Tons Of CO2 Research Articles

Evaluation of the Carbon Footprint of Wooden Glamping Structures by Life Cycle Assessment

Despite the increasing popularity of glamping structures, empirical studies often overlook the carbon impact of wood in these constructions, creating a significant research gap. Understanding the net carbon effect of wood in glamping structures is crucial for informing sustainable building practices. This paper aims to quantitatively compare the net carbon impact of wood in glamping structures, filling a notable gap in the current research literature. The investigation undertakes a thorough evaluation employing a life cycle methodology, appraising the emissions linked with the complete glamping life span. Seven Romanian companies are examined vertically within the glamping production chain and horizontally across the supply value chain. The investigation unveils a notable discovery: the integration of wood within glamping yields considerable carbon sequestration, wherein the wood employed sequesters 36.83 metric tons of CO2 per glamping unit. This surpasses the carbon emissions entailed throughout the entirety of the glamping life cycle, ranging from 9.97 to 11.72 metric tons of carbon. Remarkably, a single wood-incorporated glamping structure has the capacity to sequester approximately 25 metric tons of carbon within a span of 50 years. In summary, the investigation underscores the capacity of responsibly sourced timber to function as a carbon reservoir, proficiently counterbalancing emissions across the entirety of the construction life cycle. The findings underscore the importance of sustainably sourced wood in achieving carbon neutrality and provide valuable insights for promoting sustainable building practices. This methodology has broad applicability beyond glamping structures, holding potential for replication and scalability across various sectors and regions, thereby contributing to global efforts towards mitigating climate change and fostering positive environmental change.

Development of Green Disaster Management Toolkit to Achieve Carbon Neutrality Goals in Flood Risk Management

Current flood risk management projects have been criticized for their high carbon emissions, raising the need for carbon emission reduction and carbon absorption efforts to mitigate environmental impacts and achieve carbon neutrality goals. The research develops a comprehensive green disaster risk management toolkit to calculate the carbon emissions and absorption quantitatively based on the unit volume of materials and processes employed in a flood risk management project. As a result of applying the developed toolkit to a about 22,300 small stream restoration projects in Korea, the total carbon emissions were estimated to be 1,158,840.7 tons of CO2, of which 89.4% of the total carbon emissions originated from concrete-related construction activities, such as cement and ready-mixed concrete pouring. As a result of evaluating the nationwide carbon absorption results of all small stream restoration projects, total absorption by 2030 is expected to be 3.0 to 10.2 times higher than carbon emissions. The comprehensive toolkits are expected to support the selection of customized processes, materials, and methods by providing a systematic approach to calculate and minimize carbon emissions, ultimately contributing to the achievement of carbon neutrality goals in flood risk management projects.

Integration of BESS in grid connected networks for reducing the power losses and CO[formula omitted] emissions: A parallel master-stage methodology based on PDVSA and PSO

This work addressed the problem of integration and operation of Ion-lithium batteries of different technical characteristics in grid-connected networks (GCN) for reducing the energy losses and CO2 emissions. To formulate the mathematical problem, nonlinear mathematical modeling was used, taking into account the previously mentioned objective functions and all the constraints that represent the operation of the grid in a scenario of variable photovoltaic generation and power demand. This paper proposed a master–slave methodology, which uses a parallel discrete version of the vortex search algorithm (PDVSA) for solving the problem of location and selection of the kind of battery in the GNC. The slave stage is entrusted to find the operation scheme of the batteries proposed for the master stage. This task is carried out by a particle swarm optimization algorithm (PSO) that defines the power to be supplied or stored for each battery. Using a matrix hourly power flow for calculating the effect in the objective function and constraints that represent the problem. As a test scenario, it was used a GCN of 33 buses and 32 lines that considered the photovoltaic generation and demand of Medellín-Colombia, and all technical and environmental indexes of the local grid operator. Six comparison methodologies were used from the literature and developed in this work to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed methodology. Being all programming in MATLAB software, executing each one 1000 times with the aim to evaluate the performance in terms of solution, repeatability, and processing times. The results obtained demonstrating that the proposed PDVSA/PSO methodology achieved the best results in terms of solution, with reductions of 154.9094 kWh (6.23%) in energy losses and reductions of 0.0252 tons of CO2 (0.2548%) in pollutant gas emissions compared to the base case. Regarding repeatability, the PDVSA/PSO exhibits standard deviation values of 0.1383% for energy losses and 0.0034% for CO2 emissions.

Impact factors and peaking simulation of carbon emissions in the building sector in Shandong Province

The building sector has the fastest growth rate of carbon emissions and the greatest potential for carbon reduction. The building sector in Shandong Province ranks first in China in terms of total carbon emissions and growth rate. The study of carbon emissions in the building sector in Shandong Province is an essential reference for Chinese building sector to achieve the “carbon peaking and carbon neutrality” target. This study uses historical data on carbon emissions in the building sector in Shandong Province, based on which the influencing factors and carbon reduction potential are analyzed. A dynamic and comprehensive carbon emission prediction model for buildings was developed to predict the trajectory of carbon emissions in the building sector in Shandong Province from 2020 to 2050 with the corresponding probability distribution. Results show that the main factors driving the increase in carbon emissions in the building sector in Shandong Province are the level of affluence of the residents and the level of building services. The building area demand index and building energy efficiency are the most important factors inhibiting the increase in carbon emissions in the building sector in Shandong Province during the same period. Under the baseline scenario, carbon emissions in the building sector in Shandong Province will peak at 243.573 (±46.022) million tonnes CO2 in 2035 (±3) years. The floor area demand index and level of affluence of the residents are the most critical factors affecting the uncertainty of future of carbon emissions in the building sector in Shandong Province.

EFFECT OF GLOBAL WARMING ON SUSTAINABLE LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION IN THE SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

The greenhouse gas emissions from Animal production related activities has turn out to be an important cause of global warming. This can be attributed to the continent-wide massive burdens arising from the switch in food consumption pattern. Anthropogenic activitiesrelated to livestock production contribute 37% of methane (CH4) emission, 9% of carbon dioxide (CO2) output and utilize 8% of the world water. An estimated aggregate of 7.1 billion tonnes of CO2 are generated by the feed and livestock industries. The effect of global warming is presently being experienced such as unstable rainfall pattern, drought, extended walk in search of pasture and water, coupled with significant impact on livestock productivity (rate of weight gainand milk production potentials).The potential of Sub-Saharan Africa to achieve sustainable animal production is being threatened by global warming, it is. therefore necessary to leverage on the use of livestock breed that combine the heat tolerance of the local stock with the high milk yield of the exotic breed (crossbreeding) to produce an improved breed of livestock. Ameliorative strategies such as strategic supplementation of diets, matching genetics to specific systems and management of manure with potential to improve productivity of livestock should be included into livestock production systems in the Sub-Sahara Africa. The use of Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques will also assist to acquire ideal results on susceptibility of smallholder farmers. Finally, there is the need for shift in policy to promote the livelihood of indigenous livestock farmers under favourable environmental conditions.

CO2 capture and hydrogen generation from a solar-assisted and integrated fluid catalytic cracking process: Energy, exergy, and economic analysis

The fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) process transforms heavy wastes into lighter, more valuable (naphtha, light olefins and gases) products. However, the unit's byproducts contain a large quantity of CO2, which contributes to global warming. As a result, the purpose of this research was to increase the production of valuable products such as light olefins, naphtha, and hydrogen while reducing environmental impacts using the water gas shift reaction, with sensitivity analysis for three parameters (riser height, FCC feed temperature, and inlet naphtha mass flow). As a result of increasing the riser height, the output of light olefins (45%) and gases (32%) increased. Furthermore, the amount of hydrogen produced increases with a decrease in riser height (about 6%) and an increase in inlet naphtha mass flow (about 8%). Energy and exergy assessments were also carried out. It was determined that FCC had the lowest exergy destruction with a contribution of 23 MW when compared to its energy usage of 172 MW. The cooler, on the other hand, was one of the process's most energy-consuming (25%) and damaging (26%). As a result, this technique can lessen environmental effects by absorbing 125 tons of CO2 every hour and producing 3484 kg/h of hydrogen. Economic evaluations were also undertaken, and the results revealed that the cooler has the lowest exergoeconomic factor (1%) while the FCC unit contributes the most (95%). The fractionator column is also the most expensive device in the whole process.

Effects of Dust Storm and Wildfire Events on Phytoplankton Growth and Carbon Sequestration in the Tasman Sea, Southeast Australia

Dust storms and wildfires occur frequently in south-eastern Australia. Their effects on the ecology, environment and population exposure have been the focus of many studies recently. Dust storms do not emit ground-sequestered carbon, but wildfires emit significant quantities of carbon into the atmosphere. However, both natural events promote phytoplankton growth in water bodies because carbon, and other trace elements such as iron, deposit on the surface water of oceans. Carbon dioxide is reabsorbed by phytoplankton via photosynthesis. The carbon balance cycle due to dust storms and wildfires is not well known. Recent studies on the carbon emission of the 2019–2020 summer wildfires in eastern Australia indicated that this megafire event emitted approximately 715 million tonnes of CO2 (195 Tg C) into the atmosphere from burned forest areas. This study focusses on the association of dust storms and wildfires in southeastern Australia with phytoplankton growth in the Tasman Sea due to the February 2019 dust storm event and the 2019–2020 Black Summer wildfires. Central Australia and western New South Wales were the sources of the dust storm emission (11 to 16 February 2019), and the Black Summer wildfires occurred along the coast of New South Wales and Victoria (from early November 2019 to early January 2020). The WRF-Chem model is used for dust storm simulation with the AFWA (Air Force Weather Agency of the US) dust emission version of the GOCART model, and the WRF-Chem model is used for wildfire simulation with FINN (Fire Emission Inventory from NCAR) emission data. The results show the similarities and differences in the deposition of particulate matter, phytoplankton growth and carbon reabsorption patterns in the Tasman Sea from these events. A higher rate of deposition of PM2.5 on the ocean surface corresponds to a higher rate of phytoplankton growth. Using the WRF-Chem model, during the 5-day dust storm event in February 2019, approximately ~1230 tons of total dust was predicted to have been deposited in the Tasman Sea, while ~132,000 tons of PM10 was deposited in the early stage of the wildfires from 1 to 8 November 2019.

Evaluation of CO2 storage and enhanced gas recovery potential in gas shale using kerogen nanopore systems with mesopores and micropores

With the continuous development of shale gas, CO2 storage in shale gas reservoirs has gained significant attention due to the massive available space in these reservoirs. These shale formations exhibit a complex pore structure with micropores (<2 nm) and mesopores (2–50 nm), which profoundly influence gas sorption behaviors. This work used grand canonical Monte Carlo to study the sorption behavior of CH4, CO2, and their binary mixtures (from 1:9 to 9:1) in kerogen nanopore systems with mesopores and micropores at 327 K and pressures ranging from 1 to 50 MPa. The kerogen nanopore system with mesopores and micropores faithfully describes sorption isotherms. The adsorption profile highlights the adsorption characteristics and relative contribution of mesopores and micropores. The molar ratio of CO2 to CH4 in the replacement process is greater than 1, indicating the possibility of achieving negative emissions by storing CO2 in shale gas reservoirs. The extraction ratio reveals that CH4 in micropores is more easily extracted. As for CO2 storage in shale gas formation, the sorption phase dominates at low pressure, while the free gas phase becomes more significant at higher pressure. At a reservoir pressure of 35 MPa, approximately 125 tons of CO2 can be stored in 1000 m3 of shale gas formation. Using CO2 huff-n-puff technology, the recovery factor more than doubles compared to pressure drawdown. While pressure drawdown primarily extracts CH4 from the free gas phase, CO2 injection extracts CH4 from the sorption phase, particularly micropores. This research provides valuable insights into the competitive sorption behavior of CH4 and CO2 in shale nanopore systems for further development of CO2 storage and enhanced gas recovery technologies.

Carbon emission prediction of construction industry in Sichuan Province based on the GA-BP model.

The reduction of the carbon emissions of construction industry is urgent. Therefore, it is essential to accurately predict the carbon emissions of the provincial construction industry, which can support differentiation emission reduction policies in China. This paper proposes a carbon emission prediction model that optimizes the backpropagation (BP) neural network by genetic algorithm (GA) to predict carbon emission of construction industry, or "GA-BP". To begin with, the carbon emissions of construction industry in Sichuan Province from 2000 to 2020 are calculated by the emission factor method. Further, the electricity correction factor is introduced to eliminate the regional difference in electricity carbon emission coefficient. Finally, four factors are selected by the grey correlation analysis method to predict the carbon emission of construction industry in Sichuan Province from 2021 to 2025. The results show that the carbon emissions of construction industry in Sichuan Province have been trending up in the past two decades, with an average increase rate of 10.51%. The GA-BP model is a high-precision prediction model to predict carbon emissions of construction industry. The mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) of the model is only 6.303%, and its coefficient of determination is 0.853. Moreover, the carbon emissions of construction industry in Sichuan Province will reach 8891.97 million tons of CO2 in 2025. The GA-BP model can effectively predict the future carbon emissions of construction industry in Sichuan Province, which provides a new idea for the green and sustainable development of construction industry in Sichuan Province.

An analytical study on the effect of different photovoltaic technologies on enviro-economic parameter and energy metrics of active solar desalting unit

The enviro-economic and energy metrics analyses of the solar system by incorporating different photovoltaic technologies are required to fulfill the sustainable development goal of the United Nations. However, the effect of different photovoltaic technologies on the solar distillation system has not been informed by any of the researchers to date. This research gap has been explored in this study. The present manuscript is an endeavour to explore the best photovoltaic technology aimed at a single-slope solar desalting unit comprised of N identical photovoltaic thermal flat-plate-collectors. Data regarding all four weather conditions for a year for New Delhi's climate have been procured from the Indian Meteorological Department situated in the western part of India. Fundamental equations along with input data have been provided to a computational code developed in MATLAB for the estimation of various performance parameters. Concludingly, the energy payback time is minimum (1.64 years) for the case of copper indium gallium selenide photovoltaic technology, however, maximum values of life cycle conversion efficiency and net CO2 mitigation are respectively 0.171 and 199.10 tons of CO2 for the case of crystalline silicon photovoltaic technology. The carbon credit is also found to be a maximum (15269.25 US$) for crystalline silicon photovoltaic technology.

Harnessing Biogas in India: A Sustainable Pathway for Sustainable Energy Development

The review underscores the pivotal role of the Indian biogas sector in addressing the challenges posed by inadequate sanitation practices, exploring how the biogas sector is a potentially transformative force for waste management and energy production. Decentralized biogas facilities utilizing various organic materials, including agricultural waste, kitchen waste, organic industrial waste, sewage sludge, and floral waste, have reshaped rural landscapes. These facilities electrify remote villages, benefiting over 5 million residents and reducing energy expenses by 40%. Critically, these efforts preserve vital ecosystems, exemplified by the rejuvenation of 10,000 hectares of mangroves in the Sundarbans, sequestering an impressive 500,000 metric tons of CO2 annually. Innovative technologies, such as the anaerobic digestion process and advanced biogas production systems featuring improved gas purification techniques, two-stage digesters, and optimized feedstock mixtures, play a crucial role in this sustainability journey. These advancements boost biogas yields by 20%. Importantly, byproducts like digestate are efficiently upcycled into 500 Mt of high-quality biofertilizers annually, significantly enhancing crop yield, particularly wheat and maize, by 15%. Moreover, the transformative impact extends to environmental sustainability by converting digestate into 1,000 Mt of biodegradable plastics, leading to a 30% reduction in traditional plastics usage. Government support and well-crafted policies have been instrumental, with subsidies driving the adoption of biogas digesters in 50,000 households, creating 5,000 jobs, and reducing methane emissions by 2 MMt annually. Biogas catalyzes integrated sustainability, accompanying cleaner environments, improved livelihoods, and resilient ecosystems by harmonizing sanitation, energy, and ecosystem preservation.

Does the South African Carbon Tax Incentivise Mines to Invest in Solar Photovoltaic?

The aim of this study was to evaluate the adequacy of South Africa’s carbon pricing policy in incentivising adoption of Solar photovoltaic in South African mines. A qualitative study was conducted to evaluate the adequacy of South Africa’s carbon tax policy design to encourage adoption of solar photovoltaic in mines. The study further establishes the carbon pricing level that will induce South African miners to invest in Solar photovoltaic through a net present value simulation. A review of South Africa’s Carbon Tax regime highlights that the policy shortcomings can be attributable to low carbon prices, excessive free emission allowances, and continued subsidy support of fossil fuels. Furthermore, the carbon price needs to exceed cost of abatement to encourage investment in decarbonisation measures. A net present value simulation finds that a carbon price of ZAR 668.62 per tonne of CO2 would need to be levied to incentivise mining entities to invest in solar photovoltaic. The study recommends higher carbon prices be levied for carbon for emissions to encourage mining entities to adopt solar photovoltaic renewable energy. The paper contributes to tax policy scholarship on designing a carbon pricing model for South Africa’s mining sector. Decarbonising the mining industry, a significant contributor of GHG emissions, will advance the decarbonisation efforts of South Africa.

COMBUSTIBLES DE AVIACIÓN SOSTENIBLES

The commercial aviation sector emitted 915 million tonnes of CO2 in 2019, 2% of human activity emissions and 12% of transport CO2 emissions. The sector is thus committed to mitigating its impact on climate change.

Forest contribution to CO2 sequestration as mitigation climate change on the impact of tourism activities in Mount Tidar Botanical Garden

Forests offer the greatest environmental services in CO2 sequestration. According to the IPCC, forests have a lot of potential for mitigating climate change. The forest area in Mount Tidar Botanical Garden (MTBG) is used as a tourist attraction and is known as the most famous religious tourism object in Magelang. Tourist activities in MTBG are massive, tourist attractions are open 24 hours a day and never close, causing an enormous amount of CO2 emissions. This study aims to determine the total CO2 emissions of tourism activities, CO2 sequestration in vegetation MTBG, and provide recommendations on the types of vegetation that have the highest CO2 sequestration. This study is quantitative research. Primary data collection was done by taking data on vegetation diameter and LPG usage around the restaurant. The Data were analyzed by emission estimation and the allometric formula. The results showed that the total CO2 emissions from human respiration, the use of LPG, and vehicles amounted to 481,665 tons/year. The ability of plants in the MTBG forest has the potential to CO2 sequestration of 1.260,170 tons. Forests in MTBG can support climate change mitigation efforts in accordance with Sustainable Development Goals 13 because they can handle emissions with a surplus of 778,506 tons of CO2. Vegetation types that have high CO2 sequestration are Ficus benjamina, Calliandra calothyrsus, and Spathodea campanulata.

Pediatric telemedicine visits reduce greenhouse gas emissions

IntroductionThe planet is facing a substantial crisis of global warming from the burning of fossil fuels. The global healthcare system contributes to 4.4 % of global emissions part of which can be attributed to patient travel. Telemedicine has the opportunity to provide care while obviating the need for travel. We hypothesized that the use of pediatric telemedicine will decrease carbon emissions. MethodsWe performed a review of a prospective electronic medical record system of all children that presented to an outpatient children's hospital center from August 2019 through February 2022. The primary outcome was the number of telemedicine visits that occurred per month during the time period. The home zip code for each patient was included and used to calculated the median round trip distance to travel to the outpatient clinic. The EPA greenhouse gas equivalents calculator was utilized to convert car emissions data to carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions data. ResultsOver the investigation period, there were 20,845 pediatric telemedicine visits. The travel distance that was eliminated was 1,562,716 miles (roundtrip). Using an estimate of 22.5 miles per gallon, this represents a savings of 69,454 gallons of fuel, which translates to 618 metric tonnes of CO2 saved. ConclusionIn children, telemedicine can decrease time away from school, work for parents, need for childcare, as well as the cost and time for travel. Pediatric telemedicine use can benefit the environment through the substantial reduction of carbon dioxide emissions.

Transforming the transportation sector: Mitigating greenhouse gas emissions through electric vehicles (EVs) and exploring sustainable pathways

Transportation-related emissions in Pakistan have been rapidly increasing in recent years. This study aims to determine how important it is to electrify road transportation in Pakistan to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the transportation sector. Motivated by the need to tackle the growing environmental issues related to conventional fuel-powered automobiles, this research explores the application of electrification techniques in the context of Pakistan’s transportation system. During the 2019 fiscal year, the transportation industry in Pakistan consumed 23 × 106 tonnes of energy from the burning of fossil fuels and produced 52.9 × 106 metric tons of CO2, which made up 31% of the country’s total carbon emissions. In this research, different scenarios, such as business as usual, low carbon, strengthen low carbon, and Pakistan National Electric Vehicle Policy 2040, are evaluated for the transportation sector of the country. Using the LEAP model, this study projects the effects of electrification on Pakistan road transportation over 30 years. When estimating how electrification will affect road transportation in Pakistan over the next 30 years, several factors were taken into account, including policy frameworks, changing consumer behavior, technology advancements, and infrastructure improvements. The analysis covered the emission levels, adoption hurdles, and possible advantages of transitioning to electric vehicles (EVs). The outcomes illustrate that adopting EVs can produce substantial drops in fuel consumption and environmental emissions, providing a sustainable solution to mitigate global warming. This work is directly associated with various Sustainable Development Goals, including SDG3 (good health and well-being), SDG7 (affordable and clean energy), and SDG13 (climate action). The results of this study highlight the considerable potential for GHG reduction associated with the widespread adoption of EVs, offering crucial insights to stakeholders and policymakers.

Renewable Energy Application and Carbon Redution Study on the Campus Teaching Building

This work conducts carbon simulation and accounting of one public teaching building in South China. The calculation results show that the carbon emission of public teaching building is 2586.5 Tons of CO2 per year. Based on the simulation, Solar Photovoltaic (PV) system can achieve carbon reduction of 595.5 TCO2 per year, the total power of the PV system reaches 1201kWp, the average power generation of the system is 1025MWh/year, and the system efficiency is 68.1%. The PV system can reduce the carbon emissions of public teaching buildings by 23%. The utilization rate of the roof space of public teaching buildings reaches 64%. Based on the simulation results to analyse the models of colleges and universities participating in the carbon trading market, three models are proposed: unified integration into the national carbon trading market system, incomplete integration into the carbon trading market, and the establishment of a university carbon trading market

Paulownia trees as a sustainable solution for CO2 mitigation: assessing progress toward 2050 climate goals

Due to the progressive climate change on our planet, scientists are interested in solving this issue since it threatens not only certain regions or countries but also the world’s ecosystems and economies. Therefore, minimizing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and reducing atmospheric levels are global priorities. Thus, it is necessary at this moment to develop an appropriate approach to reduce or stabilize CO2 levels in the atmosphere. However, CO2 capture projects are long-term, low-profitable, and high-risk environmental projects. Consequently, it is necessary to find an appropriate and sustainable CO2 capture approach that is efficient in reducing atmospheric CO2 levels while having a safe impact on the environment. Although carbon (C) is the key basic component used to produce biological compounds by photosynthetic organisms in terrestrial plants, the C pathway is a key factor affecting the capture of CO2 by photosynthetic organisms. Among photosynthetic organisms, Paulownia, a multipurpose tree, is popular around the world for its timber and its potential role in CO2 sequestration. Paulownia spp. belongs to the Paulowniaceae family and comprises a group of trees. These trees are primarily found in southeastern Asia, particularly in China, and have been intentionally grown for more than two millennia due to their ornamental, cultural, and medicinal value. The number of Paulownia species varies depending on taxonomic classification, ranging from 6 to 17. Among them, Paulownia tomentosa, Paulownia elongata, Paulownia fortunei, and Paulownia catalpifolia are the most widely recognized and favored species. The present review provides a comprehensive technical-economic scenario for the capture of one million tons of CO2 by Paulownia trees (as a terrestrial plant model, grown on 2,400 ha−1). P. tomentosa can be utilized in agroforestry systems to mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions within urban cities and emphasize the carbon storage potential of agroforestry. In conclusion, Paulownia trees as an environmental mass project showed great encouragement to investors and governments to expand these types of projects to achieve global climate goals by 2050.

La innovación disruptiva de la generación de electricidad distribuida: un reto para la administración pública en México

Distributed generation (DG) is the generation of electricity, mostly photovoltaic, close to consumption centers by individual users in residences or companies, whose main objective is self-consumption. It is considered disruptive by breaking with the paradigm of centralized generation. The objective of this study was to analyse the trend, benefits and challenges that the penetration of this technology in Mexico implies for the public administration. A study with a quantitative approach, based on empirical data published by international organizations and the Mexican government, with the study subjects being the country and its 32 States. A significant penetration of DG was found in Mexico where it has had a compound annual growth rate of 45% in recent years, reaching an installed capacity of around 3 GW. Its geographical distribution in Mexico is heterogeneous and depends on the economic level of the State. The contribution that DG makes to the energy transition is important in environmental terms, it represents a saving of more than one million tons of CO2 per year and in economic terms a significant saving for the public administration in the area of electrical energy generation. The Mexican public administration faces a double challenge: on the one hand, stimulating DG to increase the generation of clean energy to comply with international commitments and on the other, achieving the flexibility required by the National Electric System for the integration of intermittent clean energies. such as photovoltaics.

Analysing direct air capture for enabling negative emissions in Germany: an assessment of the resource requirements and costs of a potential rollout in 2045

Direct air capture (DAC) combined with subsequent storage (DACCS) is discussed as one promising carbon dioxide removal option. The aim of this paper is to analyse and comparatively classify the resource consumption (land use, renewable energy and water) and costs of possible DAC implementation pathways for Germany. The paths are based on a selected, existing climate neutrality scenario that requires the removal of 20 Mt of carbon dioxide (CO2) per year by DACCS from 2045. The analysis focuses on the so-called “low-temperature” DAC process, which might be more advantageous for Germany than the “high-temperature” one. In four case studies, we examine potential sites in northern, central and southern Germany, thereby using the most suitable renewable energies for electricity and heat generation. We show that the deployment of DAC results in large-scale land use and high energy needs. The land use in the range of 167–353 km2 results mainly from the area required for renewable energy generation. The total electrical energy demand of 14.4 TWh per year, of which 46% is needed to operate heat pumps to supply the heat demand of the DAC process, corresponds to around 1.4% of Germany's envisaged electricity demand in 2045. 20 Mt of water are provided yearly, corresponding to 40% of the city of Cologne‘s water demand (1.1 million inhabitants). The capture of CO2 (DAC) incurs levelised costs of 125–138 EUR per tonne of CO2, whereby the provision of the required energy via photovoltaics in southern Germany represents the lowest value of the four case studies. This does not include the costs associated with balancing its volatility. Taking into account transporting the CO2 via pipeline to the port of Wilhelmshaven, followed by transporting and sequestering the CO2 in geological storage sites in the Norwegian North Sea (DACCS), the levelised costs increase to 161–176 EUR/tCO2. Due to the longer transport distances from southern and central Germany, a northern German site using wind turbines would be the most favourable.