011
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Prologue: Climate Change
• Policy and scientific responses: alternative energy, efficiency, carbon sequestration
Biochar
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• Biomass deliberately charred and applied to soil -- Biochar
Study Methods
• Review scientific literature on biochar• Evaluate biohcar’s potential as a climate
change mitigation tool• Analyze these characteristics in context of
existing carbon market incentive programs• Produce a recommended framework for
carbon accounting for biochar
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Biochar Background
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• Biomass has long been used for energy
• Biomass combustion is carbon neutral
• Fossil fuel combustion adds carbon to the cycle
Biochar Background
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Carbon-negative energy production, multiple benefits from biochar
Biochar Background
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• Biochar from fire is naturally occurring– 5-15% (or more) of North American prairie soil– Australia, Africa, South America
• Biochar is very stable– Natural Australian soil char 1,300-2,600 yrs old– Man-made Amazonian biochar 600-8,700 yrs old
• Far more stable than original biomass– Presence and age in existing soils– Resistance to decomposition in soil in laboratory
incubation, compared to biomass
Biochar Project Types
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• Terra Preta in the Amazon Basin– Ancient technique
– Supported vast communities
– Could be duplicated in industrialized countries or developing nations (slash-and-char vs. slash-and-burn)
Biochar Project Types
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• Modern techniques– Pyrolysis, gasification (also torrefaction, flash
carbonization, hydrothermal carbonization)
• Fast pyrolysis: 13% syngas, 75% oil, 12% char• Slow pyrolysis: 35% syngas, 30% oil, 35% char• Gasification: 85% syngas, 5% oil, 10% char
Climate Mitigation Potential of Biochar
• Studies of annual global mitigation potential– Woolf (2010): 1.8 Pg C annually (12% of
anthropogenic emissions)– International Biochar Initiative: 0.2 to 2.0 Pg C/yr– Nicholas Institute: 0.18 Pg C/yr in U.S. agriculture
• Terra Preta soil – 250 Mg/ha• Non Terra Preta soil – 100 Mg/ha• Above ground biomass – 110 Mg/ha• Productivity improvements variable and not
fully characterized15
Current Carbon Market Incentives
• Regulatory– Clean Development Mechanism (Kyoto)– European Emissions Trading Scheme– California Cap-and-Trade
• Voluntary– Verified Carbon Standard– Climate Action Reserve– American Carbon Registry
• Biochar not currently included
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Current Carbon Market Incentives
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• Protocol proposed
• Could be developed
• Would have to meet program criteria: – Additionality,
– Permanence
– Verifiability
– Ownership
– Quantification
Current Carbon Market Incentives
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• Limitations:– CA: 0.055 Pg C/yr
to 2020– EU ETS: 0.039 Pg C/yr
to 2020– Together = 5% of global
potential if all offsets were from biochar
• Other incentives: tax breaks, subsidies
• Some systems will be self-sustaining
A Carbon Accounting Framework
• Biochar seems to be a tool worth pursuing• May occur in multiple sectors to varying
extent• 4 Gasifiers in CA currently, 1 under
construction; numerous unmonitored farm-scale systems in U.S. and globally
• A framework and database for carbon accounting for projects would be desirable
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A Carbon Accounting Framework
• The amount of biochar produced over time.• Carbon content of the biochar• Labile (volatile or easily decomposed) and recalcitrant
fractions of the biochar • The disposition of the biochar after production• Information on the feedstock: composition, source,
location of origin, sustainability• Quantitative information on the disposition of the
energy produced• Lifecycle energy inputs used to produce the feedstock • Characteristics of the soil to which biochar is applied
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A Carbon Accounting Framework
• Recommended list of parameters– Char chemistry (pH, metals, dioxins, PAH, etc.)– Char physical parameters (CEC, surface area, etc.)– Char production characteristics (feedstock,
temperature, process, etc.)– Char disposition and application (location,
application rate, soil type, etc.)– Quantified soil characteristics of soil before and
after application
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Conclusions
1. Biochar must play a role in climate change mitigation
2. Biochar projects have the potential to feasibly/sustainably offset >1 Pg (1 billion tons) of CO2 carbon equivalents annually
3. Current carbon market incentives are not sufficient to rapidly increase or maximize the initiation and development of biochar projects
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Conclusions
4. Other financial incentives could be used to accelerate the implementation of new projects.
5. Incentives should be prioritized for initiation of projects with greatest mitigation or economic potential
6. Uncertainty regarding recalcitrance in soil should not inhibit efforts for project initiation and development
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Conclusions
7. Biochar projects should be pursued despite conditions that may favor biomass combustion
8. A comprehensive carbon accounting system should be developed to evaluate global impact of biochar projects on net greenhouse gas emissions and climate.
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Biochar
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