Optimization of low-cost negative emissions strategies through multi-resource integration

Abstract

The deployment of negative emissions technologies (NETs) is pivotal in achieving climate targets. The exigent nature of climate change stipulates that multiple NETs must actively remove emissions from the atmosphere in conjunction with other technologies that reduce the release of these emissions. The potential of these NETs has either been analyzed individually or through their co-deployment. However, these assessments have yet to analyze the potential for integration between NETs. Fundamentally, NETs utilize and produce specific material and energy resources to capture and store atmospheric emissions in biological or geological compartments. With sustainability concerns surrounding multiple resources, integrations between processes involving common resources are fervently advocated. A systematic approach is presented in this work to enable the integration of shared resources between NETs. A design optimization problem is formulated to achieve emission removal in the presence of economic and environmental constraints representing the limitations these technologies face on deployment. A case study demonstrates the use of this approach to create profitable integrated NET systems where the least land footprint obtained and most profits generated were 0.22 ha/t net CO2 removed and $315/t net CO2 removed. The outputs of this approach can aid policymakers and network stakeholders achieve negative emissions targets through integrated NET networks.