Article
Version 2
Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed
Achieving Net Zero Carbon Dioxide by Sequestering Biomass Carbon
Version 1
: Received: 22 July 2020 / Approved: 24 July 2020 / Online: 24 July 2020 (10:22:32 CEST)
Version 2 : Received: 4 August 2020 / Approved: 5 August 2020 / Online: 5 August 2020 (08:54:39 CEST)
Version 3 : Received: 15 November 2020 / Approved: 17 November 2020 / Online: 17 November 2020 (11:41:48 CET)
Version 4 : Received: 14 January 2021 / Approved: 15 January 2021 / Online: 15 January 2021 (12:34:52 CET)
Version 2 : Received: 4 August 2020 / Approved: 5 August 2020 / Online: 5 August 2020 (08:54:39 CEST)
Version 3 : Received: 15 November 2020 / Approved: 17 November 2020 / Online: 17 November 2020 (11:41:48 CET)
Version 4 : Received: 14 January 2021 / Approved: 15 January 2021 / Online: 15 January 2021 (12:34:52 CET)
How to cite: Amelse, J. Achieving Net Zero Carbon Dioxide by Sequestering Biomass Carbon. Preprints 2020, 2020070576. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202007.0576.v2 Amelse, J. Achieving Net Zero Carbon Dioxide by Sequestering Biomass Carbon. Preprints 2020, 2020070576. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202007.0576.v2
Abstract
Mitigation of global warming requires an understanding of where energy is produced and consumed, the magnitude of carbon dioxide generation, and proper understanding of the Carbon Cycle. The latter leads to the distinction between and need for both CO2 and biomass CARBON sequestration. Short reviews are provided for prior technologies proposed for reducing CO2 emissions from fossil fuels or substituting renewable energy, focusing on their limitations. None offer a complete solution. Of these, CO2 sequestration is poised to have the largest impact. We know how to do it. It will just cost money, and scale-up is a huge challenge. Few projects have been brought forward to semi-commercial scale. Transportation accounts for only about 30% of U.S. overall energy demand. Biofuels penetration remains small, and thus, they contribute a trivial amount of overall CO2 reduction, even though 40% of U.S. corn and 30% of soybeans are devoted to their production. Bioethanol is traced through its Carbon Cycle and shown to be both energy inefficient, and an inefficient use of biomass carbon. Both biofuels and CO2 sequestration reduce FUTURE CO2 emissions from continued use of fossil fuels. They will not remove CO2 ALREADY in the atmosphere. The only way to do that is to break the Carbon Cycle by growing biomass from atmospheric CO2 and sequestering biomass CARBON. Theoretically, sequestration of only a fraction of the world’s tree leaves, which are renewed every year, can get the world to Net Zero CO2 without disturbing the underlying forests. Thoughts are put forth on how to achieve secure permanent biomass sequestration.
Keywords
carbon dioxide; global warming; sequestration; carbon cycle; biomass sequestration, carbon sequestration
Subject
Environmental and Earth Sciences, Environmental Science
Copyright: This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
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Commenter: Jeffrey Amelse
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