It's a methane digester led recovery!

Monday, February 11, 2013

Whats happening with the CFI this week?

Confidence in the Carbon Markets has been shown by the Landfill Gas Recovery and Intensive Pig Industry.

Since the first piggery 'CO2 from methane' digester project was started in the Young District, there are now four others up and in the running for Carbon Credits. Two declared and two more coming. Add this to the fact that there are no fewer than 20 capture and combustion of methane in landfill gas from legacy waste projects, shows that people will invest to enter this market. See the full list here.

Meanwhile Broadacre farmers and the soils wait... 

Go forth and plant trees, my son! (sayeth the Department). Begs the question yet again - is the CFI just an intensive industry/waste industry initiative? There have been millions spent on soil carbon research - and our need to change soil management is immediate. We have been given assurances that things are moving fast...

Webinars

Carbon Farming is here to stay - both sides of politics are committed (YAY!). Coalition is promising a soil carbon methodology within the CFI - with a 25 year option, but low on details at this point. 

Don't forget to register for upcoming webinars to make sure you are ready to take decisions! We take the pain out of the language and point the way to the future. 

Soil Carbon "Action on the Ground" 

The VCS guys are off and running. Their 'learnings' will help us all. Click here to view the VCS soil carbon meth in action!

ALSO from overseas - more soil carbon measurement protocols being developed. Who said nothing is happening overseas? Click here for more information!

Check out our new Resources section

Because we are educators at our core we like to share our wealth of information. We have an academic and business background and have researched widely. These resources are a great way to understand the what/where/how of Carbon Farming, the CFI, and other matters. Plus, many of them are FREE.

We've been working hard on the 'methodology' area as well, to enable 'the common man' to be able to participate in this 
area. Michael has written a fantastic guide which is available in the online shop - it's a great guide to staying sane through the process!

Miscellaneous great links and stories from home and abroad! 

  • Want the facts and only the facts on recent heat wave, duration, highest temps? Click here to read the Bureau of Meteorology's climate statement. Sobering reading if you ask me. 
  • Discussion around climate change and doing something may be changing in the USA as people come to grips with the increased cost associated with the ferocity of surges, storms and other nasties - click here to read.
  • Measuring, mapping, and understanding water risks around the globe! Very authoritative. Click here to read.

I remain your humble carbon servant. I can be reached on 02 6374 0329, or email louisa@carbonfarmersofaustralia.com.au.


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Is there money in dairy manure methane destruction?

Friday, August 03, 2012
Dairy farmers are caught in a price war between the supermarkets on top of a long term decline in their terms of trade. The new methane destruction opportunity could give many of them a lifeline in the form of a new revenue stream from carbon markets. The economics of methane destruction will dictate its success. The cost to install a system has been variously quoted at anything between $80,000 and $300,000. Many dairy farmers won’t have the money lying around. But there are other questions that need answers: 
  1. Will the farmer qualify for offsets when they do install a system, and 
  2. How long into the future will these offsets be available? 
The uncertainty is caused by the notion of common practice. The Additionality Principle holds that if 5% of farmers in a location or market or environment adopt a practice, the practice is now likely to be taken up for its inherent benefits rather than the incentive of offsets. So the early adopters get offsets, but only until the practice reaches the 5%, after which it is declared common and offsets cease. Australia has around 7000 dairy farms. 75% of them currently use anaerobic ponds. Dairying is location specific. Farms tend to be clustered in districts where soils and rainfall are favourable. 

The principle of ‘common practice’ only works if the practice has inherent benefits for production or cost reduction. Now piggeries need energy to warm sow stalls, so they can save a lot of money on their electricity bills. Dairies are also big users of electricity. But will that be enough to encourage a farmer unlucky enough to be in the +5% cluster to stump up the cash? “They would have done it anyway” is at best a guess… and a most unscientific method on which to base a plan to save the planet.

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