Ambiente
Modified grass offers possible solution to global CO² problem
Carbon-Alert plants so-called Juncao grass in Colombia . This plant, also called giant grass, comes from the African tropics and was modified in China . It grows very quickly under warm conditions, up to 5 metres in 2 months. More importantly, it absorbs an extreme amount of CO², as discovered by Chinese researcher Lei Xuejun, director of the Carbon Cycle Research Centre at the Central South University of Forestry & Technology in Hunan . Carbon-Alert wants to partially liquefy the plant and inject it under the groundwater. As a result, all the CO² the plant takes from the air disappears into the soil. This is an accelerated form of peat formation, as the Earth has purportedly been doing for 200 million years.
Carbon-Alert is kicking off its project with 4000 hectares of land in Colombia . There is an important reason for this: the giant grass requires night temperatures of at least 20 degrees. This represents a huge opportunity for innovation in tropical regions. Trees were to be planted on the site, which in the long run would store about 0.5 to 1 ton of root carbon in the soil. However, the giant grass absorbs about 200 to 300 times more CO², according to research by Lei Xuejun*. Moreover, the plant does not bear seeds and is therefore not invasive.
Carbon-Alert calculated that 1 million km² of grass offsets all CO² emissions worldwide**. 'An area the size of half of Europe ', explains initiator Jacobus van Merksteijn. 'A huge area, but also a natural alternative for all the solar panels, wind turbines and electric cars in the world. The process provides CO² storage, but it can also help fertilise desert areas, produce biomass, bioethanol and green plastic, and offset oil, coal and gas.'
The injected CO² is seen as so-called CO² SINK, which can be converted into Certificates. These can be purchased by companies to offset their emissions. The Netherlands currently sells about €1 billion worth of CO² certificates, without compensation. By converting the giant grass CO² storage in tropical areas into certificates, we are able to actually convert these amounts into valuable CO² reductions. This generates revenue for governments and opportunities for business.
Carbon-Alert was founded by entrepreneur Jacobus van Merksteijn and aims to effectively tackle the global climate problem by harnessing the power of nature. Albert van den Berg , director of the nano-institute MESA+ at the University of Twente , which is part of a consortium looking for solutions to the CO² problem, says: 'Van Merkstein's plan for negative-emission technology is worth studying. We have to check the calculations, but the plan is certainly an original idea. It could indeed be an option.'
Carbon-Alert works with partners such as the Swiss company aXedras and several investors including VerdorCapital. The entire process is carried out in accordance with internationally recognised standards such as UNFCCC-CDM, VCS and Gold Standard and is audited and verified by independent external organisations.
For presentations and images, please visit: www.carbon-alert.com
*Source: (source: http://www.china.org.cn/environment/2015-12/02/content_37212397.htm )
** Source calculation in presentation on https://carbon-alert.com/
Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1886002/Carbon_Alert_BV_Logo.jpg