Carbon Sequestration: Carbon Sequestration Carbon sequestration can be defined as the capture and secure storage of carbon that would otherwise be emitted to or remain in the atmosphere. What are Carbon Credits? Carbon credits encompass two ideas: (1) Prevention/reduction of carbon emissions produced by human activities from reaching the atmosphere by capturing and diverting them to secure storage. (2) Removal of carbon from the atmosphere by various means and securely storing it.


Greenhouse Gases: Greenhouse Gases Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Methane (CH4) Nitrous Oxide (N2O) Sulfur Hexafluoride (SF6) Perfluorocarbons (PFCs) Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) 6.9 billion metric tons CO2e total 545 million metric tons from CH4 ~40 million metric tons from manure management alone


Greenhouse Effect: Greenhouse Effect The “greenhouse effect” refers to the temperature regulation effect that certain atmospheric gases have on the earth. The temperature-regulating gases, called “greenhouse gases” or GHGs, form a blanket around the earth that traps some heat from the sun within the earth’s atmosphere, keeping the planet warm and habitable.


Carbon Storage: Carbon Storage Carbon is continuously cycled between land and sea, in inorganic and organic form. Most of the carbon stored in organic matter is nonliving, occurring either in soil humus or dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in seawater. The atmosphere, in addition to comprising a major carbon reservoir, plays a critical role as a medium for rapid global exchange of CO2 and other bioactive elements.


Modeling Carbon in the Soil: Modeling Carbon in the Soil


Loss of Soil Carbon: Loss of Soil Carbon Shifting Land Use Grass or trees to crops or development Cultivation Increased aeration Increased soil temperature Soil Erosion Carbon Transport Lower Productivity


SOIL CARBON DYNAMICS IN RESPONSE TO TILLAGE: SOIL CARBON DYNAMICS IN RESPONSE TO TILLAGE SOIL CARBON (% OF ORIGINIAL) IN RESPONSE TO CULTIVATION 1 50 SOIL CARBON 0 100 PLOWING PERENNIAL VEGETATION years CONSERVATION TILLAGE 50


Increasing Carbon Pools: Increasing Carbon Pools Soil Pool Increase organic matter inputs, roots, litter Reduce cultivation, aeration Improve crop yields Improve water management Improved carbon management in agricultural soils improves soil quality.


Value of Increasing SOM: Value of Increasing SOM Improves soil structure Decreases erosivity Increases infiltration Increases soil water holding capacity Increases cation exchange capacity Decreases the energy requirement for cultural operations


Soil Carbon Sequestration: Soil Carbon Sequestration Carbon sequestration rates, with a change from conventional tillage to no-till, can be expected to peak in 5-10 yr with SOC reaching a new equilibrium in 15-20 yr. Following initiation of an enhancement in rotation complexity, SOC may reach a new equilibrium in approximately 40-60 yr.


The Chicago Climate Exchange: The Chicago Climate Exchange


The Chicago Climate Exchange®: The Chicago Climate Exchange® The Chicago Climate Exchange® (CCX®) is a greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction and trading pilot program for emission sources and offset projects in the United States and for offset projects undertaken in Brazil and other countries. CCX® is a self-regulatory, rules-based exchange designed and governed by CCX® Members. These members made a voluntary, legally binding commitment to reduce their emissions of greenhouse gases by four percent below the average of their 1998-2001 baseline by 2006 and a six percent reduction by 2010.


Carbon Credit Program: Carbon Credit Program Greenhouse Gas Emission Reductions Carbon Credit Program Eligibility Assessment Protocol Development Monitoring Reporting Verification Registration Carbon Credits (certified, tradable, $$) Chicago Climate Exchange protocols Achieved via qualifying GHG emission reduction projects Sell on CCX through an aggregator


CCX Reduction Timetable: CCX Reduction Timetable 2003-2006: Reduce emissions to 1%, 2%, 3%, 4% below 1998-2001 baseline 2006 – 2010: Reduce emissions to 6% below 98-01 baseline


Meeting CCX Reductions: Meeting CCX Reductions Allowances (x% less than baseline) Own reductions Industry credits from excess reductions Offsets (no more than 50% of reduction requirement) Soil Offsets No-till New Grass Rangeland Forestry New Plantings Enhanced Working Forest Ag Methane Industrial Fuel Switching Biofuels Landfill Methane


Carbon Offset Prices2004 - 2006: Carbon Offset Prices 2004 - 2006


Price forecasts for US carbon credits: Price forecasts for US carbon credits Figure 1. Projected price curves for US carbon credits ($US per metric ton). Sources: Carbon Finance, August 2004; EIA/DOE 2004. Analysis of S. 1844, the Clear Skies Act of 2003; S. 843, the Clean Air Planning Act of 2003; and S. 366, the Clean Power Act of 2003. Energy Information Administration, USDOE, SR/OIAF/2004-05, May 2004; EIA/DOE 2005. Impacts of Modeled Recommendations of the National Commission on Energy Policy. Energy Information Administration, USDOE, SR/OIAF/2005-02, April 2005; AEP 2004. An assessment of AEP’s actions to mitigate the economic impacts of emissions policies. American Electric Power, August 31 2004


Slide21: HOW OUR LAND IS USED


Details of Eligible CCX Offset: Details of Eligible CCX Offset Soil Offsets No-till crop production New Grass Plantings


XSO Eligible Land: XSO Eligible Land Land must be in the eligible project area Land must be capable of being cropped Must be farmed with no-till or strip till practices Crop land can be in hay, but if row-cropped must be done in compliant manner Crop land that was recently converted to permanent grass (after Jan 1, 1999)


Exchange Soil Offsets (XSOs): Exchange Soil Offsets (XSOs) Commitment to 5 years of conservation tillage Annual certification of compliance Credits transferred to aggregator on Jan 1 20% reserve held until end of pilot project Transfer price will be the price as determined by sale through CCX less a 10% service fee.


Slide25: Documentation For CCX® Ag sector offsets Enrollment form information legal description of acreage, practice(s) employed FSA maps and crop report (CCC-578) lessees: reasonable expectation that acres are under control though 2010. Failure to keep land in compliance throughout the contract period voids all credits on the non-compliant land. Submit annual signed attestation to aggregator Acknowledge that CCX verifiers will be given access to fields and CCX documents


Definition of Conservation Tillage: Definition of Conservation Tillage For CCX purposes these practices are as defined in the Natural Resources Conservation Service National Handbook of Conservation Practices. No-till/Strip-till - Managing the amount, orientation, and distribution of crop and other plant residue on the surface year-round while growing crops in narrow slots or tilled or residue-free strips in soil previously untilled by full width inversion implements;


Tillage Equipment: Tillage Equipment Full width inversion Moldboard plow Chisel plow Field cultivator Tandem disk Offset disk Row crop cultivator Okay to use No-till/strip-till planter No-till drill Rolling harrow Tools with wide knives Subsoiler/ripper Anhydrous applicator Manure knife applicator General Guideline: After the implement has been through the field, there must still be a substantial amount of surface residue present and the soil disturbance must not be full width. If use of the implement would require that a leveling or smoothing activity follow, it would probably result in too much soil disturbance. No credits earned during year if residue is removed or burned


Soil Offset Credit Zones: Soil Offset Credit Zones


New Grass Plantings: New Grass Plantings Southwestern US: 0.4 ton; Rest of US: 1.0 ton Western Canada: 1.0 ton


Details of Eligible CCX Offset: Details of Eligible CCX Offset Rangeland


Rangeland Project Eligibility: Rangeland Project Eligibility Land meets CCX definition of Rangeland Rangeland is in a CCX-approved area Project involves rangeland management practices that include use of all of the following tools: Light or Moderate Stocking rates; Sustainable Livestock Distribution Drought mitigation


Rangeland Protocol: Rangeland Protocol The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Field Office Technical Guides publish guidelines for managing the controlled harvest of vegetation with grazing animals. Stocking rates and livestock distribution criteria are defined according to County and State in the NRCS “Prescribed Grazing Specification” code.


Rangeland Areas: Rangeland Areas


Details of Eligible CCX Offset: Details of Eligible CCX Offset Forestry Offsets (New Tree Plantings)


Forestry Offsets: Forestry Offsets Eligible Projects Planting and/or natural regeneration on private lands after Jan 1, 1990 on land not forested on Dec 31, 1989. Credits based on net annual increase in carbon stocks (CO2 equivalents) during 2003-2010. Long-term commitment Statement of Intent or 15 year CRP contract


Quantification & Verification: Quantification & Verification Small & medium forestry can used CCX tabled quantities. Large projects must use direct measurement Small projects: Desk-top audit Medium & large projects: On-site verification Offset verification costs are the responsibility of the offset project owners. Verification costs will be managed by the aggregator.


Contract Terms: Contract Terms XFOs through this contract shall be in compliance with the rules of the CCX at the time of credit registration and will abide by the rules for participation in the forestry carbon pool as set forth by this contract. In the event that the project fails to meet these requirements, all XFOs from such land shall be null and void.


Contract Terms: Contract Terms Transfer price of the XFOs is the sales price as determined by sale through the Chicago Climate Exchange less a 10% service fee retained by Iowa Farm Bureau. Contracts facilitated by an Associate Aggregator will be subject to an additional 10% service fee which will be paid to the Associate Aggregator. Exchange offset registration fees will be deducted from pool proceeds prior to payment calculations


Contract Terms: Contract Terms Payment for XFOs covered by this contract shall be made on a semi-annual basis after pricing of the XFOs through the Chicago Climate Exchange. Sale of XFOs covered by this contract shall be at the sole discretion of the Purchaser, however all XFOs shall be priced no later than June 30, 2011.


Project Size Classification: Project Size Classification Small forestation projects: less than 2,000 metric tons CO2 per year. Medium-sized forestation projects: more than 2,000 but less than 12,500 metric tons CO2 per year. Large forestation projects more than 12,500 metric tons CO2 per year.


Items to be submitted with Application: Items to be submitted with Application Forestry Offset Contract (XFO contract) Forestry Offset Enrollment Worksheet FSA, Forest Service or NRCS maps of enrolled areas Copies of supporting documents (i.e. Planting records, CRP contracts, Forestry management plan, etc. Supporting documents for direct measurement calculations (if applicable) Supporting documents for urban/suburban and riparian buffer plantings (if applicable)


Forestry Contract Worksheet: Forestry Contract Worksheet


Forestry Contract Worksheet : Forestry Contract Worksheet


CCX Credits Rates : CCX Credits Rates


CCX Credits Rates : CCX Credits Rates


CCX Credits Rates : CCX Credits Rates


CCX Credits Rates : CCX Credits Rates


CCX Credits Rates : CCX Credits Rates


CCX Credits Rates : CCX Credits Rates


Details of Eligible CCX Offset: Details of Eligible CCX Offset Ag Methane Offsets


Methane Offsets: Methane Offsets Ag Methane destruction projects that were put into place after Jan 1, 1999. Dairy Swine Eligibility Liquid slurry storage Pit storage below animals (> 1 month) Uncovered anaerobic lagoons


Credit Calculation: Credit Calculation Baseline Calculation -- The lower of: (a) Actual monitored amount of methane captured and destroyed by the project activity (using existing CCX monitoring protocols but with full GWP for methane). The default methane combustion efficiency for flared biogas from anaerobic digesters is 90%. Higher efficiencies may be used if supported by manufacturer’s specifications or other acceptable data. The default methane combustion efficiency for biogas utilized by electricity gensets is 100%. (b) The methane emission calculated ex ante based on the amount of the animal manure that would decay anaerobically in the absence of the project activity, using the most recent country-specific IPCC tier 2 approach (for a description of the proposed calculation methods for projects in the U.S., see Appendix B).


Ex Ante Calculation of Baseline Methane: Ex Ante Calculation of Baseline Methane Appendix B: Ex Ante Calculations of Baseline Methane Emissions for U.S. Manure Digester Projects 1. Characterize the average livestock populations included in the anaerobic digester project for the reporting period; 2. Characterize the baseline manure management system for the project; 3. For each livestock population category and baseline manure management system, multiply the number of animals by the appropriate emission factor for that state (from Tables B.2 and B.3), by the appropriate solids separation correction factor, by the proportion of manure from those animals used in the digester, by the number of days in the period (Equation 1); 4. Sum the estimates for all population categories and baseline manure management systems (Equation 1); 5. Multiply the total estimate of methane emission by the appropriate methane GWP for the reporting period (Equation 2).


Baseline Credit Rates - Iowa: Baseline Credit Rates - Iowa


Mechanics of Trading: Mechanics of Trading CCX Registry CCX Trading Floor


AgraGate Climate Credits Corp.: AgraGate Climate Credits Corp. New Entity for carbon credit aggregation Wholly owned by Iowa Farm Bureau Build nation-wide aggregation network


Contact Information: Contact Information David Miller Director, Commodity Services Iowa Farm Bureau 5400 University Ave West Des Moines, IA 50266 www.iowafarmbureau.com/carbon Ph: 515-225-5431 E-mail: damiller@ifbf.org