Method and apparatus for generating standardized carbon emission reduction credits

• US 20040158478A1
• Filed: 02/10/2003
• Published: 08/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
• Original Assignee: South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
• Inventors: Zimmerman, Patrick Robert
• Granted Patent: US 7,457,758 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/04 Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/067 Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/018 Certifying business or products
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/845 Inventory and reporting systems for greenhouse gases [GHG]

Abstract

This invention generally relates to a method and apparatus for determining carbon emission reduction credits and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for generating and quantifying standardized carbon emission reduction credits. General data and site-specific data, if available, are input into a carbon sequestration model to determine the approximate change in the level of carbon compounds stored in a media, such as soil, over a specified period of time. An uncertainty analysis is conducted on the results to quantify and normalize carbon emission reduction credits. Standardized carbon emission reduction credits may be compiled for trade and other carbon emission reduction credits are placed in reserve.

Claims

1. A method of generating standardized carbon emission reduction credits for sequestration of carbon compounds, comprising:

providing data specific to a first parcel of land and relevant to carbon sequestration;

providing data general to the geographic region encompassing the first parcel of land and relevant to carbon sequestration;

inputting the data specific to the first parcel of land and the data general to the geographic region encompassing the first parcel of land into a carbon sequestration model to determine the approximate change of the level of carbon compounds stored in the soil of the first parcel of land over a first specified time period;

conducting an uncertainty analysis on the approximate change of the level of carbon compounds stored in the soil in the first parcel of land over the first specified time period; and

identifying a first quantity of standardized carbon emission reduction credits and a first quantity of reserve carbon emission reduction credits.

2. The method of generating standardized carbon emission reduction credits of claim 1, wherein the data specific to the first parcel of land comprises land use history data.

3. The method of generating standardized carbon emission reduction credits of claim 1, wherein data general to the geographic region encompassing the first parcel of land comprises at least one of land use history data, climate data and soil texture data.

4. The method of generating standardized carbon emission reduction credits of claim 1, wherein the data specific to the first parcel of land comprises data beginning from the year 1990.

5. The method of generating standardized carbon emission reduction credits of claim 1, wherein the data general to the geographic region encompassing the first parcel of land comprises data from at least as early as the year 1990.

6. The method of generating standardized carbon emission reduction credits of claim 1, wherein the first specified time period begins with the year 1990.

7. The method of generating standardized carbon emission reduction credits of claim 1, wherein the first specified time period begins with the year 1990 and ends with the year of identifying the first quantity of standardized carbon reduction emission credits.

8. The method of generating standardized carbon emission reduction credits of claim 1, wherein the first specified time period begins with the year 1990 and ends at a selected year into the future.

9. The method of generating standardized carbon emission reduction credits of claim 1, wherein the first specified time period begins with the year of identifying the first quantity of standardized carbon reduction emission credits and ends at a selected year into the future.

10. The method of generating standardized carbon emission reduction credits of claim 1, wherein the first specified time period begins with the year of identifying the first quantity of standardized carbon reduction emission credits and ends 20 years thereafter.

11. The method of generating standardized carbon emission reduction credits of claim 1, further comprising comparing the data specific to the first parcel of land to the data general to the geographic region encompassing the first parcel of land.

12. The method of generating standardized carbon emission reduction credits of claim 1, further comprising:

providing data specific to a second parcel of land and relevant to carbon sequestration;

providing data general to the geographic region encompassing the second parcel of land and relevant to carbon sequestration;

inputting selected data specific to the second parcel of land and selected data general to the geographic region encompassing the second parcel of land into a carbon sequestration model to determine the approximate change of the level of carbon compounds stored in the soil of the second parcel of land over a second specified time period;

conducting an uncertainty analysis on the approximate change of the level of carbon compounds stored in the soil in the second parcel of land over the second specified time period;

identifying a second quantity of standardized carbon emission reduction credits and a second quantity of reserve carbon emission reduction credits;

compiling the first quantity of standardized carbon emission reductions credits and the second quantity of standardized carbon emission reduction credits into a primary pool and;

compiling the first quantity of reserve carbon emission reductions credits and the second quantity of reserve carbon emission reduction credits into a reserve pool.

13. A method of generating standardized carbon emission reduction credits comprising:

obtaining data for a first parcel of land through an interactive interface with a potential producer of carbon emission reduction credits;

obtaining data from a database containing data relevant to carbon sequestration for the first parcel of land;

inputting selected data obtained from the potential producer and from the database into a carbon sequestration model to determine the approximate change in the level of carbon compounds in the soil in the first parcel of land over a first specified time period; and

conducting an uncertainty analysis to identify a first quantity of standardized carbon emission reduction credits and a first quantity of reserve carbon emission reduction credits.

14. The method of generating standardized carbon emission reduction credits of claim 13, wherein the data obtained from the potential producer comprises data beginning from the year 1990.

15. The method of generating standardized carbon emission reduction credits of claim 13, wherein the database comprises data from at least as early as the year 1990.

16. The method of generating standardized carbon emission reduction credits of claim 13, wherein the first specified time period begins with the year 1990.

17. The method of generating standardized carbon emission reduction credits of claim 13, wherein the first specified time period begins with the year 1990 and ends with the year of identifying the first quantity of standardized carbon reduction emission credits.

18. The method of generating standardized carbon emission reduction credits of claim 13, wherein the first specified time period begins with the year 1990 and ends at a selected year into the future.

19. The method of generating standardized carbon emission reduction credits of claim 13, wherein the first specified time period begins with the year of identifying the first quantity of standardized carbon reduction emission credits and ends at a selected year into the future.

20. The method of generating standardized carbon emission reduction credits of claim 13, wherein the specified time period begins with the year of identifying the first quantity of standardized carbon reduction emission credits and ends 20 years thereafter.

21. The method of claim 13, further comprising conducting an uncertainty analysis to identify a first quantity of future standardized carbon emission reduction credits and a first quantity of future reserve carbon emission reduction credits.

22. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

changing at least one value for at least one of the selected data inputted into the carbon sequestration model to determine an alternative approximate change in the level of carbon compounds in the soil in the first parcel of land over the specified time period; and

conducting an uncertainty analysis to identify a first quantity of alternative standardized carbon emission reduction credits and a first quantity of alternative reserve carbon emission reduction credits.

23. The method of claim 13, wherein the interactive interface comprises at least one of verbal, written and digital responses to inquiries for data for the parcel of land.

24. The method of claim 13, wherein the interactive interface comprises at least one of verbal, written and digital inquires for response by the potential producer of carbon emission reduction credits.

25. The method of claim 13, wherein the interactive interface comprises digital responses to digital inquires for data for the parcel of land.

26. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

obtaining data for a second parcel of land through an interface with a second potential producer of carbon emission reduction credits;

obtaining data from a database containing data relevant to carbon sequestration for the second parcel of land;

inputting selected data obtained from the potential producer and selected data from the database into a carbon sequestration model to determine the approximate change in the level of carbon compounds in the soil in the second parcel of land over a second specified time period;

conducting an uncertainty analysis to identify a second quantity of standardized carbon emission reduction credits and a second quantity of reserve carbon emission reduction credits.

compiling the first quantity of standardized carbon emission reductions credits and the second quantity of standardized carbon emission reduction credits into a primary pool; and

compiling the first quantity of reserve carbon emission reductions credits and the second quantity of reserve carbon emission reduction credits into a reserve pool.

27. A method of generating and compiling a quantity of standardized carbon emission reduction credits for at least two parcels of land comprising:

obtaining general data and site-specific data relevant to carbon sequestration for a first parcel of land;

inputting general data and site-specific data for the first parcel of land into a carbon sequestration model to determine the approximate level of carbon compounds in the first parcel of land;

determining the change in level of carbon compounds in the first parcel of land over a first specified time period;

conducting an uncertainty analysis to identify a first quantity of standardized carbon emission reduction credits and a first quantity of reserve carbon emission reduction credits;

compiling the first quantity of standardized carbon emission reduction credits into a primary pool and the first quantity of reserve carbon emission reduction credits into a reserve pool;

obtaining general data and site-specific data relevant to carbon sequestration for a second parcel of land;

inputting general data and site-specific data into a carbon sequestration model to determine the approximate level of carbon compounds in the second parcel of land;

determining the change in level of carbon compounds in the second parcel of land over a second specified time period;

conducting an uncertainty analysis to identify a second quantity of standardized carbon emission reduction credits and a second quantity of reserve carbon emission reduction credits;

compiling the second quantity of standardized carbon emission reduction credits into the primary pool and the second quantity of reserve accrued carbon emission reduction credits into the reserve pool.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the first specified time period begins with the year 1990.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the second specified time period begins with the year 1990.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein the first specified time period begins with the year 1990 and ends at a selected year into the future.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein the second specified time period begins with the year 1990 and ends at a selected year into the future.

32. The method of claim 27, wherein the first specified time period begins with the year of generating standardized carbon emission reduction credits and ends 20 years thereafter.

33. The method of claim 27, wherein the second specified time period begins with the year of generating standardized carbon emission reduction credits and ends 20 years thereafter.

34. A method to quantify carbon emission reduction credits, comprising:

determining the approximate change in the level of carbon compounds in a storage media over a specified period of time;

conducting an uncertainty analysis on the results of the approximate change in the level of carbon compounds in the storage media;

identifying a quantity of standardized carbon emission reduction credits and a quantity of reserve carbon emission reduction credits.

35. The method of generating standardized carbon emission reduction credits of claim 34, further comprising generating a report identifying at least one of accrued carbon reduction emission credits, future carbon emission reduction credits and alternative carbon reduction emission credits.

36. An apparatus to generate a quantity of standardized carbon emission reduction credits, comprising:

an interface adapted to receive data relevant to carbon sequestration from, and to disseminate information to, a potential producer of standardized carbon emission reduction credits;

a data structure adapted to receive and store data relevant to carbon sequestration in addition to the data received by the interface; and

data processing means adapted to receive data from the interface and data from the data structure to determine the approximate change in the level of carbon compounds stored in a media, to conduct an uncertainty analysis and to identify a first quantity of standardized carbon emission reduction credits.

37. The apparatus of claim 36, further comprising processing means to select appropriate data stored in the data structure based on the data received from the potential producer.

38. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the interface is a website.

39. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the interface comprises at least one inquiry allowing the potential producer to respond by selecting one or more of a plurality of provided choices.