CNC Report 08.26.24 8.5x11 - Flipbook - Page 121
Total Carbon Removed
This is the absolute quantity of carbon removed from the atmosphere. This can take form as
carbon sequestered and thus removed from the atmosphere. Sequestration is the actual removal
of atmospheric carbon into a carbon sink for long term storage, removing it from the over balance
existing overall.
Sequestration is critically important at the current advanced state of climate change. While there is still
excess carbon in the atmosphere, sequestration is necessary and the only means in which to reduce
this and restore the carbon balance.
Quality of Removal/Avoided Carbon
The quality of removal ensures good practice. Offsetting and sequestration projects must be truly
‘additional,’ well-managed and have continued upkeep to prevent inaccurate and overestimation of
carbon removal. Removal methods should also ensure that operational and embodied carbon of the
removal project is accounted for as well.
Rate of Carbon Emitted & Removed
Carbon reduced, avoided, and sequestered now has greater “ecological” value than carbon later. As
the effects of climate change are increasingly more detrimental with every degree of global warming
until irreversible warming conditions ensue, efforts now have the greatest impact.
A Declining Curve – A Sign Of Carbon Neutrality Or Even Carbon Capture?
•
•
•
•
A declining curve doesn’t necessarily mean a carbon neutral or carbon negative corridor.
It just means that the annual balance of carbon emissions and carbon credits (“avoided” grid
electricity emissions from PV yield + carbon sequestration from trees) is negative. The driver of the
credits in the CNC are the PV yields, not the sequestration.
A negative yearly balance doesn’t mean that carbon is not emitted the respective year. There
are very likely still carbon emissions happening in the wintertime when there are typically less
renewables in the grid mix. But in the summertime, the surplus PV yield helps to provide customers
outside of the CNC with “cleaner” electricity.
One way to move even further into the direction of a truly “carbon neutral” corridor would be to
look into long-term storage solutions to cover energy use during periods of the year that have less
renewable energy availability.
APPENDIX TOWARD A CARBON NEUTRAL CORRIDOR
121
