This carbon flux evaluation was an assignment I completed for ESSE 2210: Earth and the Environment. I believe it displays some of my best technical writing skills, which greatly improved this term by taking ENG 2003. I tried my best to use concise language and focused on clearly communicating ideas.
ESSE 2210 Tutorial Assignment 2
Jacob Ham 212 977 385
March 3, 2019
Introduction:
To obtain ISO 14064 verification, a company must demonstrate to the International Standards Organization (ISO) that its net greenhouse gas emissions are reliably monitored and that sufficient measures are in place to reduce such emissions. These requirements are outlined in Part 1 and Part 2 of the standard, and Part 3 outlines a procedure for ensuring the credibility of self-reported emission levels [1]. Verification is not contingent on emission levels meeting a set threshold, but on the subject’s ability to accurately report its own GHG production and its own proven efforts to reduce them. Attaining ISO 14064 verification is desirable for governmental, private, and non-profit organizations alike that wish to enhance public perception and mitigate climate change.
In order for the Cropz corporation to be considered eligible for ISO 14064 status, it must fulfil Part 1-3 of the standard, providing all necessary documentation. A thorough GHG inventory is the primary deliverable, and it must be determined with respect to both Cropz’s organizational and operational boundaries [1]. In agriculture as well as most industries, the vast majority of GHG emissions are attributed to energy usage and the associated CO2 production. Therefore the inclusion of a net carbon flux calculation is critical for determining GHG inventory, and ultimately for gaining 14064 verification. Indirect carbon emissions from energy usage can be calculated quite easily by considering the mode of power generation, but this does not entirely account for net carbon flux in the case of an agricultural production company such as Cropz.
This is because land dedicated to agriculture acts as a carbon sink, with plants sequestering atmospheric carbon into glucose. Cropz’s net flux is offset by the photosynthetic capabilities of its very crops, which must be considered in its GHG inventory. Four distinct plants comprise Cropz’s agricultural operation, each with expectedly differing growing seasons and carbon intake rates. Many additional requirements must be met before ISO 14064 verification is possible, but the focus of this report will only be to outline a procedure for assessing the carbon flux associated with each of the four plants grown by Cropz, and estimate the associated costs. It is also a request of the licensing body that methods for obtaining carbon flux values incorporate some form of public outreach or participation.
Methodology:
The carbon sequestering rate of any particular crop is dependent on characteristics of the plant itself, as well as specific agricultural practices of the cultivator. These parameters are to be determined analytically, and the logistic sequence of flux evaluation is divided into phases of apparatus fabrication, data/information collection, and analysis/presentation. Throughout the duration of carbon flux accounting, public interest in Cropz’s efforts to combat climate change will be raised using various social media platforms, namely Facebook and Twitter. Locals will be introduced to the company’s emission reduction strategies, and perhaps be invited on site for a day to witness Cropz’s environmentally conscious farming techniques.
Apparatus Fabrication:
Since no off-the-shelf device exists for directly measuring carbon flux, such a contraption must be assembled in-house. Design of the CO2 detecting instrument will be based on recommendations made in the WMO handbook for Meteorological Instrumentation, which states that “background atmospheric CO2 concentration measurements are mainly taken with non-dispersive infrared (NDIR) gas analysers” [2]. These miniature spectrometers determine carbon abundance by emitting an incident light through a gas sample and comparing it to the resulting absorption spectrum. A high-precision gas analyser is desirable, and the apparatus should designed for maximum reliability and minimal maintenance requirements. It should be noted that a minimum of four of these devices will be needed to take readings for the four different crop types.
Data Collection:
Information gathering begins before the start of physical carbon flux measurement in order to gauge the expected crop characteristics and derive references for future measurements. Formal carbon sequestration reports pertaining to similar crop types are retrieved, as well as other related agricultural documents. Having established expected carbon fluxes for the four plant types, the next step is a site visit during which sample collection and topographic surveying occur. Each crop is positively identified by gene sequencing and the specific areas dedicated to each are determined using satellite imaging. Next, the gas analysers are installed/calibrated on site, and data acquisition formally begins. This stage of the project will last a minimum of one full growing season, and routine maintenance visits will be necessary.
Analysis/Presentation:
Once carbon fluctuations have been recorded over the course of a growing season, calculation of corresponding fluxes can proceed. Using baseline CO2 flux values obtained from nearby FluxNet towers, the sequestration rates of each crop type can be determined. Fluxnet is able to monitor CO2 flux by directly monitoring eddy oscillations of air due to temperature fluctuations using 3D anemometers, also recording CO2 abundance using gas analysers. Several of these towers exist in Southern Ontario, including one in Camp Borden that is relatively close to Cropz’s location. With finalized carbon fluxes for each crop type, these results will be published to the company’s social media campaign and be used for taking its GHG inventory.
Deliverables:
The Gantt chart in Figure 1 outlines an approximate timeline for the determination of carbon fluxes due to sequestration. Start and end times for specific tasks are subject to circumstantial change, but the project is scheduled for completion in December 2021. It can be seen from Figure __ that the majority of the project’s duration will be spent idly acquiring data, and analysis can only begin once enough has been collected. Secondary tasks such as equipment maintenance and updating of the social media campaign must be performed throughout the year in order to complete the main deliverable of calculating carbon flux and improving public relations.
Figure 1: Deliverable Timeline
Budgets:
| Expense | Notes | Cost ($ CAD) |
| Equipment/Apparatus | Includes initial cost of flux measurement device and maintenance fees | 60 000 |
| Employee Salary | Projected 200 senior hours at $240/h, 400 intermediate hours at $120/h and 800 junior hours at $60/h | 144 000 |
| Overhead (17 %) | Includes cost of transportation and office expenses | 34 680 |
| Total | 238 680 |
References:
[1] J. Wintergreen, “International Standard for GHG Emissions Inventories and
Verification,” International Standards Organization, pp. 1-4, 2008. [Online]. Available:
https://www3.epa.gov/ttnchie1/conference/ei16/session13/wintergreen.pdf [Accessed
March 3, 2019].
[2] World Meteorological Organization, Guide to Meteorological Instruments and
Methods of Observation, 2008. [Online]. Available: https://library.wmo.int/pmb_ged/wmo_8_en-2012.pdf [Accessed March 3, 2019]
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