Carbon sequestration in the soil around wind park Krammer
The five thousand members of the corporations Zeeuwind and Deltawind paved way for Wind park Krammer. These members, that live close by the wind park, profit of the park through obligations and a fund. A part of the profit of Wind park Krammer is put aside for farmers who sequestrate carbon through taking soil measures in the surroundings of the park.
Teus Baars (Zeeuwind): “For Zeeuwind it is important to connect the energy transition to a broader social agenda, like circular agriculture. Great that we are able to use a share of the revenues of Wind park Krammer to work with agriculturists for a local cycle of CO2.”
Carbon farmers
In the next five year agriculturists receive a financial compensation per ton sequestrated carbon and will be guided by experts within the European project Carbon Farming towards the optimal result. Based on scientific research, a set of both above and underground measures was chosen, with which a agriculturist can sequestrate CO2 from the atmosphere into the soil. Plants and crops will convert CO2 from the air into biomass. Various measures make sure that carbon that is sequestrated will eventually be kept in the soil for a long term. The chosen measures are practically applicable and give as much CO2 yield as possible. Reduced tillage or no-tillage and cover crops are examples of measures that give way to natural processes and increase the soil life through which more carbon can be sequestrated. Also field margins with deep rooted plant species sequestrate carbon from the atmosphere in plant and soil. More carbon in the soil (through organic substance) has the extra advantage that the soil becomes more resilient against climate change.
Monique Sweep (Deltawind): “An amazing initiative, which is created in the province Zeeland, to which we latch on. The more social interrelations we create, the greater force to realise local changes that are widely supported.”
Shared profit
A group of fifteen farmers, with in total 600-700 hectare agricultural land, execute at least two soil measures under ground and one visible, ecological measure. The pilot aims that each participant sequestrates 30 to 40 ton CO2 per year. The agriculturists get 70% of the compensation paid each year according to their exertion and 30% after conclusion of the pilot. The latter is based on the quantity CO2 that is being stored in total. Therefore, a baseline measurement as well as an end measurement takes place. In five year the amount of CO2 sequestrated can add up to 2.750 ton. In comparison: a return flight from Amsterdam to New York is 1,35 ton CO. This thus can be compared to more than 2000 return flights Amsterdam-New York.
Hendrik Hoeksema(ZLTO): “The farmer sequestrates carbon in his soil for a direct decrease of CO2 in the atmosphere. The whole world is looking for new ways to reduce carbon dioxide, but does not take into account the potential of local agricultural soils. ZLTO connects companies to farmers, in order to sequestrate carbon locally with an apparent result for the direct environment.”
Hendrik Hoeksema(ZLTO): “The farmer sequestrates carbon in his soil for a direct decrease of CO2 in the atmosphere. The whole world is looking for new ways to bind carbon, but does not take into account the potential of local agricultural soils. ZLTO connects companies to farmers, in order to sequestrate carbon locally with a apparent result for the direct environment.”
Local CO2 cycle
More and more companies feel the need for climate-neutral management. It is seldom possible to complete that kind of management at once. Compensating the inevitable CO2 emission can be a transitional measure. Compensation often is being sought in technological resolutions far from home, like CO2 storage in empty gas fields at sea or the planting of trees in South-America. Would it not be even better when companies get the possibility to arrange their CO2 compensation locally? Wind park Krammer tries to demonstrate that a local carbon cycle, with the help of farmers and soil, is a perfect way to do so with an immediate result for the direct environment.
Let us hope that in the near future, more companies will harness the potential of the local CO2 cycle!