BR-102025016035-B1 - METHOD FOR PROVIDING A VALIDATED MEASURE OF THE AMOUNT OF CARBON DIOXIDE REMOVED FROM THE ATMOSPHERE BY A REAGENT APPLIED IN A FIELD

BR102025016035B1BR 102025016035 B1BR102025016035 B1BR 102025016035B1BR-102025016035-B1

Abstract

METHOD FOR PROVIDING A VALIDATED MEASURE OF THE AMOUNT OF CARBON DIOXIDE REMOVED FROM THE ATMOSPHERE BY A REAGENT APPLIED IN A FIELD. The present invention relates to a method for providing a validated measure (1) for the amount of carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere by a reagent (2) applied in a field (3), comprising the steps of setting up at least one reference experiment (4-7) of a first type of experiment (8-11), analyzing a respective field sample collected from at least one field sampling location (12) in the field (2) and/or performing at least one in situ measurement at the respective field sampling location (12) in order to determine a field test result (13) that depends on the amount of carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere by the reagent (2) at at least one field sampling location (12), analyzing at least one reference sample collected from the respective reference experiment (4-7) and/or performing at least one in situ measurement at the respective reference experiment (4-7) in order to determine a first reference test result (14) for the first type of experiment (8-11), evaluating a consistency condition (15), in which a compliance with the consistency condition (15) depends on the result of the field test (...).

Inventors

MATTHEW CLARKSON
PHILIPP SWOBODA
CHRISTINA LARKIN
JESSICA APARECIDA FERRAREZI
MAYRA MANIERO RODRIGUES
MARIANE CHIAPINI
NIKLAS KLUGER
Felix Harteneck

Assignees

INPLANET GMBH

Dates

Publication Date: 20260317
Application Date: 20250731
Priority Date: 20240802

Claims (13)

1. Method for providing a validated measure (1) for the amount of carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere by a reagent (2) applied in a field (3), characterized in that it comprises the steps of: - setting up at least one reference experiment (4-7) of a first type of experiment (8-11), - analyzing a respective field sample collected from at least one field sampling location (12) in the field (2) and/or performing at least one in situ measurement at the respective field sampling location (12) in order to determine a field test result (13) that depends on the amount of carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere by the reagent (2) at at least one field sampling location (12), - analyzing at least one reference sample collected from the respective reference experiment (4-7) and/or performing at least one in situ measurement at the respective reference experiment (4-7) in order to determine a first reference test result (14) for the first type of experiment (8-11), - evaluating a consistency condition (15), wherein compliance with the consistency condition (15) depends on the result of the field test (13) and the first result of the reference test (14), and to provide the validated measure (1) for the amount of carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere by the reagent (2) applied in the field (3), when the consistency condition (15) is satisfied, wherein the validated measure (1) depends on the result of the field test (13) and/or the first result of the reference test (14).
2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one respective additional reference experiment (4-7) is set up for at least one additional type of experiment (8-11), wherein at least one additional reference sample is collected from the respective additional reference experiment (4-7) and/or at least one additional measurement is performed in situ on the respective additional reference experiment (4-7) in order to determine a respective additional reference test result (21) for the respective additional type of experiment (4-7), wherein compliance with the consistency condition (15) additionally depends on the respective additional reference test result (21).
3. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that the respective type of additional experiment (4-7) differs from at least one field sampling location (12) and/or the first type of experiment (4-7) and/or the other type (4-7) or types of additional experiment (4-7) used by the presence or absence of at least one of the following differentiating characteristics: - the use of an artificial barrier (22) separating the soil (23) used in the respective reference experiment (4-7) from the soil (24) in the field (3), - the use of a controlled environment (25), in particular the use of purely artificial irrigation (26), in the respective reference experiment (4-7), and/or - the absence of vegetation (27) planted in the soil (23, 24) of the respective reference experiment (4-7).
4. Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized - in that the result of the field test (13) comprises or is based on a result of a first type of measurement (28-36), and - in which, on the one hand, the first result of the reference test (14) comprises or is based on a result of at least one second type of measurement (28-36) that is not used to determine the result of the field test (13) and/or - in which, on the other hand, the respective result of the additional reference test (21) comprises or is based on a result of at least one additional type of measurement (28-36) that is not used to determine the result of the field test (13) and/or that is not used to determine the first result of the reference test (14) and/or that is not used to determine any other of the additional results of the reference test (21).
5. Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first type of experiment (8-11) and/or the respective additional type of experiment (8-11) is chosen from a list comprising: - field monitoring station experiments (37) carried out in open natural soil (24) and under natural atmospheric conditions (41), - mesocosm experiments (38) carried out in a soil volume (23) within an artificial barrier (22) and under natural atmospheric conditions (41), - vessel experiments (39) carried out in a soil volume (23) within an artificial barrier (22) and in a controlled environment (25), in particular in a greenhouse (54) or laboratory, and/or - column experiments (40) using a soil column (23) surrounded by an artificial barrier (22) in a controlled environment (25), in particular in a greenhouse (54) or laboratory.
6. Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that compliance with the consistency condition (15) depends on the results of at least two or at least three or all of the following types of measurements (28-36): - at least one type of solids measurement (42) relating to the composition of the soil (24) at the field sampling site (12) and/or the soil (23, 24) used in the reference experiment (4-7) and/or the respective additional reference experiment (4-7), - at least one type of fluid measurement (43) relating to the composition of the soil water (46) at the field sampling site (12) and/or the reference experiment (4-7) and/or the respective additional reference experiment (4-7), - at least one type of gas measurement (44) relating to the composition of an exchange gas between the soil (23, 24) and the atmosphere at the field sampling site (12) and/or the reference experiment (4-7) and/or in the respective additional reference experiment (4-7), and at least one type of vegetation measurement (45) relating to the composition of the vegetation (27) growing in the soil (23, 24) at the field sampling site (12) and/or in the reference experiment (4-7) and/or in the respective additional reference experiment (4-7).
7. Method according to claim 6, characterized in that compliance with the consistency condition (15) depends on - a measurement of a quantity of reagent (2) within the soil (23, 24) as the solids measurement type (42), and/or - a measurement of a concentration of at least one cation and/or a quantity of dissolved inorganic carbon and/or a total alkalinity and/or a pH value and/or an electrical conductivity and/or a concentration of at least one anion as a respective fluid measurement type (43), and/or - a measurement of a CO2 concentration in the exchange gas as the gas measurement type (44), and/or - a measurement of a concentration of at least one cation as the vegetation measurement type (45).
8. Method according to claim 5 and 6 or 7, characterized by the fact that only a single type of measurement (28-36) is performed at at least one field sampling location (12) and the same type of measurement (28-36) is also performed in field monitoring station experiments (37), and/or wherein only a single type of measurement (28-36) is performed in field monitoring station experiments (37) and the same type of measurement (28-36) is performed at at least one field sampling location (12) and/or in mesocosm experiments (38), and/or wherein only a single type of measurement (28-36) is performed in mesocosm experiments (38) and the same type of measurement (28-36) is performed in field monitoring station experiments (37) and/or in vessel experiments (39), and/or wherein only a single type of measurement is performed (2836) in vessel experiments (39) and the same type of measurement (28-36) is performed in mesocosm experiments (38) and/or in column experiments (40), and/or - where only a single type of measurement (2836) is performed in column experiments (40) and the same type of measurement is performed in vessel experiments (39).
9. Method according to claim 8 or 5 and 6 or 7, characterized in that - on the one hand, a first measurement regime comprises only a single measurement type (28-36) of the solids measurement type (42) and a second measurement regime comprises at least one fluid measurement type (43), or - on the other hand, the first measurement regime comprises only a single measurement type (28-36) of the fluid measurement type (43) and the second measurement regime comprises at least one solids measurement type (42), wherein in both cases at least one of the following conditions applies: - the first measurement regime is used for at least one field sampling location (12) while the second measurement regime is used for field monitoring station experiments (37) and/or mesocosm experiments (38), - the first measurement regime is used for field monitoring station experiments (37) while the second measurement regime is used for at least one field sampling site (12) and/or for mesocosm experiments (38) and/or for vessel experiments (39),- the first measurement regime is used for mesocosm experiments (38) while the second measurement regime is used for at least one field sampling site (12) and/or for field monitoring station experiments (37) and/or for vessel experiments (39) and/or for column experiments (40),- the first measurement regime is used for vessel experiments (39) where the second measurement regime is used for field monitoring station experiments (37) and/or for mesocosm experiments (38) and/or for column experiments (40),- the first measurement regime is used for column experiments (40) where the second measurement regime is used for mesocosm experiments (38) and/or for vessel experiments (39).
10. Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that - a group of types of experiments - either comprises a type of field experiment (47) corresponding to the determination of the result of the field test (13) and the first type of experiment (8-11) - or comprises the type of field experiment (47) and the first type of experiment (8-11) and at least one additional type of experiment (8-11), - wherein a first type of experiment selected, chosen from the group of types of experiments, comprises a measurement of a concentration of at least one cation in the soil water (46) of the first type of experiment selected (28-36), and - wherein a second type of experiment selected, chosen from the group of types of experiments that is different from the first type of experiment, comprises a respective measurement of firstly a pH value and the concentration of at least one anion and an electrical conductivity and secondly an amount of dissolved inorganic carbon and/or a total alkalinity in the soil water of the second type of experiment selected.
11. Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the result of the field test (13) and/or the first result of the reference test (14) and/or the additional or at least one of the additional results of the reference test (21) comprises or is based on a concentration of at least one anion in soil water (46) collected from an open natural soil (24) under natural atmospheric conditions (41).
12. Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that - the field test result (13) comprises multiple partial field test results (48), wherein each of the partial field test results (48) relates to one of the respective field sampling locations (12), - wherein the first reference test result (14) comprises multiple first partial reference test results (49), wherein each first partial reference test result (50) relates to one of the respective reference experiments (4-7), - wherein the fulfillment of the consistency condition (15) depends on a statistical analysis of the partial field test results (48) and the first partial reference test results (49).
13. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a mathematical model that models at least one process that is part of the sequestration of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere using reagent (2) is used so as to determine at least one model result, wherein the respective model result corresponds to an expected value of at least one measurement result, wherein the respective measurement result forms or is part of the field test result (13) or the first reference test result (14) or the additional reference test result (21) or one of the additional reference test results (21), wherein compliance with the consistency condition (15) additionally depends on the respective model result.

Description

[001] The present invention relates to a method for providing a validated measure for the amount of carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere by a reagent applied in a field. [002] All pathways that limit the increase in global temperature to less than 2°C above pre-industrial temperatures are expected to require carbon dioxide removal (CDR) in addition to rapid reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, CDR strategies need to be rapidly scaled up over the next few decades in order to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement. [003] Terrestrial enhanced weathering is a promising candidate for economical and safe CDR. This approach involves accelerating natural weathering processes through the application of crushed rock feedstocks, typically Ca- and Mg-rich silicates, to soils. While models predict this has the potential to remove multiple gigatons of CO2 annually, monitoring and verifying carbon removal and storage remain challenging for this approach. [004] For enhanced weathering measurement and monitoring, it is necessary to balance the operational and scientific limitations of different approaches. There are different approaches to determining the amount of carbon removed from the atmosphere, essentially based on liquid or solid phase measurements. Solid phase approaches may prove more scalable, since, for example, it may be sufficient to sample the soil once a year, as such approaches provide a time-integrated CDR estimate. However, these approaches do not provide direct evidence of bicarbonate formation or export and may overestimate the amount of carbon dioxide removed, for example, in the presence of acids other than carbonic acid in the soil. [005] In contrast, liquid-phase measurements require more frequent sampling but provide direct evidence of bicarbonate formation and export. Furthermore, liquid measurements are a source of important secondary information, such as soil water pH value. This additional information allows for modeling of dissolved inorganic carbon speciation. However, some parameters of liquid measurements, for example, the amount of dissolved inorganic carbon and the pH value, can change due to CO2 degassing as soon as the liquid sample is extracted, when the liquid is not perfectly sealed within a closed space. Therefore, using liquid-phase measurements in the field can be challenging. [006] Several approaches to determining a measure for the amount of carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere by a reagent in enhanced weathering based on different sets of acquired parameters are discussed, for example, in the following publications: Clarkson, M. O. et al. A Review of Measurement for Quantification of Carbon Dioxide Removal by Enhanced Weathering in Soil. (2023) doi: https://doi.org/10.31223/X52D7T; Reershemius, T. et al. Initial Validation of a Soil-Based Mass-Balance Approach for Empirical Monitoring of Enhanced Rock Weathering Rates. Environ. Sci. Technol. (2023) doi: 10.1021/acs.est.3c03609; Larkin, C. S. et al. Quantification of CO2 removal in a large-scale enhanced weathering field trial on an oil palm plantation in Sabah, Malaysia. Front. Clim. 4, (2022);Vienne, A. et al. Enhanced Weathering Using Basalt Rock Powder: Carbon Sequestration, Co-benefits and Risks in a Mesocosm Study With Solanum tuberosum. Front. Climate. 4, (2022). [007] As enhanced weathering operations move to a larger scale and away from initial research and development, there is a need to provide a robust estimate of carbon dioxide removal based on a single approach or a reduced number of field samples, where the complexity of any actions required in the field must be kept to a minimum, such that the required measurements can be carried out and/or the necessary samples can be collected and sent by local personnel, for example, by a farmer working in the respective field. [008] Therefore, the invention is based on the problem of using only a single measurement or a limited number of measurements in the field, while still ensuring that the measurement determined for the amount of carbon dioxide removed is valid. [009] The problem is solved by a method for providing a validated measure of the amount of carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere by a reagent applied in a field, comprising the steps of: - setting up at least one reference experiment of a first type of experiment; - analyzing a respective field sample collected from at least one field sampling location in the field and/or performing at least one in situ measurement at the respective field sampling location in order to determine a field test result that depends on the amount of carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere by the reagent at at least one field sampling location; - analyzing at least one reference sample collected from the respective reference experiment and/or performing at least one in situ measurement at the respective reference experiment in order to determine a first reference test result for the first type of experimen