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The study explores the potential of membrane materials in sustainable hydrogen production from biomass, focusing on their utilization in the energy sector. Integrating advanced membrane technologies aims to optimize biomass conversion processes into hydrogen without CO2 emissions. The analysis focuses on the selectivity and permeability characteristics of different membranes, evaluating the efficiency and sustainability of the process. Using resulting hydrogen in the energy sector can reduce dependence on fossil energy sources and promote a cleaner, more sustainable economy.

Limiting global warming to close to 1.5°C by 2100 requires deep and rapid greenhouse gas emission reductions and carbon dioxide removals (CDR) on a massive scale, presenting a remarkable scaling challenge. This paper focuses on the financing of bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) in Sweden. BECCS is one of the most prominent CDR methods in 1.5°C-compatible global emission scenarios and has been assigned a specific role in Swedish policy for net-zero. A Swedish state support system for BECCS based on results-based payments is planned. Furthermore, demand for CDR-based carbon credits is on the rise on the voluntary carbon markets (VCM) for use towards voluntary mitigation targets. Risks involved with the current Swedish policies are analysed, specifically for the co-financing of BECCS by the planned state support and revenues from the VCM. We find that with the current policies, state support systems will subsidise carbon credit prices on the VCM. We argue that such subsidisation can lower decarbonisation efforts by lowering the internal carbon price set by actors, thus undermining environmental integrity. It is concluded that proportional attribution should be applied, i.e., attributing mitigation outcomes to the state support and VCM revenue in proportion to their financial contribution to the CDR achieved. The attribution analysis should be accompanied by adjustments in national greenhouse gas accounting so that mitigation outcomes that are issued as carbon credits and used for offsetting are not double claimed (i.e., not used by both a nation and a non-state actor on the VCM towards their respective mitigation targets). If proportional attribution and adjustments in national GHG accounting are not implemented, the credibility and environmental integrity of offsetting claims made by carbon credit users are eroded. We recommend that action is taken to operationalise and implement proportional attribution to allow for co-financing of BECCS projects while maintaining environmental integrity. Wider implications for our recommendations beyond the case of Swedish BECCS are also analysed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The UK sixth carbon budget has recommended domestic biomass supply should increase to meet growing demand, planting a minimum of 30,000 hectares of perennial energy crops a year by 2035, with a view to establishing 700,000 hectares by 2050 to meet the requirements of the balanced net zero pathway. Miscanthus is a key biomass crop to scale up domestic biomass production in the United Kingdom. A cohesive land management strategy, based on robust evidence, will be required to ensure upscaling of miscanthus cultivation maximizes the environmental and economic benefits and minimizes undesirable consequences. This review examines research into available land areas, environmental impacts, barriers to uptake, and the challenges, benefits, and trade‐offs required to upscale miscanthus production on arable land and grassland in the United Kingdom. Expansion of perennial biomass crops has been considered best restricted to marginal land, less suited to food production. The review identifies a trade‐off between avoiding competition with food production and a risk of encroaching on areas containing high‐biodiversity or high‐carbon stocks, such as semi‐natural grasslands. If areas of land suitable for food production are needed to produce the biomass required for emission reduction, the review indicates there are multiple strategies for miscanthus to complement long‐term food security rather than compete with it. On arable land, a miscanthus rotation with a cycle length of 10–20 years can be employed as fallow period for fields experiencing yield decline, soil fatigue, or persistent weed problems. On improved grassland areas, miscanthus presents an option for diversification, flood mitigation, and water quality improvement. Strategies need to be developed to integrate miscanthus into farming systems in a way that is profitable, sensitive to local demand, climate, and geography, and complements rather than competes with food production by increasing overall farm profitability and resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our model for optimizing stand-level wood production and carbon sinks includes individual-tree models for forest growth, an advanced model for soil carbon, detailed wood production economy, and an intertemporal objective for the value of wood production and carbon sinks/emissions. Carbon stocks include aboveground biomass and carbon in forest soil and in wood products. Optimization of the management regime, rotations and thinning timing, and type and intensity are carried out by reinforcement learning. Including the social price of carbon causes a regime switch from continuous cover forestry to clear-cuts, postponed lighter thinning, and a longer rotation, and with a high carbon price, to solutions with pure clear-cuts or solutions utilizing stands as pure carbon stocks. Carbon price has profound effects on stand values, and the bare land value may well exceed the value before a clear-cut. The total average carbon stock is maximized with harvest and a long rotation instead of "no harvesting". Bioenergy, carbon capture, and storage (BECCS) always increases the value of wood production but not necessarily the value of carbon sinks. With BECCS, increasing carbon stocks in trees and forest soil remains optimal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bio-energy systems with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) will be essential if countries are to meet the gas emission reduction targets established in the 2015 Paris Agreement. This study seeks to carry out a thermodynamic optimization and analysis of a BECCS technology for a typical Brazilian cogeneration plant. To maximize generated net electrical energy (MWe) and carbon dioxide CO2 capture (Mt/year), this study evaluated six cogeneration systems integrated with a chemical absorption process using MEA. A key performance indicator (gCO2/kWh) was also evaluated. The set of optimal solutions shows that the single regenerator configuration (REG1) resulted in more CO2 capture (51.9% of all CO2 emissions generated by the plant), penalized by 14.9% in the electrical plant's efficiency. On the other hand, the reheated configuration with three regenerators (Reheat3) was less power-penalized (7.41%) but had a lower CO2 capture rate (36.3%). Results showed that if the CO2 capture rates would be higher than 51.9%, the cogeneration system would reach a higher specific emission (gCO2/kWh) than the cogeneration base plant without a carbon capture system, which implies that low capture rates (<51%) in the CCS system guarantee an overall net reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in sugarcane plants for power and ethanol production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared to conventional monoethanolamine (MEA), alternative solvents are expected to substantially contribute to reduce the energy demand of postcombustion CO2 capture from flue gases. This study presents a comprehensive techno-economic analysis of a 27wt% 2-amino-2-methyl-1- propanol (AMP) + 13wt% piperazine (PZ) aqueous solution for CO2 capture, compared to a 30 wt% MEA solution. The study addresses the retrofit of a carbon capture unit to a biomass-fired combined heat and power (CHP) plant, effectively making it a bioenergy with a carbon capture and storage (BECCS) system. The treated flue gas has a flow rate of 23 tons/hour (t/h) with 11.54 vol% CO2 and a 90% capture rate is aimed for. Aspen Plus V14 was employed for process simulations. Initially, binary interaction parameters for AMP/PZ, AMP/H2O, and PZ/H2O are regressed using vapor-liquid equilibrium (VLE) data, which were retrieved from literature along with reaction kinetics. Validation of parameters from available experimental literature yields an average absolute relative deviation (AARD) of only 5.9%. Afterwards, a process simulation model is developed and validated against experimental data from a reference pilot plant, using a similar AMP/PZ blend, resulting in 5% AARD. Next, a sensitivity analysis optimizes operating conditions, including solvent rate, absorber/stripper packing heights, and stripper pressure, based on regeneration energy impact. Optimized results, compared to MEA, reveal that AMP/PZ reduces the energy consumption from 3.61 to 2.86 GJ/tCO2. The retrofitting of the capture unit onto the selected CHP plant is examined through the development of a dedicated model. Two control strategies are compared to address energy unavailability for supplying the capture unit. The analysis spans 4 months, selected to account for seasonal variations. At nominal capacity, CO2 emissions, rendered negative by biomass combustion and CO2 capture, reach a maximum of -3.4 tCO2/h compared to 0.36 tCO2/h before retrofitting. Depending on the control strategy and CHP plant operating point, the Specific Primary Energy Consumption for CO2 Avoided (SPECCA) ranges from 4.91 MJ/kgCO2 to 1.76 MJ/kgCO2. Finally, an economic comparison based on systematic methodology reveals a 7.87% reduction in capture cost favoring the AMP/PZ blend. Together, these findings highlight AMP/PZ as a highly favorable alternative solvent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: To achieve net-zero targets, it is essential to evaluate and model the costs and scalability of emerging carbon dioxide removal technologies like direct air capture with CO2 storage (DACCS) and bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS). Yet such efforts are often impeded by varying assessments of the climate impact and potential contributions of these technologies. This study explores the future costs and scalability of DACCS and BECCS to advance net-zero goals. Methods: We analyze expert opinions on these technologies’ potential costs and deployment scales for 2030, 2040, and 2050. Data was collected from 34 experts, comprising 21 DACCS and 13 BECCS specialists. They provided 90% confidence interval estimates and ‘best estimates’ for future costs and deployment under two International Energy Agency (IEA) policy scenarios— Stated Policies (STEPS) and Net Zero Emissions by 2050 (NZE). Results: We find that BECCS costs start at a lower level but decrease more slowly, whereas DACCS costs decline more steeply from a higher initial cost. However, DACCS estimates varied significantly among experts, showing no convergence over time. Regarding potential scalability, both technologies are associated with substantially higher deployment under the NZE scenario. Yet the combined estimated capacity of DACCS and BECCS by 2050 is only about a quarter of the CO2 removals projected by the IEA for its NZE scenario (1.9 GtCO2). Discussion: This study provides valuable insights into the future of DACCS and BECCS technologies in Europe, especially since our experts expect that DACCS and BECCS costs will be even higher (and deployment scales lower) than those predicted by recent IEA tracking, opening future research directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) features in global scale assessments of climate mitigation, but with limited exploration of how and where the technology could be deployed. BECCS is unlikely to perform a major role in national strategies whilst key aspects of deployment and public concerns are unaddressed, as happened with fracking. Since public understanding of the technology is limited, there is a crucial role for the news media in facilitating greater public discussion and understanding of BECCS. Here, a news media analysis of both national and regional newspapers explores the ‘storylines’ which frame the public debate on BECCS in the UK, and the coalitions of actors involved in presenting them. Several storylines present a positive framing of BECCS as Necessary and an Opportunity, particularly in regional newspapers of Yorkshire and the Humber where Drax's biomass power station is located. The Anchor for transition storyline describes the regional socio-economic opportunity of Drax's proposed BECCS project. However, this pro-BECCS coalition is undermined by other storylines that frame BECCS as Dangerous and Overhyped. To achieve discursive dominance, facilitating social acceptance and legitimacy for the technology, the positive framing of BECCS will require disarming storylines labelling BECCS as Worse than coal, No silver bullet, an Environmental disaster, and a Distraction. Our results suggest storyline resonance varies according to context, with notable differences between the public discourse at national and regional level; the Anchor for transition storyline resonates in an industrial community facing the socio-economic challenges of decarbonisation.

Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) plays a vital role in most climate change mitigation scenarios, where a solution for sustainable near‐term bioenergy expansion is to grow energy crops such as perennial grasses on recently abandoned cropland. There is a need to combine model‐based insights into theoretical potential and future biomass supply with more fine‐grained sociotechnical analysis to move toward realistic policies and innovation strategies. We combine natural science insights anchored in quantitative bioenergy modeling with qualitative social science anchored in the multi‐level perspective. Using these mixed methods enables a global‐to‐local‐to‐global level assessment of near‐term bioenergy recultivation opportunities for abandoned cropland. Norway is the local case. There are three main findings. First, the ongoing recultivation trends for food/feed production risks making gains in aboveground carbon stocks from natural regrowth on the mapped abandoned cropland over a 30‐year evaluation period almost negligible. Second, delaying a BECCS recultivation of abandoned cropland will make it impossible to reach high‐end mitigation potentials, and an accelerated BECCS recultivation guided by a policy push is needed to ensure stronger mitigation. Third, we unravel several real‐world challenges associated with bioenergy resource and supply modeling. Remote‐sensing techniques alone cannot capture actual land availability for land‐based climate change mitigation strategies. Local‐level sociotechnical conditions are generally found insufficiently supportive to align with the rapid near‐term bioenergy crop expansion found in 2°C scenarios from integrated assessment. The integration of mixed quantitative and qualitative methods is key to better understand the role of BECCS in climate change mitigation. Plain Language Summary: Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) is a key option for mitigating climate change. The idea is to capture the carbon emitted when biomass is converted into fuels or burned for energy production and store it underground. One proposed solution to ramp‐up biomass supply involves growing energy crops, like perennial grasses, on recently abandoned farmland. To make realistic policies and strategies for the future, we need to connect the theoretical potential of BECCS with local context, considering social and technical factors. We combine two approaches: using numbers to model bioenergy and using social science to understand the human and political side. By using a mix of methods, we can assess the potential for a near‐term recultivation of abandoned cropland for bioenergy and BECCS. There were three main findings. First, the combined use of both natural science and social science methods can help us better understand the role of BECCS in climate change mitigation. Second, re‐using abandoned farmland for growing food or animal feed reduces the effectiveness of letting the land naturally recover for fighting climate change. Third a rapid BECCS recultivation of abandoned cropland increases achieved climate change mitigation relative to a delayed BECCS recultivation. Key Points: Mixed quantitative and qualitative methods are key to unravel the role of bioenergy and bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) in climate change mitigationOngoing recultivation of abandoned cropland for food production limits aboveground carbon accumulation from natural regrowthPolicies to redirect recultivation toward BECCS are needed to maximize climate change mitigation [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The UK sixth carbon budget has recommended domestic biomass supply should increase to meet growing demand, planting a minimum of 30,000 hectares of perennial energy crops a year by 2035, with a view to establishing 700,000 hectares by 2050 to meet the requirements of the balanced net zero pathway. Miscanthus is a key biomass crop to scale up domestic biomass production in the United Kingdom. A cohesive land management strategy, based on robust evidence, will be required to ensure upscaling of miscanthus cultivation maximizes the environmental and economic benefits and minimizes undesirable consequences. This review examines research into available land areas, environmental impacts, barriers to uptake, and the challenges, benefits, and trade‐offs required to upscale miscanthus production on arable land and grassland in the United Kingdom. Expansion of perennial biomass crops has been considered best restricted to marginal land, less suited to food production. The review identifies a trade‐off between avoiding competition with food production and a risk of encroaching on areas containing high‐biodiversity or high‐carbon stocks, such as semi‐natural grasslands. If areas of land suitable for food production are needed to produce the biomass required for emission reduction, the review indicates there are multiple strategies for miscanthus to complement long‐term food security rather than compete with it. On arable land, a miscanthus rotation with a cycle length of 10–20 years can be employed as fallow period for fields experiencing yield decline, soil fatigue, or persistent weed problems. On improved grassland areas, miscanthus presents an option for diversification, flood mitigation, and water quality improvement. Strategies need to be developed to integrate miscanthus into farming systems in a way that is profitable, sensitive to local demand, climate, and geography, and complements rather than competes with food production by increasing overall farm profitability and resilience.

Summary: The role of negative emissions technologies (NETs) in climate change mitigation remains contentious. Although numerous studies indicate significant carbon dioxide removal (CDR) requirements for Paris Agreement mitigation goals to be achieved, others point out challenges and risks associated with high CDR strategies. Using a multiscale modeling approach, we explore NETs’ potential for a single country, the United Kingdom (UK). Here, we report that the UK has cost-effective potential to remove 79 MtCO2 per year by 2050, rising to 126–134 MtCO2 per year with well-integrated NETs in industrial clusters. Results highlight that biomass gasification for hydrogen generation with CCS is emerging as a key NET, despite biomass availability being a limiting factor. Moreover, solid DACCS systems utilizing industrial waste heat integration offer a solution to offsetting increases in demand from transportation and industrial sectors. These results emphasize the importance of a multiscale whole-systems assessment for integrating NETs into industrial strategies. Science for society: Understanding how to effectively mitigate climate change is crucial for the well-being of our planet and future generations. Negative emissions technologies (NETs) that take CO2 out of the air are a vital component in this effort, but their effectiveness is still being debated. Our study examines NETs’ potential in the UK, providing valuable insights for policymakers, industry leaders, and the public. We find that the UK could remove up to 126–134 million tonnes by 2050 if NETs are well integrated into industrial clusters where there is high waste heat potential. Key technologies include biomass gasification for hydrogen generation with carbon capture and storage (CCS) and direct air carbon capture and storage (DACCS) systems using industrial waste heat. These findings highlight the importance of integrating NETs into industrial strategies to meet climate goals effectively while addressing the increasing demand in the transportation and industrial sectors.

Limiting global warming to close to 1.5°C by 2100 requires deep and rapid greenhouse gas emission reductions and carbon dioxide removals (CDR) on a massive scale, presenting a remarkable scaling challenge. This paper focuses on the financing of bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) in Sweden. BECCS is one of the most prominent CDR methods in 1.5°C-compatible global emission scenarios and has been assigned a specific role in Swedish policy for net-zero. A Swedish state support system for BECCS based on results-based payments is planned. Furthermore, demand for CDR-based carbon credits is on the rise on the voluntary carbon markets (VCM) for use towards voluntary mitigation targets. Risks involved with the current Swedish policies are analysed, specifically for the co-financing of BECCS by the planned state support and revenues from the VCM. We find that with the current policies, state support systems will subsidise carbon credit prices on the VCM. We argue that such subsidisation can lower decarbonisation efforts by lowering the internal carbon price set by actors, thus undermining environmental integrity. It is concluded that proportional attribution should be applied, i.e., attributing mitigation outcomes to the state support and VCM revenue in proportion to their financial contribution to the CDR achieved. The attribution analysis should be accompanied by adjustments in national greenhouse gas accounting so that mitigation outcomes that are issued as carbon credits and used for offsetting are not double claimed (i.e., not used by both a nation and a non-state actor on the VCM towards their respective mitigation targets). If proportional attribution and adjustments in national GHG accounting are not implemented, the credibility and environmental integrity of offsetting claims made by carbon credit users are eroded. We recommend that action is taken to operationalise and implement proportional attribution to allow for co-financing of BECCS projects while maintaining environmental integrity. Wider implications for our recommendations beyond the case of Swedish BECCS are also analysed.

Compared to conventional monoethanolamine (MEA), alternative solvents are expected to substantially contribute to reduce the energy demand of post-combustion CO2 capture from flue gases. This study presents a comprehensive techno-economic analysis of a 27 wt% 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol (AMP) + 13 wt% piperazine (PZ) aqueous solution for CO2 capture, compared to a 30 wt% MEA solution. The study addresses the retrofit of a carbon capture unit to a biomass-fired combined heat and power (CHP) plant, effectively making it a bioenergy with a carbon capture and storage (BECCS) system. The treated flue gas has a flow rate of 23 tons/hour (t/h) with 11.54 vol% CO2 and a 90% capture rate is aimed for. Aspen Plus V14 was employed for process simulations. Initially, binary interaction parameters for AMP/PZ, AMP/H2O, and PZ/H2O are regressed using vapor-liquid equilibrium (VLE) data, which were retrieved from literature along with reaction kinetics. Validation of parameters from available experimental literature yields an average absolute relative deviation (AARD) of only 5.9%. Afterwards, a process simulation model is developed and validated against experimental data from a reference pilot plant, using a similar AMP/PZ blend, resulting in 5% AARD. Next, a sensitivity analysis optimizes operating conditions, including solvent rate, absorber/stripper packing heights, and stripper pressure, based on regeneration energy impact. Optimized results, compared to MEA, reveal that AMP/PZ reduces the energy consumption from 3.61 to 2.86 GJ/tCO2. The retrofitting of the capture unit onto the selected CHP plant is examined through the development of a dedicated model. Two control strategies are compared to address energy unavailability for supplying the capture unit. The analysis spans 4 months, selected to account for seasonal variations. At nominal capacity, CO2 emissions, rendered negative by biomass combustion and CO2 capture, reach a maximum of −3.4 tCO2/h compared to 0.36 tCO2/h before retrofitting. Depending on the control strategy and CHP plant operating point, the Specific Primary Energy Consumption for CO2 Avoided (SPECCA) ranges from 4.91 MJ/kgCO2 to 1.76 MJ/kgCO2. Finally, an economic comparison based on systematic methodology reveals a 7.87% reduction in capture cost favoring the AMP/PZ blend. Together, these findings highlight AMP/PZ as a highly favorable alternative solvent.

Hydrogen, a green energy carrier, is one of the most promising energy sources. However, it is currently mainly produced from depleting fossil fuels with high carbon emissions, which has serious negative effects on the economy and environment. To address this issue, sustainable hydrogen production from bio-energy with carbon capture and storage (HyBECCS) is an ideal technology to reduce global carbon emissions while meeting energy demand. This review presents an overview of the latest progress in alkaline thermal treatment (ATT) of biomass for hydrogen production with carbon storage, especially focusing on the technical characteristics and related challenges from an industrial application perspective. Additionally, the roles of alkali and catalyst in the ATT process are critically discussed, and several aspects that have great influences on the ATT process, such as biomass types, reaction parameters, and reactors, are expounded. Finally, the potential solutions to the general challenges and obstacles to the future industrial-scale application of ATT of biomass for hydrogen production are proposed.

Over the last 20 years, IPPC reports have made it clear that the world must move beyond simply reducing the amount of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere to actively removing it from the skies. (Solar and wind can reduce carbon emissions, but they do not remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere). New BioEnergy Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) technologies have been emerging that can remove carbon dioxide emissions from the atmosphere and sequester them permanently underground. Indeed, many long-term scenarios for transitioning from today's fossil fuel-dependent society to a future net zero society hinge on BECCS. But a key question is what bioenergy feedstock to use. In some cases, powering these facilities by burning biomass that comes from plantations in the US South is an option. Consequently, the study of the origins, production, and use of the fuel consumed by the world's largest biomass-fired power plant in Drax, England, provides a useful case study of the potential advantages and disadvantages of the burning of biomass – wood pellets made from trees, bark, roots, stumps, millwaste, sawdust, and other woody vegetation – in place of fossil fuel to generate power for processes such as BECCS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Limiting global warming to 2 °C requires urgent action on land-based mitigation. This study evaluates the biogeochemical and biogeophysical implications of two alternative land-based mitigation scenarios that aim to achieve the same radiative forcing. One scenario is primarily driven by bioenergy expansion (SSP226Lu-BIOCROP), while the other involves re/afforestation (SSP126Lu-REFOREST). We find that overall, SSP126Lu-REFOREST is a more efficient strategy for removing CO2 from the atmosphere by 2100, resulting in a net carbon sink of 242 ~ 483 PgC with smaller uncertainties compared to SSP226Lu-BIOCROP, which exhibits a wider range of -78 ~ 621 PgC. However, SSP126Lu-REFOREST leads to a relatively warmer planetary climate than SSP226Lu-BIOCROP, and this relative warming can be intensified in certain re/afforested regions where local climates are not favorable for tree growth. Despite the cooling effect on a global scale, SSP226Lu-BIOCROP reshuffles regional warming hotspots, amplifying summer temperatures in vulnerable tropical regions such as Central Africa and Southeast Asia. Our findings highlight the need for strategic land use planning to identify suitable regions for re/afforestation and bioenergy expansion, thereby improving the likelihood of achieving the intended climate mitigation outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An exemplary techno-economic and environmental assessment of carbon-negative hydrogen (H 2) production is carried out in this work. It is based on the so-called "dark photosynthesis" with carbon dioxide (CO 2) capture and geological storage. As a special feature of the assessment, the economic consequences due to the impact on the global climate are taken into account. The results indicate that the example project would be capable of generating negative GHG emissions under the assumptions made. The amount is estimated to be 17.72 kgCO 2 to be removed from the atmosphere per kilogram of H 2 produced. The levelized costs of carbon-negative hydrogen are obtained, considering the economic impact of greenhouse gas emissions and removals. They are estimated to be 0.013 EUR/kWhH 2. Compared to grey hydrogen from natural gas (0.12 EUR/kWhH 2) and green hydrogen from electrolysis using renewable electricity (0.18 EUR/kWhH 2), this shows a potential environmental-economic advantage of the considered example. Even without internalization of GHG impacts, an economic advantage of the project (0.12 EUR/kWhH 2) over green hydrogen (0.17 EUR/kWhH 2) is indicated. Compared to other NETs, the GHG removal efficiency is at the lower end of both BECCS and DACCS approaches. • A techno-economic and ecological assessment for an exemplary HyBECCS approach is conducted. • Effects resulting from the greenhouse gas (GHG) balance are considered in the assessment. • Compared to other negative emission technologies, the approach shows high GHG removal efficiency. • Compared to other hydrogen production processes, it shows environmental-economic advantages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IntroductionTo achieve net-zero targets, it is essential to evaluate and model the costs and scalability of emerging carbon dioxide removal technologies like direct air capture with CO2 storage (DACCS) and bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS). Yet such efforts are often impeded by varying assessments of the climate impact and potential contributions of these technologies. This study explores the future costs and scalability of DACCS and BECCS to advance net-zero goals.MethodsWe analyze expert opinions on these technologies’ potential costs and deployment scales for 2030, 2040, and 2050. Data was collected from 34 experts, comprising 21 DACCS and 13 BECCS specialists. They provided 90% confidence interval estimates and ‘best estimates’ for future costs and deployment under two International Energy Agency (IEA) policy scenarios—Stated Policies (STEPS) and Net Zero Emissions by 2050 (NZE).ResultsWe find that BECCS costs start at a lower level but decrease more slowly, whereas DACCS costs decline more steeply from a higher initial cost. However, DACCS estimates varied significantly among experts, showing no convergence over time. Regarding potential scalability, both technologies are associated with substantially higher deployment under the NZE scenario. Yet the combined estimated capacity of DACCS and BECCS by 2050 is only about a quarter of the CO2 removals projected by the IEA for its NZE scenario (1.9 GtCO2).DiscussionThis study provides valuable insights into the future of DACCS and BECCS technologies in Europe, especially since our experts expect that DACCS and BECCS costs will be even higher (and deployment scales lower) than those predicted by recent IEA tracking, opening future research directions.

Abstract Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) plays a vital role in most climate change mitigation scenarios, where a solution for sustainable near‐term bioenergy expansion is to grow energy crops such as perennial grasses on recently abandoned cropland. There is a need to combine model‐based insights into theoretical potential and future biomass supply with more fine‐grained sociotechnical analysis to move toward realistic policies and innovation strategies. We combine natural science insights anchored in quantitative bioenergy modeling with qualitative social science anchored in the multi‐level perspective. Using these mixed methods enables a global‐to‐local‐to‐global level assessment of near‐term bioenergy recultivation opportunities for abandoned cropland. Norway is the local case. There are three main findings. First, the ongoing recultivation trends for food/feed production risks making gains in aboveground carbon stocks from natural regrowth on the mapped abandoned cropland over a 30‐year evaluation period almost negligible. Second, delaying a BECCS recultivation of abandoned cropland will make it impossible to reach high‐end mitigation potentials, and an accelerated BECCS recultivation guided by a policy push is needed to ensure stronger mitigation. Third, we unravel several real‐world challenges associated with bioenergy resource and supply modeling. Remote‐sensing techniques alone cannot capture actual land availability for land‐based climate change mitigation strategies. Local‐level sociotechnical conditions are generally found insufficiently supportive to align with the rapid near‐term bioenergy crop expansion found in 2°C scenarios from integrated assessment. The integration of mixed quantitative and qualitative methods is key to better understand the role of BECCS in climate change mitigation.

Bioenergy with carbon capture and sequestration (BECCS) is critical for stringent climate change mitigation but is commercially and technologically immature and resource intensive. State and federal fuel and climate policies can drive first markets for BECCS in California. We develop a spatially explicit optimization model to assess niche markets for renewable natural gas (RNG) production with carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) from waste biomass in California. Existing biomass residues produce biogas and RNG and enable low-cost CCS through the upgrading process and CO2 truck transport. Under current state and federal policy incentives, RNG-CCS can avoid 12.4 mmtCO2e/year (3% of California's 2018 CO2 emissions), of which 2.9 mmtCO2/year are captured and sequestered. It simultaneously produces 93 PJ RNG/year (4% of California's 2018 natural gas demand) with a profit maximizing objective, resulting in profits of $11/GJ. Distributed RNG production with CCS can potentially catalyze markets and technologies for CO2 capture, transport, and storage in California.

Bio-energy systems with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) will be essential if countries are to meet the gas emission reduction targets established in the 2015 Paris Agreement. This study seeks to carry out a thermodynamic optimization and analysis of a BECCS technology for a typical Brazilian cogeneration plant. To maximize generated net electrical energy (MWe) and carbon dioxide CO2 capture (Mt/year), this study evaluated six cogeneration systems integrated with a chemical absorption process using MEA. A key performance indicator (gCO2/kWh) was also evaluated. The set of optimal solutions shows that the single regenerator configuration (REG1) resulted in more CO2 capture (51.9% of all CO2 emissions generated by the plant), penalized by 14.9% in the electrical plant’s efficiency. On the other hand, the reheated configuration with three regenerators (Reheat3) was less power-penalized (7.41%) but had a lower CO2 capture rate (36.3%). Results showed that if the CO2 capture rates would be higher than 51.9%, the cogeneration system would reach a higher specific emission (gCO2/kWh) than the cogeneration base plant without a carbon capture system, which implies that low capture rates (

Bioenergy has been identified as a key contributor to future energy scenarios consistent with the Paris Agreement targets, and is relied upon in scenarios both with and without bioenergy with carbon capture and storage, owing to the multiple ways in which bioenergy can substitute fossil fuels. Understanding the environmental and societal impacts of land-use change (LUC) to bioenergy crops is important in determining where and how they could be deployed, and the resulting trade-offs and co-benefits. We use systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the existing literature on two poorly understood impacts of this LUC that are likely to have an important effect on public acceptability: cultural ecosystem services and biodiversity. We focus on the impact of LUC to non-food bioenergy crops on agricultural landscapes, where large-scale bioenergy planting may be required. Our meta-analysis finds strong benefits for biodiversity overall (up 75% ± 13%), with particular benefits for bird abundance (+81% ± 32%), bird species richness (+100% ± 31%), arthropod abundance (+52% ± 36%), microbial biomass (+77% ± 24%), and plant species richness (+25% ± 22%), when land moves out of either arable crops or grassland to bioenergy production. Conversions from arable land to energy trees led to particularly strong benefits, providing an insight into how future LUC to non-food bioenergy crops could support biodiversity. There were inadequate data to complete a meta-analysis on the effects of non-food bioenergy crops on cultural ecosystem services, and few generalizable conclusions from a systematic review of the literature, however, findings highlight the importance of landscape context and planting strategies in determining impact. Our findings demonstrate improved farm-scale biodiversity on agricultural land with non-food bioenergy crops, but also limited knowledge concerning public response to this LUC, which could prove crucial to the successful expansion of bioenergy to meet the Paris targets.

As a rapidly evolving technology, carbon capture and storage (CCS) can potentially lower the levels of greenhouse gas emissions from the oil and gas industry. This paper provides a comprehensive review of different aspects of CCS technology, including its key components, the methods and stages of carbon storage, implied environmental effects, and its pros and cons. This paper also investigates the utilization of CCS as an alternative method to water injection into oil reservoirs. It also probes the technical and operational challenges of implementing CCS technology in the oil and gas industry. Additionally, this paper examines the regulatory and policy issues associated with CCS, including incentives and frameworks for promoting the deployment of CCS technology. Finally, in this paper the potential benefits of CCS are discussed, including reducing the carbon footprint of the oil and gas industry, enhancing energy security, and supporting the transition to a low-carbon economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Demand for sustainably produced biomass is expected to increase with the need to provide renewable commodities, improve resource security and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in line with COP26 commitments. Studies have demonstrated additional environmental benefits of using perennial biomass crops (PBCs), when produced appropriately, as a feedstock for the growing bioeconomy, including utilisation for bioenergy (with or without carbon capture and storage). PBCs can potentially contribute to Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) (2023–27) objectives provided they are carefully integrated into farming systems and landscapes. Despite significant research and development (R&D) investment over decades in herbaceous and coppiced woody PBCs, deployment has largely stagnated due to social, economic and policy uncertainties. This paper identifies the challenges in creating policies that are acceptable to all actors. Development will need to be informed by measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) of greenhouse gas emissions reductions and other environmental, economic and social metrics. It discusses interlinked issues that must be considered in the expansion of PBC production: (i) available land; (ii) yield potential; (iii) integration into farming systems; (iv) R&D requirements; (v) utilisation options; and (vi) market systems and the socio‐economic environment. It makes policy recommendations that would enable greater PBC deployment: (1) incentivise farmers and land managers through specific policy measures, including carbon pricing, to allocate their less productive and less profitable land for uses which deliver demonstrable greenhouse gas reductions; (2) enable greenhouse gas mitigation markets to develop and offer secure contracts for commercial developers of verifiable low‐carbon bioenergy and bioproducts; (3) support innovation in biomass utilisation value chains; and (4) continue long‐term, strategic R&D and education for positive environmental, economic and social sustainability impacts.

The paper presents a thermodynamic analysis of the integration of a cryogenic air separation unit into a negative CO2 emission gas power plant. The power cycle utilizes sewage sludge as fuel so this system fits into the innovative idea of bioenergy with carbon capture and storage. A cryogenic air separation unit integrated with the power plant was simulated in professional plant engineering and thermodynamic process analysis software. Two cases of the thermodynamic cycle have been studied, namely with the exhaust bleed for fuel treatment and without it. The results of calculations indicate that the net efficiencies of the negative CO2 emission gas power plant reach 27.05% (combustion in 95.0% pure oxygen) and 24.57% (combustion in 99.5% pure oxygen) with the bleed. The efficiencies of the cycle without the bleed are 29.26% and 27.0% for combustion in 95.0% pure oxygen and 99.5% pure oxygen, respectively. For the mentioned cycle, the calculated energy penalty of oxygen production was 0.235 MWh/kgO2 for the lower purity value. However, for higher purity namely 99.5%, the energy penalty of oxygen production for the thermodynamic cycle including the bleed and excluding the bleed was indicated 0.346 and 0.347 MWh/kgO2, respectively. Additionally, the analysis of the oxygen purity impact on the carbon dioxide purity at the end of the carbon capture and storage installation shows that for the case with the bleed, CO2 purities are 93.8% and 97.6%, and excluding the bleed they are 93.8% and 97.8%, for the mentioned oxygen purities respectively. Insertion of the cryogenic oxygen production in-stallation is required as the considered gas power plant uses oxy-combustion to facilitate carbon capture and storage method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transition to a carbon-neutral economy requires innovative solutions that reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and promote sustainable energy production. Additionally, carbon dioxide removal technologies are urgently needed. The production of biomethane or biohydrogen with carbon dioxide capture and storage are two promising BECCS approaches to achieve these goals. In this study, we compare the advantages and disadvantages of these two approaches regarding their technical, economic, and environmental performance. Our analysis shows that while both approaches have the potential to reduce GHG emissions and increase energy security, the hydrogen-production approach has several advantages, including up to five times higher carbon dioxide removal potential. However, the hydrogen bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (HyBECCS) approach also faces some challenges, such as higher capital costs, the need for additional infrastructure, and lower energy efficiency. Our results give valuable insights into the trade-offs between these two approaches. They can inform decision-makers regarding the most suitable method for reducing GHG emissions and provide renewable energy in different settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Bioenergy with carbon dioxide removal (CDR) is increasingly proposed as an efficient way to mitigate climate change. This study examined the circumstances and methodological choices in which two CDR bioenergy systems were preferable to a reference bioenergy system from a climate change mitigation perspective. The CDR systems were also compared. Methods: Three systems were modelled: two CDR systems (Biochar, bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS)), with a combined heat and power (CHP) system as reference. A parameterised life cycle inventory (LCI) model was developed and computed for all systems and four different functional units (FUs), resulting in different distributions of climate impacts. Contribution analysis was performed, followed by pair-wise comparison of all scenarios to establish their ranking. First-order Sobol indices were computed to assess the contribution of each parameter to total variance. When ranking of scenarios was strongly dependent on parameter values, decision tree analysis was applied. Results and discussion: The CDR systems had a lower climate impact than CHP in most computations, across all FUs. On comparing the two CDR systems, the preferable system changed with FU. With heat or carbon sequestration as FU the Biochar system was preferable in general, while with electricity or biomass use as FU, the BECCS system had the lowest climate impact in most computations. For most system configurations, energy substitutions had a large influence and contributed most to the variance in results. The system ranking also depended on the reference activities in the background energy system. Conclusions: The Biochar and BECCS systems were generally preferable to the reference CHP system from a climate mitigation perspective, particularly when the reference energy systems had a relatively low climate impact. However, FU and parameters affected the system ranking. For comparing BECCS and biochar, case-specific climate impacts will be decisive, but not always conclusive, as the choice of FU has such large impact on the results. Recommendations: When conducting LCA of multi-functional systems, the use of several FUs, parameterised LCI, and contribution analysis allows for deeper investigation than conventional sensitivity analyses. When analysing the climate impact of bioenergy with or without carbon removal, it is especially important to perform sensitivity analysis on the energy background system, since it strongly affects the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The decarbonization of energy matrices is crucial to limit global warming below 2 °C this century. An alternative capable of enabling zero or even negative CO2 emissions is bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS). In this sense, the Brazilian sugar–energy sector draws attention, as it would be possible to combine the production of fuel and electricity from renewable biomass. This paper is the final part of a study that aimed to research carbon capture and storage (CCS) in energy systems based on sugarcane. The case studied is CCS in thermal power plants considering two different technologies: the steam cycle based on the condensing–extraction steam turbine (CEST) and the combined cycle integrated to biomass gasification (BIG-CC). The results for the thermal power plant indicate that the CO2 capture costs may be lower than those in cogeneration systems, which were previously studied. The main reasons are the potential scale effects and the minimization of energy penalties associated with integrating the CCS system into the mills. In the best cases, capture costs can be reduced to EUR 54–65 per ton of CO2 for the CEST technology and EUR 57–68 per ton of CO2 for the BIG-CC technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) features heavily in the energy scenarios designed to meet the Paris Agreement targets, but the models used to generate these scenarios do not address environmental and social implications of BECCS at the regional scale. We integrate ecosystem service values into a land-use optimization tool to determine the favourability of six potential UK locations for a 500 MW BECCS power plant operating on local biomass resources. Annually, each BECCS plant requires 2.33 Mt of biomass and generates 2.99 Mt CO2 of negative emissions and 3.72 TWh of electricity. We make three important discoveries: (a) the impacts of BECCS on ecosystem services are spatially discrete, with the most favourable locations for UK BECCS identified at Drax and Easington, where net annual welfare values (from the basket of ecosystems services quantified) of £39 and £25 million were generated, respectively, with notably lower annual welfare values at Barrow (−£6 million) and Thames (£2 million); (b) larger BECCS deployment beyond 500 MW reduces net social welfare values, with a 1 GW BECCS plant at Drax generating a net annual welfare value of £19 million (a 50% decline compared with the 500 MW deployment), and a welfare loss at all other sites; (c) BECCS can be deployed to generate net welfare gains, but trade-offs and co-benefits between ecosystem services are highly site and context specific, and these landscape-scale, site-specific impacts should be central to future BECCS policy developments. For the United Kingdom, meeting the Paris Agreement targets through reliance on BECCS requires over 1 GW at each of the six locations considered here and is likely, therefore, to result in a significant welfare loss. This implies that an increased number of smaller BECCS deployments will be needed to ensure a win–win for energy, negative emissions and ecosystem services.

Abstract Bioenergy could play a major role in decarbonizing energy systems in the context of the Paris Agreement. Large‐scale bioenergy deployment could be related to sustainability issues and requires major infrastructure investments. It, therefore, needs to be studied carefully. The Bioenergy and Land Optimization Spatially Explicit Model (BLOEM) presented here allows for assessing different bioenergy pathways while encompassing various dimensions that influence their optimal deployment. In this study, BLOEM was applied to the Brazilian context by coupling it with the Brazilian Land Use and Energy Systems (BLUES) model. This allowed investigating the most cost‐effective ways of attending future bioenergy supply projections and studying the role of recovered degraded pasture lands in improving land availability in a sustainable and competitive manner. The results show optimizing for limiting deforestation and minimizing logistics costs results in different outcomes. It also indicates that recovering degraded pasture lands is attractive from both logistics and climate perspectives. The systemic approach of BLOEM provides spatial results, highlighting the trade‐offs between crop allocation, land use and the logistics dynamics between production, conversion, and demand, providing valuable insights for regional and national climate policy design. This makes it a useful tool for mapping sustainable bioenergy value chain pathways.

Abstract To achieve net zero greenhouse gas emission by 2050 as set out by the 2019 amendment to the 2008 UK Climate Change Act, a major shift towards renewable energy is needed. This includes the development of new methods along with improving and upscaling existing technologies. One example of new methods in bioenergy is developing new Miscanthus cultivars for electricity generation via thermal power station furnaces. Miscanthus is still relatively new compared with other agriculture practices, so market assessments and improvements are needed to reduce the barriers to entry for prospective growers. This publication provides a profile of UK Miscanthus growers and their businesses, their experiences of benefits and drawbacks of the crop, and what they see as potential barriers to entry for prospective farmers. A survey of current Miscanthus growers in England and Wales was conducted and indicated that most farmers were content with the crop and that its environmental and economic benefits were noted. However, it was evident that with a geographically limited UK market, growers wanted to see a better distribution of biomass processing stations to reduce the ongoing costs of transport. With growing demand for renewables, including bio‐energy sources, it was determined important to provide information and support for stable farming operations and to incentivise the adoption of Miscanthus. Such incentives include ongoing development of new cultivars, focussing on traits such as production potential and stressor resilience, and growers indicated preference for an annual planting grant. These developments are predicted to further improve the crop's profit margin, making it a more cost‐effective crop for farmers. Sensitively managed Miscanthus also has the potential to contribute to carbon sequestration, soil health, and aspects of farmland biodiversity. Incentivising such management in government land–based environmental schemes would offer additional income streams and help to promote environmental positive crop planting.

Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) technologies are fundamental to reach negative CO2 emissions by removing it from the atmosphere and storing it underground. A promising solution to implement BECCS is pressurized Chemical Looping Combustion (CLC), which involves coupling a pressurized CLC reactor system to a turboexpander. The typical configuration chosen is to have an air reactor and a fuel reactor based on coupled circulating fluidized beds. The fluidization regime in both reactors is preferred to be fast fluidization to enhance gas particle contact and solids circulation among reactors. To design the two reactors, Aspen Plus software was used, given that the new version has a module for fluidized bed modeling. At first, the oxygen carrier was designed ex novo, but given that it is a composite compound mainly made by nickel oxide freeze-granulated on alumina (Ni40Al-FG), the molecular structure has been inserted in Aspen Plus. Then, based on the power of the gas turbine, the power output per kg of evolving fluid (in this case, depleted air) is calculated using Aspen Plus. Once the nitrogen content in the depleted air is known, the total air at the inlet of the air reactor is calculated. The fuel reactor is modeled by inserting the reduction reactions for nickel-based oxygen carriers. The paper presents a useful methodology for developing pressurized Chemical Looping Combustors to be coupled to gas turbines for power generation. The provided data will be cross-validated with 0D-models and experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Demand for sustainably produced biomass is expected to increase with the need to provide renewable commodities, improve resource security and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in line with COP26 commitments. Studies have demonstrated additional environmental benefits of using perennial biomass crops (PBCs), when produced appropriately, as a feedstock for the growing bioeconomy, including utilisation for bioenergy (with or without carbon capture and storage). PBCs can potentially contribute to Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) (2023–27) objectives provided they are carefully integrated into farming systems and landscapes. Despite significant research and development (R&D) investment over decades in herbaceous and coppiced woody PBCs, deployment has largely stagnated due to social, economic and policy uncertainties. This paper identifies the challenges in creating policies that are acceptable to all actors. Development will need to be informed by measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) of greenhouse gas emissions reductions and other environmental, economic and social metrics. It discusses interlinked issues that must be considered in the expansion of PBC production: (i) available land; (ii) yield potential; (iii) integration into farming systems; (iv) R&D requirements; (v) utilisation options; and (vi) market systems and the socio‐economic environment. It makes policy recommendations that would enable greater PBC deployment: (1) incentivise farmers and land managers through specific policy measures, including carbon pricing, to allocate their less productive and less profitable land for uses which deliver demonstrable greenhouse gas reductions; (2) enable greenhouse gas mitigation markets to develop and offer secure contracts for commercial developers of verifiable low‐carbon bioenergy and bioproducts; (3) support innovation in biomass utilisation value chains; and (4) continue long‐term, strategic R&D and education for positive environmental, economic and social sustainability impacts. Perennial biomass crops (PBCs) can potentially contribute to Common Agricultural Policy (2023–27) objectives provided they are carefully integrated into farming systems and landscapes. Despite significant research and development (R&D) investment over decades in herbaceous and coppiced woody PBCs, deployment has largely stagnated due to social, economic and policy uncertainties. This paper identifies the challenges in creating policies that are acceptable to all actors and discusses the interlinked issues: (i) available land; (ii) yield potential; (iii) integration into farming systems; (iv) R&D requirements; (v) utilisation options; and (vi) market systems and the socio‐economic environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An intense global research effort on carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies is generating a rapidly expanding scientific literature. These contributions stem from various disciplines and investigate various CDR concepts and their potential implications. This study conducts an updated analysis of the international research effort on CDR from 2012 to 2023, examining 7893 publications using bibliometric techniques. We focus on the geographic distribution of technology-specific research and the funding driving this research. Significant publication growth is observed post-2015, particularly after 2018 and in 2023, driven primarily by the EU, China, and the US. Notably, biochar, afforestation/reforestation, and soil carbon sequestration are among the most researched CDR options, with direct air carbon capture and storage, bioenergy carbon capture and storage, and blue carbon also receiving substantial attention, especially in 2023. Analysis of scientific funding patterns aligns with these trends. Based on these findings, the study proposes a knowledge roadmap to elucidate emerging trends in CDR literature, offering insights for future research and policy development.

Carbon dioxide removal (CDR) is the essential ‘net’ in net zero. However, a thriving CDR industry will not come into being without government intervention. As governments start to devise CDR support policies, this paper solicits the views of market participants in two of the most prominent CDR methods: bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) and direct air carbon capture and storage (DACCS). We survey 47 BECCS and DACCS project developers and financiers active in Europe, conducting in-depth interviews with 27 of them to identify their key challenges and preferred policy interventions to address them. We find that participants prefer compliance markets, such as links to emissions trading systems, to generate demand but seek government support to cushion early market risks. They acknowledge the need for stringent monitoring and regulation to ensure environmental integrity. Bearing industry expectations in mind, policymakers face five key challenges in developing CDR: reaching scale, striking a balance with emissions cuts, safeguarding integrity, ensuring fairness and accelerating the speed of deployment.

As the remaining carbon budget for limiting warming to 1.5 °C rapidly diminishes, it is clear that, besides decarbonization, the world will need to remove 100–1000 GtCO _2 from the atmosphere by the end of the century. Yet, Africa, where many carbon removal schemes are planned, remains a ‘blindspot’ in existing studies. There is limited understanding of the trade-offs and synergies associated with carbon removal within Africa’s energy-land-water system. To address this research gap, we model a stylized net-zero emissions (NZEs) in Africa by 2050, with focus on three land-based biological carbon removal approaches: afforestation/reforestation (AR), bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), and biochar. We find that by 2050, the total gross carbon removal is projected to reach 1.2 GtCO _2 yr ^−1 when all three carbon removal approaches are available, and 0.5 GtCO _2 yr ^−1 when Africa relies solely on AR. Pursuing NZE with only AR or AR alongside biochar in Africa would be the most expensive mitigation option but they lead to the lowest residual fossil fuel and industry CO _2 emissions. An NZE by 2050 in Africa could reduce cropland by 30%–40% from 2020 to 2050, depending on the carbon dioxide removal deployment strategy adopted. Southern Africa would be particularly affected, facing significant challenges in balancing food security with climate goals. The highest increase in staple food prices will occur under AR only, while the availability of AR-BECCS-biochar produces the lowest rise in staple food prices. Our findings highlight the need for balanced and region-specific carbon dioxide removal strategies to ensure climate and other sustainability goals are met.

Anaerobic digestion is a bioenergy technology that can play a vital role in achieving net-zero emissions by converting organic matter into biomethane and biogenic carbon dioxide. By implementing bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), carbon dioxide can be separated from biomethane, captured, and permanently stored, thus generating carbon dioxide removal (CDR) to offset hard-to-abate emissions. Here, we quantify the global availability of waste biomass for BECCS and their CDR and biomethane technical potentials. These biomass feedstocks do not create additional impacts on land, water, and biodiversity and can allow a more sustainable development of BECCS while still preserving soil fertility. We find that up to 1.5 Gt CO _2 per year, or 3% of global GHG emissions, are available to be deployed for CDR worldwide. The conversion of waste biomass can generate up to 10 700 TWh of bioenergy per year, equivalent to 10% of global final energy consumption and 27% of global natural gas supply. Our assessment quantifies the climate mitigation potential of waste biomass and its capacity to contribute to negative emissions without relying on extensive biomass plantations.

BECCS (bioenergy with carbon capture and storage) is an important technology to achieve international and Brazilian climatic goals, notably because it provides negative emissions. In addition, Brazil presents favorable conditions for the development of BECCS, given the country's mature biofuel industry. Therefore, this research aims to provide a systematic literature review of the effective potential of and barriers to implementing bioenergy with carbon capture and storage in Brazil. The platforms chosen for this study are Science Direct and Integrated Search Portal, which is a search portal administered by the University of São Paulo. The search initially identified 667 articles, of which 24 were analyzed after selection and screening. The results show that technical factors are not a current barrier to the implementation of BECCS in Brazil, especially in ethanol production. However, the economic results vary among articles, but no BECCS plant has been shown to be economically feasible without enhanced oil recovery. In addition, the concentrations of most ethanol distilleries in the southeast region of Brazil point to them as long-hanging fruit for the country. Nevertheless, due to limitations in CO2 transportation, the costs of implementing BECCS increase significantly as CO2 capture is expanded away from the southeast region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioenergy could play a major role in decarbonizing energy systems in the context of the Paris Agreement. Large‐scale bioenergy deployment could be related to sustainability issues and requires major infrastructure investments. It, therefore, needs to be studied carefully. The Bioenergy and Land Optimization Spatially Explicit Model (BLOEM) presented here allows for assessing different bioenergy pathways while encompassing various dimensions that influence their optimal deployment. In this study, BLOEM was applied to the Brazilian context by coupling it with the Brazilian Land Use and Energy Systems (BLUES) model. This allowed investigating the most cost‐effective ways of attending future bioenergy supply projections and studying the role of recovered degraded pasture lands in improving land availability in a sustainable and competitive manner. The results show optimizing for limiting deforestation and minimizing logistics costs results in different outcomes. It also indicates that recovering degraded pasture lands is attractive from both logistics and climate perspectives. The systemic approach of BLOEM provides spatial results, highlighting the trade‐offs between crop allocation, land use and the logistics dynamics between production, conversion, and demand, providing valuable insights for regional and national climate policy design. This makes it a useful tool for mapping sustainable bioenergy value chain pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pulp and paper industry (PPI) has several opportunities to contribute to meeting prevailing climate targets. It can cut its own CO2 emissions, which currently account for 2% of global industrial fossil CO2 emissions, and it has an opportunity to produce renewable energy, fuels, and materials for other sectors. The purpose of this study is to improve understanding of the decarbonization prospects of the PPI. The study provides insights on the magnitude of needed annual renewal rates for several possible net-zero target years of industrial fossil CO2 emissions in the PPI and discusses decarbonization opportunities, namely, energy and material efficiency improvement, fuel switching, electrification, renewable energy production, carbon capture, and new products. The effects of climate policies on the decarbonization opportunities are critically evaluated to provide an overview of the current and future business environment of the European PPI. The focus is on Europe, but other regions are analyzed briefly to widen the view. The analysis shows that there are no major technical barriers to the fossil-free operation of the PPI, but the sector renovates slowly, and many new opportunities are not implemented on a large scale due to immature technology, poor economic feasibility, or unclear political environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The roles digital media-technologies play in raising public issues relating to emerging technologies and their potential for engaging publics with science and policy assessments is a lively field of inquiry in Science and Technology Studies (STS). This paper presents an analysis of controversies over proposals for the large-scale removal of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CDR). The study combines a digital method (web-querying) with document analysis to map debates about two CDR approaches: bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) and afforestation. In the first step, we locate actors using the web to engage with BECCS and afforestation and map their alignments in relation to competing framings of CDR. In a second step, we examine the devices deployed by UK-based actors to evidence and contest the feasibility of BECCS and afforestation. Our analysis shows that policy distinctions between "natural" and "engineered" CDR are used flexibly in practice and do not map neatly onto actor engagement with BECCS and afforestation. We highlight the predominance of cross-cutting techno-economic expertise and argue that framings of CDR as a solution to governing climate change may contribute to public disengagement from climate policy processes. The paper reflects on methods for studying controversies, publics, and issues emerging around processes of technoscientific assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Negative emissions technologies (NETs) approaches are an essential part of virtually any scenario in which global warming is limited to 1.5 °C in accordance with the Paris Agreement. Discussions often focus on two technologies due to their substantial carbon dioxide (CO2) sequestration potential: bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) and direct air carbon capture and storage (DACCS). However, the large-scale deployment of both technologies—especially BECCS—may lead to significant human rights infringements. This paper aims to analyze the impact of both technologies on human rights from the methodological perspective of a legal interpretation of international law. It shows that a large-scale BECCS strategy, which inevitably requires enormous land-use changes, will most likely infringe upon the right to food, the right to water, and the right to a healthy environment. In contrast, large-scale DACCS approaches will likely have a smaller human rights impact, but the energy-intensive process could also infringe upon the right to energy. Balancing these human rights with other freedom rights, e.g., of consumers and enterprises, the paper will further demonstrate that from the perspective of human rights, rapid emission reductions and the minimization of livestock farming—and also less risky nature-based options such as peatland and forest management—should prevail before any large-scale industrial NET strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) based on purpose‐grown lignocellulosic crops can provide negative CO2 emissions to mitigate climate change, but its land requirements present a threat to biodiversity. Here, we analyse the implications of crop‐based BECCS for global terrestrial vertebrate species richness, considering both the land‐use change (LUC) required for BECCS and the climate change prevented by BECCS. LUC impacts are determined using global‐equivalent, species–area relationship‐based loss factors. We find that sequestering 0.5–5 Gtonne of CO2 per year with lignocellulosic crop‐based BECCS would require hundreds of Mha of land, and commit tens of terrestrial vertebrate species to extinction. Species loss per unit of negative emissions decreases with: (i) longer lifetimes of BECCS systems, (ii) less overall deployment of crop‐based BECCS and (iii) optimal land allocation, that is prioritizing locations with the lowest species loss per negative emission potential, rather than minimizing overall land use or prioritizing locations with the lowest biodiversity. The consequences of prevented climate change for biodiversity are based on existing climate response relationships. Our tentative comparison shows that for crop‐based BECCS considered over 30 years, LUC impacts on vertebrate species richness may outweigh the positive effects of prevented climate change. Conversely, for BECCS considered over 80 years, the positive effects of climate change mitigation on biodiversity may outweigh the negative effects of LUC. However, both effects and their interaction are highly uncertain and require further understanding, along with the analysis of additional species groups and biodiversity metrics. We conclude that factoring in biodiversity means lignocellulosic crop‐based BECCS should be used early to achieve the required mitigation over longer time periods, on optimal biomass cultivation locations, and most importantly, as little as possible where conversion of natural land is involved, looking instead to sustainably grown or residual biomass‐based feedstocks and alternative strategies for carbon dioxide removal.

• Marginal abatement cost curves for CO 2 capture from Swedish industrial and power plants. • Hybrid cost estimation method based on contingency factors and learning rates is applied. • With a first-of-a-kind contingency of 200 %, only 17 projects reach costs of <300 €/t. • Learning rates of 12 % can reduce costs to Nth-of-a-kind levels within 30 projects. • Carbon utilization occurs among early movers and might limit the potential for BECCS. The deployment of CO 2 capture technologies presents opportunities to store fossil fuel emissions from industries and power generation (CCS) and to enable carbon utilization (CCU). However, the costs for early CCS projects are high, and this is a challenge in terms of their economic viability, requiring a strong climate policy with high carbon prices for implementation. This work details a techno-economic assessment of the cost of carbon capture based on a hybrid method and individual project approach, using first-of-a-kind contingency factors and learning rates to study the evolution of carbon capture costs as installed capacity increases over time. The work is based on a case study of 147 Swedish industrial and combined heat and power plants (total of 176 stacks). The results are presented as marginal abatement cost curves, with consideration of early mover CCS projects and learning rates. Deployment scenarios are also presented that take into account an expected increase in the CO 2 price. The findings indicate that when accounting for first-of-a-kind contingencies (100 % and 200 % increases in Nth-of-a-kind costs), 90 and 17 projects, respectively, of the total 176 emission sources studied have specific CO 2 costs of <300 €/t. However, high learning rates (12 %) can reduce the capture costs from first-of-a-kind to Nth-of-a-kind levels within some 30 project installations (100 % contingency). With lower learning rates (3 %), the first-of-a-kind costs are reduced by 10 %–20 %. With the expected increase in CO 2 prices, a peak in carbon capture deployment is observed around Year 2035, at a carbon price of 200 €/t. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Bioenergy is considered an important component within the European Union (EU) energy transition to meet mid‐century climate targets. Model assessments that have highlighted the role of bioenergy in decarbonising EU energy systems fail to account for the fact that mitigation strategies and bioenergy supply take place within a global decarbonisation effort. Thus, they do not account for inter‐regional competition for the resource base that Europe may face. This study shows how bioenergy can contribute to EU climate targets, highlighting its possible role within the energy system and developments required to facilitate its scale‐up. We use the global integrated assessment model IMAGE 3.2 to project bioenergy demand, sectoral deployment, feedstock, and inter‐regional import for Europe to 2050. Employing a global model allows for projections of EU decarbonisation strategies consistent with global climate targets and captures the effects of biomass production and consumption in other world regions. Bioenergy is projected to account for up to 27% of total primary energy demand, increasing from the current 5EJ to 18EJ/yr. To match this demand, the model projects imports of biomass to increase from 4% of its current supply to 60%. Bioenergy could provide up to 1GtCO2 or 40% of the overall mitigation needed by the EU in 2050. This is based on large‐scale use for power production, with the transport, industry and buildings sectors getting smaller shares. By 2050 it is projected that 55% of total EU bioenergy use is coupled with Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS). Bioenergy supply comes primarily for agricultural and forestry residues, as these sources have low upstream greenhouse gas emissions. However, as demand increases, energy crops are increasingly used, especially in the provision of advanced liquid fuels. The results show that one route for achieving an EU energy transition is based on rapid deployment of BECCS and the mobilisation of sustainable imports of second‐generation feedstocks.