Notice2024-17849
Carbon Dioxide Removal Consortium
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
August 12, 2024
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Institute of Standards and Technology
Abstract
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), an agency of the United States Department of Commerce, in support of efforts to develop standards for carbon dioxide removal, is establishing the Carbon Dioxide Removal Consortium ("Consortium"). The Consortium will bring together stakeholders to identify and address measurement and standards needs related to carbon dioxide removal used to reduce the overall atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration. The Consortium efforts are intended to develop measurement solutions and support the development of widely accepted standards to improve measurement confidence, measurement traceability and comparability of carbon dioxide removal through nature-based, enhanced nature-based, and engineered pathways, with an initial focus on forests and direct air capture. Participants will be required to sign a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA).
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 155 (Monday, August 12, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 155 (Monday, August 12, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65602-65603]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-17849]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Carbon Dioxide Removal Consortium
AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology, Department of
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of research consortium.
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SUMMARY: The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), an
agency of the United States Department of Commerce, in support of
efforts to develop standards for carbon dioxide removal, is
establishing the Carbon Dioxide Removal Consortium (``Consortium'').
The Consortium will bring together stakeholders to identify and address
measurement and standards needs related to carbon dioxide removal used
to reduce the overall atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration. The
Consortium efforts are intended to develop measurement solutions and
support the development of widely accepted standards to improve
measurement confidence, measurement traceability and comparability of
carbon dioxide removal through nature-based, enhanced nature-based, and
engineered pathways, with an initial focus on forests and direct air
capture. Participants will be required to sign a Cooperative Research
and Development Agreement (CRADA).
DATES: The Consortium's activities will commence on Sept 1, 2024
(``Commencement Date''). NIST will accept letters of interest to
participate in this Consortium on an ongoing basis.
ADDRESSES: Completed letters of interest or requests for additional
information about the Consortium can be directed via mail to the
Consortium Manager, Dr. Pamela Chu, Material Measurement Laboratory,
100 Bureau Drive, Mail Stop 8320, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899, or via
electronic mail to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#9af9f5a8e8fff7f5ecfbf6daf4f3e9eeb4fdf5ec"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="d0b3bfe2a2b5bdbfa6b1bc90beb9a3a4feb7bfa6">[email protected]</span></a>, or by telephone at (301) 975-
2988.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: J'aime Maynard, Consortia Agreements
Officer, National Institute of Standards and Technology's Technology
Partnerships Office, by mail to 100 Bureau Drive, Mail Stop 2200,
Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899, by electronic mail to
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#1f7e786d7a7a727a716b6c5f71766c6b31787069"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="accdcbdec9c9c1c9c2d8dfecc2c5dfd882cbc3da">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: There is a significant effort underway to
reduce global carbon dioxide emissions. In addition to transitioning to
clean energy sources, increasing energy efficiencies, and deploying
carbon capture, use, and storage, atmospheric carbon dioxide removal
(CDR) is being developed and deployed to compensate for remaining hard-
to-abate emissions and work towards drawing down the current
atmospheric CO<INF>2</INF> concentration level. Industry is developing
a variety of CDR techniques including multiple different nature-based,
enhanced nature-based, and engineered solutions. Given the number and
diversity of carbon removal pathways, a variety of measurements,
models, and data are needed to quantify carbon dioxide removed.
Ultimately, quality-assured measurements and
[[Page 65603]]
associated measurement uncertainties are required to quantify carbon
removals and/or validate models that estimate the amount of carbon
removed. The quantification of carbon removal in closed engineered
systems, such as direct air capture, is reasonably straightforward. In
contrast, quantifying carbon removal in dispersed natural and hybrid
systems is extremely challenging. The scientific understanding,
measurements, and models of these complex systems are still evolving;
enhanced measurements and data are needed to improve and validate the
models. Furthermore, advanced technologies that enhance applicability
and accuracy are needed to expand current measurement capabilities.
This will enable the acquisition of high-quality data, at appropriate
spatial and temporal resolutions, over sufficient time to quantify the
carbon uptake and verify that the carbon remains sequestered over the
period claimed. Moreover, to be economically viable, the measurement
and monitoring capabilities must be available at reasonable costs to
deploy, scale, and maintain. Ultimately, measurement science along with
SI traceability are critical tools to increase data veracity, quality,
and objectivity and thus build quality and confidence in the carbon
removal quantification.
The initial focus of this consortium is to evaluate, develop, and
standardize methods to characterize and quantify the carbon removal by
(1) forests and (2) direct air capture. Test methods to specifically
measure carbon in these systems will be explored. A later focus of the
consortium will be to evaluate the suitability of current measurement
standards for carbon removal in additional pathways prioritized by
through stakeholder input and, where appropriate, develop new test
methods needed to help build quality and confidence in the carbon
removal marketplace. NIST and consortia partners will perform research
together with the following four goals:
<bullet> Evaluate the suitability of current measurement approaches
to quantify aspects of carbon dioxide removal.
<bullet> Validate the repeatability and comparability of the
current measurement methods.
<bullet> Identify areas where measurements, models, and data should
be expanded and enhanced to provide fit-for-purpose capabilities.
<bullet> Use these measurements as a foundation for test method(s)
that can be standardized through a consensus-based standards
development organization.
No proprietary information will be shared as part of the
Consortium. Participants are expected to provide subject matter
expertise and to actively participate in the consortium with the goal
of developing measurement solutions to support the development of
industry standards.
Participation Process
Eligibility to participate in the Consortium will be determined by
NIST based on the information provided by prospective participants in
response to this notice. NIST will evaluate the submitted responses
from prospective participants to determine eligibility to participate
in this Consortium. Consortium members are expected to contribute
expertise related to carbon dioxide removal such as knowledge as a
researcher, project developer, evaluator, purchaser, related
experience, etc. that addresses the measurement, verification, and
reporting of carbon dioxide removal. Prospective participants should
provide a letter of interest with the following information to NIST's
Consortium Manager:
(1) A description of their specific experience in or knowledge of
carbon dioxide removal.
(2) List of interested party's anticipated project team and a
contracts or legal contact for the CRADA.
Letters of interest must not include business proprietary
information. NIST will not treat any information provided in response
to this notice as proprietary information. NIST will notify each
organization of its eligibility. In order to participate in this
Consortium, each eligible organization will be required to sign a
Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with NIST. All
participants in the Consortium that are legally permitted to enter into
a CRADA will be bound by the same terms and conditions. Organizations
that are legally prohibited or not legally authorized to enter into a
CRADA may, at NIST's discretion, be permitted to participate in the
Consortium under an agreement other than a CRADA with terms that will
differ, as necessary, from the terms of the CRADA. NIST does not
guarantee participation in the Consortium to any organization
submitting a letter of interest.
Authority: 15 U.S.C. 3710a.
Alicia Chambers,
NIST Executive Secretariat.
[FR Doc. 2024-17849 Filed 8-9-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-13-P
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