Isometric’s Post

After a pilot and public consultation, today we release the updated Puro Standard Terrestrial Storage of Biomass carbon removal methodology! This methodology covers activities capable of storing sustainably sourced lignin-rich biomass (trees and woody plants) under conditions that inhibit its decomposition to maintain the storage of carbon for at least 100 years. The eligible projects must be net-negative in terms of the overall carbon footprint and comply with the following key requirements: 🪵 Stored biomass Must be sustainably sourced wood or “woody” material from roots, trunks, stems, branches, bark and leaves or needles with a C:N ratio > 80. Examples: forestry waste, chippings, bark, damaged timber. No non-tree sources such as herbaceous plants, algae and grasses. The methodology sets rules on different types of eligible sustainable biomass, see document for details. In the case of biomass sourced from forest land that is managed for production of materials or energy, the biomass cannot be energy grade wood, or even merchantable wood (unless there is local oversupply, which needs to be demonstrated). 📦 Storage chamber Must be purpose-built to prevent decomposition and mitigate risks of reversal (e.g. no landfills). Types of storage chambers include excavation-based, injection-based and above ground. Must be secured against unexpected reemissions, via a trust fund or similar arrangement for long-term site management. Must follow environmental and social safeguards, and demonstrate that the storage poses no threat to the surrounding natural environment. 💻 Monitoring There are strict requirements for systematized monitoring to detect and account for GHG, specially methane emissions. 🔃 Life cycle assessment (LCA) LCA of the project must be done in alignment with ISO standard 14040/44. It must include carbon footprint from the establishment of the storage chamber to site closure, including sourcing and transportation of biomass, and must consider economic leakage and direct land use change 🔎 Financial additionality The project must not have happened without carbon finance 🌱 Environmental and social safeguards Requirements for Environmental impact assessment (EIA), Environmental risk assessment (ERA) and/or environmental permits. Requirements for stakeholder consultations, occupational health & safety, and documentation on impact on communities. Puro Standard methodologies only credit net removal, require independent third party verification and CORCs are issued ex-post. For details, download the methodology: https://hubs.ly/Q027y_4Z0 Thank you to the scientists, partners and projects who participated in the working group and public consultation, Puro’s Advisory Board and the Puro team! Are you a project developer or potential supplier of Terrestrial Storage of Biomass carbon removal? Contact us. https://hubs.ly/Q027yXgw0

【Bioenergy: Examining the Efficient Utilization of Agricultural Biomass as a Source of Sustainable Renewable Energy in Louisiana】 Full article: https://lnkd.in/gGUxfuSZ (Authored by Priscilla M. Loh, et al., from Southern University and A&M College, USA.) #Agricultural_biomass which are resources derived from crop residues like bagasse, straw, stem, stalk, husk, shells, leaves, and all other plant-based residues present as one of the ideal renewable energy alternatives that can be utilized as a source of energy to supplement and limit the high dependence on fossil fuels. This study examines the utilization of agricultural biomass as a convenient renewable energy source, and the potential of #marginal_lands for growing bioenergy crops in Louisiana by assessing biomass production and consumption estimates from Louisiana parishes. #Biofuels #Agricultural_Crops #Ethanol #Biodiesel 

Paul Olivier writes on making Biochar: Furthermore, the idea of making biochar in dedicated kilns where all of the gas and heat get wasted is also short-sighted. The demand for high-grade heat is enormous, and insofar as possible (even in developed countries), high-grade heat should not be produced from fossil fuels, electricity or the combustion of woody biomass. As one cooks a meal or boils water, one should be making biochar. As one dries, parches or roasts agricultural products, one should be making biochar. As one fry-cooks waste biomass or co-cropped biomass into feed, one should be making biochar. As one distills alcohol or essential oils, one should be making biochar. As one keeps houses and greenhouses warm in winter time, one should be making biochar. As one boils bone to make soup broth, one can make an extraordinary phosphorous-enriched biochar using pellets made from biomass and finely ground boiled bone derived from a previous boiling of bone. One can make broth and bone char/biochar at the same time. Bone char/biochar can be incorporated into a fermentation mix to enhance the fermentation process as well as the nutrient value of the fermented feed and all that cascades down from it. The list of such combined processes goes on and on. I say: I agree 100%. I agree 110%. We have no choice currently. There is only one use for such waste heat on a megawatt scale - electricity - 24-7. We work in remote areas with a sparse population spread over a vast area with no nearby schools nor hospitals. However - I can point out, I have had ZERO-point-ZERO help from @Royal Institute of Engineers on how to harness this heat, my own "kitchen-garden engineering skills" will come up with a scheme... but KPLC biomass-feed-in-tariffs are SO LOW, they do not even cover cost of capital - so a loss-maker. If the UN or USAID or EU or UKAID were to bridge that financing gap as a subsidy - we would be more keen to iron out those peculiar kinks - copper coils suspended above a Kon-Tiki... movement in, out, damage... etc. For the record - gasifier stoves are present in Kenya - but seriously expensive - using Stainless Steel - so the common folk - that use firewood - cannot afford them. Firewood is used in commercial street cooking and in the countryside. Urban and peri-urban households use charcoal. Meantime - we continue to make biochar - as a start. Long term - I'd like a continuous process 24-7 with waste heat going to generate power, with a realistic buy-in tariff. But as my book says, "Start Capturing CO2 Now" - we cannot wait for an imperfect world to catch up. Oh - and by the way - I'm calling out Dr. George Matthews as a paid Oil-Troll - ran away when challenged by a post!

New article 🚀 🌊 Biomass Valorization via Pyrolysis in Microalgae-Based Wastewater Treatment: The Future of Sustainable Water Solutions 💧 Why does it matter? 🌍 Access to clean water is becoming scarce. With a growing population and increasing wastewater, we need a change. 💥 The Problem: Traditional wastewater treatment has its limitations, high costs, and potential long-term issues with contaminants. 🌱 The Solution: Microalgae! They clean wastewater efficiently, creating biomass that can be turned into eco-friendly biofuels, fertilisers, and more. But here's the catch: Biomass contamination can happen due to the composition of the wastewater. ♻️ The Game-Changer: The Power of Pyrolysis! When contaminants hinder microalgal biomass reuse, pyrolysis steps in. It's a thermochemical process that converts this biomass into valuable products, including bio-oil, pyrolytic gas, and biochar. And the best part? It does this while minimizing environmental impacts and waste generation. 🔥 The Revolution: Bio-oil becomes a sustainable biofuel, pyrolytic gas generates energy, and biochar, the unsung hero, that has a range of applications. It's used for soil improvement, carbon sequestration, and even as a filter in microalgae wastewater treatment systems. It's a versatile superstar! Ready to unlock the full potential of pyrolysis and revolutionise wastewater treatment with microalgae while creating a sustainable, circular future? Dive into the full article https://lnkd.in/dDacDFmS and explore these exciting possibilities 🌊💪 #Sustainability #Innovation #CleanWater #WastewaterTreatment #Microalgae #BiocharApplications This article is a joint collaboration between Group of Environmental Engineering and Microbiology. GEMMA UPC, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande - FURG, Centre of Marine Sciences (CCMAR) and GreenCoLab Luísa Barreira. Michele Morais. Jorge Alberto Vieira Costa. Bárbara Catarina Bastos de Freitas. Ivet Ferrer. Jéssica Teixeira Da Silveira. Lisa M. Schueler

Better utilisation of currently wasted and residual biomass resources for biochar production can provide valuable inputs into agriculture and industry. In agriculture, biochar can improve soil fertility and increase moisture retention. Fed to cattle or sheep, biochar can improve digestion so that more feed is converted into increased meat, milk and other animal products, and less methane is released. In industry, biochar can provide a renewable source of inputs that would otherwise be drawn from coal, oil or gas and contribute to carbon emissions. It can contribute this value while capturing and storing for long periods the carbon that has been absorbed from the atmosphere by plants. The long-term storage of carbon as biochar is recognised as a secure source of negative emissions. The Australian Biochar Industry 2030 Roadmap comes at an important time, when we need to lower emissions quickly, and to develop new sources of economic growth. The production of the Roadmap is a tribute to ANZBIG, the peak body of the growing biochar industry. The Roadmap embodies the results of extensive participant consultation. This not-for-profit group has attracted members and supporters from biochar producers, biochar users, capital providers, research scientists, engineers, and citizens with an interest in climate change action. ANZBIG’s Roadmap will inform the community and illuminate the case for new policies from all Australian governments. ANZBIG’s Roadmap will inform the community and illuminate the case for new policies from all Australian governments. ANZBIG’s Roadmap is especially timely. The 2020s are the critical decade, in which people with influence now will take decisive steps towards stopping the trend to higher global temperatures, or leave future generations with an impossible task. Australia has the resources to strengthen its economy through developing net zero targets, while removing its own emissions and contributing substantially to net zero emissions in the rest of the world. Biochar can make significant additions to these important outcomes in the years to 2030, and much more after that. The ANZBIG Roadmap demonstrates the contribution biochar can make to Australian economic and environmental goals. Community understanding of the Roadmap will drive removal of barriers to increased development of this new industry. High levels of investment will follow the introduction of policies that recognise the value of innovation in a burgeoning industry that has potential for large expansion, and the value of removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. I look forward to working with you in making progress in the directions defined by the Roadmap. And I look forward to the biochar industry making a major contribution to the emergence of Australia as a Superpower of the net zero world economy. Ross Garnaut AC Patron, ANZBIG, May 25, 2023, Foreword, ANZ Biochar Industry 2030 Roadmap.

Alhamdulillah! I am thrilled to announce that my first research paper for 2024, titled "Efficient Lignin Extraction from Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunches Using Guanidine-Based Deep Eutectic Solvents Under Microwave Assistance," has been published in the Industrial Crops and Products journal. This groundbreaking study marks the first use of guanidine hydrochloride DES to extract lignin with microwave heating, achieving an impressive 57.12% yield and 83% purity. The efficient 30-minute extraction process demonstrates significant potential for developing value-added functional products. Our research addresses the urgent need for efficient waste management of Malaysia's abundant oil palm empty fruit bunches (OPEFB). Using guanidine hydrochloride as a hydrogen bond acceptor in deep eutectic solvents (DES), we developed a green, cost-effective pretreatment method for lignocellulosic biomass. The study examined various pretreatment parameters, revealing that guanidine-based DES effectively disrupts OPEFB structure, achieving high lignin yield with minimal impurities, significant phenolic content, and reduced weight loss. This advancement not only promotes sustainable lignin use but also underscores the versatility of guanidine-based DES in renewable biomass applications, marking a significant step forward in sustainable materials science. A big thank you to the co-authors for their dedication, collaboration, and innovative thinking. Special thanks to the reviewers and editors for recognizing the significance of our work and providing valuable feedback. Join us in paving the road for a more ecologically responsible future as we explore the intriguing realm of bio-based products and sustainability. https://lnkd.in/gF2-XQmH #Publication #Lignin #GreenFuture #Sustainability

Discover how the grass species, Pennisetum purpureum, could be a solution to our growing energy demands in this article by Lovisa Panduleni Johannes!