OA: Counting Carbon

How much has Earth's atmospheric CO2 concentration increased in the last 250 years?

at least 140 parts per million(ppm)

What were Earth's atmospheric CO2 concentration pre industrial levels?

280 ppm

What were Earth's atmospheric CO2 concentration in 2024?

424ppm

How do scientists examine ice core?

Extracting gas from tiny air bubbles that are trapped in the vast ice caps

Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Economic Sector:

Agriculture?

24%

Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Economic Sector:

Transportation

14%

Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Economic Sector:

Industry

21%

Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Economic Sector:

Electricity + heat production

25%

Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Economic Sector:

Buildings

6%

Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Economic Sector:

Other Energy

10%

Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Gas:

CO2 (fossil fuels)

65%

Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Gas:

Nitrous Oxide

6%

Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Gas:

Methane

16%

Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Gas:

CO2 (forestry + other land use)

11%

Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Gas:

F-gases

2%

Methane in atmosphere

• lower warming effect

• Pre industrial era: 720 ppb

• Present: 1940 ppb

• atmospheric concentration highest in last 800,000 years

What are sources for Methane?

1. Wetlands

2. rice agriculture

3. biomass burning

4. ruminant animals

a 2C increase in temp would cause how much of a % increase of methane?

19%

What is Carbon Capture and Sequestration?

CO₂ arising from combustion of fossil fuels is captured, transported, + finally safely stored in underground geological formation, or within marine environment

What is the process of CCS?

1. Capture

2. Transport

3. Safe storage

4. Continued monitoring

How much carbon can CCS store?

85-95% of CO2 emissions from power plant

CO2 avoided

difference between net emissions of a plant with + without CCS tech 

CO2 captured

amount of CO2 captured from a plant with CCS tech

What are the types of caron sequestration

1. Geosequestration

2. Marine Sequestration

3. Mineral sequestration

Geosequestration?

pumping CO2 deep underground for storage

Locations for Geosequestration

 

• Enhanced oil recovery EOR 

• Depleted oil/gas fields 

• Unusable coal seams 

• Saline aquifers (largest potential)

Marine sequestration?

pumping CO2 deep underground in ocean for storage

problems with marine sequestration?

• ocean acidification

• non-permanent storage

• negative effects on marine life

Mineral Sequestration?

pumping CO2 into minerals

→ increase rate of natural weathering process

how much does it cost for each tCO2 stored`?

several $100