Decarbonization: Getting from Policy to Projects

How does one get from policy to project in the world of decarbonization?  First, we must understand decarbonization. The term “decarbonization” literally means the reduction of carbon.  In today’s world, it refers to the conversion to an economic system that sustainably reduces and compensates the emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂) – the long-term goal being to create a CO₂-free global economy.

As with any initiative, there must be steps to follow. They apply to any organization and are normally based on some high-level considerations of policy development.  The first question to ask is “what is the organization’s policy objective?“  If the objective is removing the most carbon emissions per dollar invested then energy efficiency projects like conversion to LED lighting, adding insulation to walls and ceilings, or modernizing the heating and air conditioning controls system will have a big ROI. If the organization has other objectives which Decarbonization helps justify, the field widens? Is the client a commuter college with big car parking lots and no public transportation? In that instance, the most carbon-saving effort could be to fund a rail line extension or shuttle busses to replace the car traffic. Is the client one where local air quality agencies scrutinize their emissions permits and raises their costs? Does maintaining the client’s equipment require specialty contractors that are expensive to engage? If so, maybe rooftop solar power with a low daytime value could be used to charge electric vehicles.

A final question to be asked is whether the organization has a robust building program.  If so, perhaps new buildings could include specifications for alternatives to steel and concrete production.  Maybe new roads could be formed from recycled asphalt or blast furnace slag or bioMason cement. Maybe old buildings could be remodeled to conserve their concrete, using low carbon materials for making an interior that serves the organization’s needs better.

As with any of these types of projects, good planning and expert assistance is the key to success.  With over 150 experts worldwide, Lee Enterprises Consulting has experts in many specific clean and renewable areas, including decarbonization, anaerobic digestion, fermentation, biomass, conversion technologies for things like tires and railroad ties, organic synthesis, fuel additives, ethanol gas, biodiesel fuel including algae biofuels, solid-state and industrial fermentation, green energy grants, ag-biotech, agricultural waste, alcohol fuels, alternative proteins and animal-free products, sustainable foods, beverage fermentation, biocatalysis, biodiesel conversion, biogas production, biomass power, carbon intensity, co2 utilization, combined heat & power, Fischer-Tropsch technology, food waste, hydrothermal carbonization, industrial enzymes, landfill management, microbial fermentation, organic synthesis, plastic pyrolysis, plastic recycling, plastic waste, pyrolysis oil, reactor design, renewable identification number, the Renewable Fuel Standard (rfs2), solid recovered fuels, torrefaction and torrefied biomass, waste to energy, and waste-to-hydrogen.   This is a multidisciplinary group of green energy consultants that is a virtual “one-stop-shop” for any client need and handles projects of all types and sizes.

Look at our experts and the services we provide.  Most of our experts are also available to advise and serve as expert witnesses in bioeconomy litigation matters.  For the larger projects, we specialize in putting together full-service, interdisciplinary teams with one point of contact.  See a video about LEC here.  Call us at 1+ (501) 833-8511 or email us for more information.