...Carbon Sequestration and Carbon Sink More than 40 percent of CO2emissions in the US are due to electric power generation. Carbon dioxide (CO2) capture and sequestration (CCS) technology could reduce these emissions from power plants by 80 to 90 percent. For example, if CCS technology was applied to a 500 MW coal-fired power plant, emitting 3 million tons of C02 per year, the amount of greenhouse gas emissions avoided is equal to: • Planting more than 62 million trees, and waiting at least 10 years for them to grow • Avoiding annual electricity-related emissions from more than 300,000 homes CCS technology would also significantly reduce emissions from other industrial processes such as gas operations and cement facilities (EPA, 20xx). The world has lost 50 to 70 percent of its original carbon stock. This translates into a huge amount of soil carbon released into the atmosphere. Not long ago, in the 19th century, the US was home to vast tracts of prairie grass with rich, fertile soils. Today only three percent of those prairies are in existence. Current studies on carbon sinks center on soil carbon, how it escaped from the earth and how this process can be reversed. To take the research further, investigators are interested in how this knowledge can be used to slow rise of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which is a known cause global warming. There is hope that carbon can be placed back into the soil in places like the North China Plain, the interior of Australia and the...
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...CARBON SEQUESTRATION AS A TOOL FOR CITY GREENING(A case study of Atunrase, a residential estate in metropolitan Lagos. ) *Williams, Fadera. A1, Adejumo, T.A2 1. Department of Architecture, Faculty of Environmental sciences, University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos, Nigeria. (faderawilliams@yahoo.com, +2347088772009.) 2. Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Faculty of Environmental sciences, University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos, Nigeria.(tadejumo@unilag.edu.ng, +2348034431439.) ABSTRACT Urban greening as a philosophy is a recent development in the Nigerian built environment. The dearth of green infrastructure in metropolitan Lagos is a typical example. This paper explores carbon sequestration as a tool for greening the urban areas with a view to creating sinks for emitted carbon generated by households in the Lagos metropolis. This study is underpinned by the green city concept. A random survey of household interviews were conducted within Atunrase estate, Gbagada, Lagos State. Domestic activities limited to the use of kerosene, P.M.S and butane (excluding influx of carbon emissions via vehicular sources or otherwise) were recorded and based on carbon emission coefficients for carbon emitting substances, the carbon content emitted by the use of these was calculated. The vegetation required to offset these carbon emissions generated was then estimated. The total amount of carbon generated within the estate is 176,904kg and it will be offset by planting trees, groundcover and shrubs...
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...Name: Julian Burroughs Grade: 12 Subject: Biology Topic: Global Warming Intro: Define Global Warming Global warming is the rise in the average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans since the late 19th century and its projected continuation. Since the early 20th century, Earth's mean surface temperature has increased by about 0.8 °C (1.4 °F), with about two-thirds of the increase occurring since 1980. Warming of the climate system is unequivocal, and scientists are more than 90% certain that it is primarily caused by increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases produced by human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation.These findings are recognized by the national science academies of all major industrialized nations. What Causes the Greenhouse Effect? Life on earth depends on energy from the sun. About 30 percent of the sunlight that beams toward Earth is deflected by the outer atmosphere and scattered back into space. The rest reaches the planet's surface and is reflected upward again as a type of slow-moving energy called infrared radiation.The heat caused by infrared radiation is absorbed by "greenhouse gases" such as water vapor, carbon dioxide, ozone and methane, which slows its escape from the atmosphere.Although greenhouse gases make up only about 1 percent of the Earth's atmosphere, they regulate our climate by trapping heat and holding it in a kind of warm-air blanket that surrounds the planet.This phenomenon is what scientists...
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...Geography Research Response Paper What will be the environmental, sociopolitical, and economic impacts of 21st century climate change? * Environmental * A springtime “ozone hole” has developed in the last 30 years over Antarctica (Mann 30) * Without an ozone layer, unhealthy levels of UV radiation would reach Earth’s surface, making the planet largely uninhabitable (Mann 30) * Basic theoretical considerations as well as detailed climate-model simulations indicate a likely increase in the average intensity of tropical cyclones and hurricanes in all major formation basins (Mann 56) * We know that mountain glaciers over the world are disappearing, and that this disappearance is generally related to increased melting due to warmer atmospheric temperatures (Mann 58) * The combination of decreased summer precipitation and increased evaporation due to warming surface temperatures is predicted to lead to a greater tendency for drought in many regions (Mann 90) * Other likely impacts of climate change over the next century include increases in extreme weather phenomena, and rising sea levels due to melting ice and warming of the oceans (Mann 90) * Sea level is predicted to rise because water expands as it warms, and melting ice is also likely to have a major impact on the sea level (Mann 98) * Coastal regions will be subject to increased exposure to flood and storm damage, more intense coastal surges, and altered patterns...
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...How Geoengineering Works: 5 Big Plans to Stop Global Warming At first blush, geoengineering sounds like outrageous junk science. Surely there's an easier solution to the problem of global warming than technologically altering Earth's atmosphere, its cloud formations and even outer space. But when compared with the alternativedrastically reducing the amount of carbon dioxide blanketing the planet by changing the behavior of billions of people and thousands of industries, not to mention slow-moving governmentssome scientists are beginning to take the seemingly outrageous schemes a lot more seriously. Here are the mechanics behind five plans to jury-rig the Earth. 1. Copy a Volcano (Photograph by Tarko Sudiarno/AFP/Getty Images) A volcanic eruption can bellow many million tons of sulfur-dioxide gas into the atmosphere, creating a cloud that blocks some of the sun's radiation. By injecting the atmosphere with sulfur, some scientists believe they could likewise block solar radiation and potentially cool the planet. Sulfur dioxide reacts with water in the atmosphere to create droplets of sulfuric acid, says Rutgers University environmental scientist Alan Robock. Those droplets are particularly good at scattering the sun's light back out into space. And because sulfur doesn't heat the stratosphere as much as other aerosols, it wouldn't work against the cooling effect. Hydrogen sulfide is an even better candidate for atmospheric seeding than sulfur dioxide, but scientists would...
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...compensated for by commensurate deposits of energy form the solar panels. INTRODUCTION Electricity is becoming costly every day; so many people are getting interested in using solar energy to fulfil their electricity needs. Power cuts and dependency on Generators is making people look for better sources. Solar Photo Voltaic panels provide a very good alternative way to fulfil their demand. Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India is also promoting solar PV systems under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM) in our country. They also provide subsidise solar panels under this scheme. There are so many people, interested in buying solar panels in India so we thought of doing a research on price of solar panels. Below is our research on price of solar panels: As per our resources from the solar PV industry, cost of a PV module (just the panel) costs anywhere between Rs 30 to Rs 60 per watt of power generated. A good imported module will cost around Rs 40-45 per watt. Good ones manufactured in India would come as low as Rs 30-32 per watt. This is to be noted that this is the cost for...
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...An Interconnection of Consequences Caused by Global Warming. (A Reaction Paper on a film “An Inconvenient Truth” by “Al Gore”) Earth is a very beautiful place every human being lives in. It is so beautiful that every details of it works perfectly fine in order for us to live in a very harmonious, lovely and peaceful way. But what if it is being destroyed by “US” who lives in it and make it suffer as much as it could to work perfectly for us in order to live in? Will it ever survive? Will it keep giving us all the things that we need? Will we ever make a move to rescue it and bring it back to where it should always be? These are some questions that rise up in my mind about global warming and its effect in human kind. Greenhouse effect The "greenhouse effect" is the warming that happens when certain gases in Earth's atmosphere trap heat. These gases let in light but keep heat from escaping, like the glass walls of a greenhouse. First, sunlight shines onto the Earth's surface, where it is absorbed and then radiates back into the atmosphere as heat. In the atmosphere, “greenhouse” gases trap some of this heat, and the rest escapes into space. The more greenhouse gases are in the atmosphere, the more heat gets trapped. This greenhouse effect is what keeps the Earth's climate livable. Without it, the Earth's surface would be an average of about 60 degrees Fahrenheit cooler. Causes of Global Warming Glaciers are melting, sea levels...
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...Ecosystem Structure, Function, and Change Paper (Great Lakes) Shantera Bell October 26, 2015 SCI/256 UOP The Great Lakes region is rich with life and full of native species well adapted to survival. However, since the early 1800s, many non-native plants, animals and microscopic organisms have been introduced into the Great Lakes, either accidentally or intentionally. Great Lakes native species are diverse and interesting and contribute to a healthy ecosystem. There are many unique and interesting birds, fish and plants found in Michigan and throughout the region that are integral to the health of the Great Lakes ecosystem. More than 140 species of birds depend on Michigan’s coastal habitat during their life cycle. Coastal wetlands, beaches, sand dunes and remote islands provide food and shelter for both resident and migratory species. Waterfowl such as Canvasback and Scaup are among the many species that use coastal wetlands as stopover sites to rest and refuel. Shorebirds including the endangered piping plover fly thousands of miles to nest on undisturbed beaches and remote Great Lakes islands. Because of their use of the coastal lands, there are thousands of great locations to see both resident and migratory bird species throughout Michigan and the Great Lakes region. State parks, national parks, wildlife refuges and sanctuaries throughout the state all provide good bird-watching opportunities. Some sites along Michigan’s Great Lakes shoreline are even...
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...capacity. The heat radiated back to the earth’s surface to modulate its temperature. According to Parsons, this process is essential in order to support life. if this does not occur, the temperatures on the earth surface would be below freezing point and plant or animal life would be supported. However, human activities in the past centuries have increased the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere which in turn have increased the average temperature on the earth’s surface. Greenhouse gases include water vapor, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and methane. According to a report released by IPCC in 2007, there was a significant increase in production of greenhouse gases between the 19th and 20th century. However, in the context of this paper greenhouse effect will be deciphered via different notions. Discussion Increase in Effect Increase in population has led to increased transportation and manufacturing. This implies rise in the combustion of fossil fuels including oil, gas and coal. Combustion of fossil fuels leads to emission of, among others, carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and this account for over 80% of the Carbon dioxide emission. The gases produced are more stable that stay very long in the atmosphere. Deforestation is a human activity which involves cutting down of trees. Major causes...
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...Abstract: Carbon dioxide (CO2), a greenhouse gas (GHG), is the major exhaust gas due to human activities contribution to79% of Canada’s total emission. CO2 is released into the atmosphere by means of burning fossil fuels, coal, and land clearance. As the concentration of CO2 accumulates into the atmosphere, climate change and global warming becomes worse. Canada is the leading country in piloting the carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) technology to reduce the emitted CO2 into the atmosphere by storing the captured CO2 underground, it could reduce GHG by 14-19% before 2050. Shell Ltd. Quest project is the first project to use CCS technology in the Athabasca oil sand projects in Canada. The Post combustion method is being used today at a smaller scale than desired. It is estimated that if post-combustion was to occur at a large industrial scale, it required energy of 25-37% of the total energy, and an estimate of about $3500/kW for the capital cost of an IGCC capture plant installation. Pre-combustion capture has a lower cost in carbon capture and higher capture percentage (90-95%) than the post-combustion capture, but requires more expense on the equipment in order for the process to work. Oxyfuel has the best efficiency (~90%) but requires 15% or more of the overall energy with a capital cost for oxyfuel installation of $1000/kW and a $60/MWh retrofit cost. Geological storage is a favourable method, where the captured CO2 travels to the storage site usually through pipelines...
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...Greenhouse Gas CO2 - Carbon dioxide CH4 - Methane N2O – Nitrogen oxide LNG- Liquefied Natural Gas Abbreviations GHG – Greenhouse Gas CO2 - Carbon dioxide CH4 - Methane N2O – Nitrogen oxide LNG- Liquefied Natural Gas Highlights * We model two major oil and gas companies. * We examine causes of Climate Change * Increase in further research may produce other alternative to exist source of energy * Combined efforts will help to meet carbon reduction target ABSTRACT Playing a major role in the world, the oil and gas industry is faced with the challenge of climate change. This paper establishes the fact that climate change troubles our planet today. In establishing this fact the paper examines the causes of climate change, the relationship between climate change and the oil and gas industry through CO2. It further evaluates the various methods available to reduce CO2 emissions and the challenges the companies have in implementing the methods. This paper uses two major oil companies as case studies, to establish the above stated facts and concludes that oil and gas companies need to be involved in more research and development of alternative supply of energy, in order reduce CO2 emissions, in collaboration with other sectors of the economy in achieving the targets made regarding climate change, environmental laws and policies. Keywords: CO2, Climate Change, Industry, Oil and Gas. 1. INTRODUCTION Climate change is a global topic that is continually...
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...The Importance of Research and Development (R&D) for U.S. Competitiveness and a Clean Energy Future Michael Greenstone June 2011 CEEPR WP 2011-010 A Joint Center of the Department of Economics, MIT Energy Initiative and MIT Sloan School of Management. The Importance of Research and Development (R&D) for U.S. Competitiveness and a Clean Energy Future Michael Greenstone 3M Professor of Economics, MIT Director, The Hamilton Project Senior Fellow, The Brookings Institution Thank you Chair Maloney, Ranking Member Brownback and members of the Committee for inviting me to testify today. I believe it is critically important that we give greater priority to new and better research and development (R&D) investments, to help ensure our country’s future competitiveness and to pave the wave for clean energy innovation. I am grateful for the opportunity to speak today about two interrelated challenges that our country faces. The first is the stagnation in economic opportunity for many families that dates back at least three decades. The second is the economic, national security, and environmental risks posed by our continued reliance on fossil fuels. The key purpose of my testimony is to discuss how R&D can enable us to begin confronting these dual challenges by creating new jobs for American workers, and fundamentally altering the way we produce and consume energy. I. CHALLENGE 1: UNITED STATES COMPETITIVENESS Even before the Great Recession’s arrival, there were legitimate concerns about...
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...Stabilization Wedges: Solving the Climate Problem for the Next 50 Years with Current Technologies S. Pacala, et al. Science 305, 968 (2004); DOI: 10.1126/science.1100103 The following resources related to this article are available online at www.sciencemag.org (this information is current as of March 6, 2007 ): Updated information and services, including high-resolution figures, can be found in the online version of this article at: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/305/5686/968 Downloaded from www.sciencemag.org on March 6, 2007 Supporting Online Material can be found at: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/305/5686/968/DC1 This article has been cited by 56 article(s) on the ISI Web of Science. This article has been cited by 11 articles hosted by HighWire Press; see: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/305/5686/968#otherarticles This article appears in the following subject collections: Atmospheric Science http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/collection/atmos Information about obtaining reprints of this article or about obtaining permission to reproduce this article in whole or in part can be found at: http://www.sciencemag.org/about/permissions.dtl Science (print ISSN 0036-8075; online ISSN 1095-9203) is published weekly, except the last week in December, by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, 1200 New York Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005. Copyright c 2004 by the American Association for the Advancement of Science; all rights reserved...
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...Technologies for Alternative Energy Climate Change Working Paper No. 7 Ainsley Jolley Climate Change Project Working Paper Series March 2006 Centre for Strategic Economic Studies Victoria University PO Box 14428 Melbourne VIC 8001 AUSTRALIA Telephone +613 9919 1340 Fax +613 9919 1350 Email: csesinfo@vu.edu.au Website: http://www.cfses.com Technologies for Alternative Energy 1. Introduction In Papers 5 and 6 technologies for the main sources of energy consumption were discussed. In Papers 7 and 8 the attention is focussed on technologies that impact on emissions from energy production. Table 1 provides data on the main sources of GHG emissions in the advanced economies for the year 2000. Table 1. Sources of GHG Emissions in the Advanced Economies, 2000 Source of emissions Electricity and heat production Petroleum refining Other energy production (coal and gas transformation) Fugitive emissions (coal, oil and gas) Total energy production All sources of emissions Note: (a) energy production as % of all sources of emissions. Source: CSES (2004). Tg CO2 -e 3831.2 420.7 324.6 441.5 5018.1 13175.3 % of total 76.3 8.4 6.5 8.8 38.1 (a) Papers 7 and 8 focus on emissions from the production of electricity and heat, which represent 76.3% of all emissions related to energy production. The other sources of emissions are not discussed in detail in this report. Coverage of the issues relating to these sources of emissions is given in CSES (2004). Incremental technological...
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...Research Articles Emissions Trading and Carbon Credit Accounting for Sustainable Energy Development With Focus on India A. N. Sarkar Senior Professor (International Business), Asia-Pacific Institute of Management, New Delhi, India Abstract Global climate change is inextricably linked with the enhanced build-up of greenhouse gases. Emissions- trading in the form of carbon credits or CERs is opening up a new vista of trade opportunities with prospect for gradual reduction of emissions particularly by the developed nations under Annexure-I categories. Various national and international programmes undertaken by the government and voluntarily by the non-government agencies have positively impacted on progressive reduction of emissions in many parts of the world. The paper highlights the emerging issues linked to the modalities of emission-trading, together with scope for developing sound accounting procedures for trading carbon credits. Paper discusses the opportunities for developing a sound marketing system of carbon credits with built-in efficiency in transactions, accountability and transparency in reporting systems with focus on India. Paper also GMJ,VOL 4,ISSUE 1 & 2, JANUARY - DECEMBER 2010 underlines the need to comply with the Global Accounting Standards, Tax Planning, access to Multi-commodity Exchange Market, certification, verification and enforcement procedures for proper execution of emission-trading initiatives aimed at achieving carbon neutrality. The aspects...
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