Restoring Pre-Industrial CO 2 Levels While Achieving Sustainable Development Goals

Mark E. Capron, Jim R. Stewart, Antoine de Ramon N’Yeurt, Michael D. Chambers, Jang K. Kim, Charles Yarish, Anthony T. Jones, Reginald B. Blaylock, Scott C. James, Rae Fuhrman, Martin T. Sherman, Don Piper, Graham Harris and Mohammed A. Hasan
Additional contact information
Mark E. Capron: Ocean Foresters, Oxnard, CA 93003, USA
Jim R. Stewart: Ocean Foresters, Oxnard, CA 93003, USA
Antoine de Ramon N’Yeurt: Pacific Centre for Environment and Sustainable Development, The University of the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji
Michael D. Chambers: Department of Food and Agriculture, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, USA
Jang K. Kim: Department of Marine Science, Incheon National University, Incheon 22012, Korea
Charles Yarish: Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Stamford, CT 06901, USA
Anthony T. Jones: Intake Works, Sacramento, CA 95820, USA
Reginald B. Blaylock: Thad Cochran Marine Aquaculture Center, University of Southern Mississippi, Ocean Springs, MS 39564, USA
Scott C. James: Department of Geology, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76798, USA
Rae Fuhrman: Stingray Sensing, Goleta, CA 93117, USA
Martin T. Sherman: Ocean Foresters, Oxnard, CA 93003, USA
Don Piper: Ocean Foresters, Oxnard, CA 93003, USA
Graham Harris: Ocean Foresters, Oxnard, CA 93003, USA
Mohammed A. Hasan: Ocean Foresters, Oxnard, CA 93003, USA

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 18, 1-30

Abstract: Unless humanity achieves United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 and restores the relatively stable climate of pre-industrial CO 2 levels (as early as 2140), species extinctions, starvation, drought/floods, and violence will exacerbate mass migrations. This paper presents conceptual designs and techno-economic analyses to calculate sustainable limits for growing high-protein seafood and macroalgae-for-biofuel. We review the availability of wet solid waste and outline the mass balance of carbon and plant nutrients passing through a hydrothermal liquefaction process. The paper reviews the availability of dry solid waste and dry biomass for bioenergy with CO 2 capture and storage (BECCS) while generating Allam Cycle electricity. Sufficient wet-waste biomass supports quickly building hydrothermal liquefaction facilities. Macroalgae-for-biofuel technology can be developed and straightforwardly implemented on SDG-achieving high protein seafood infrastructure. The analyses indicate a potential for (1) 0.5 billion tonnes/yr of seafood; (2) 20 million barrels/day of biofuel from solid waste; (3) more biocrude oil from macroalgae than current fossil oil; and (4) sequestration of 28 to 38 billion tonnes/yr of bio-CO 2 . Carbon dioxide removal (CDR) costs are between 25–33% of those for BECCS with pre-2019 technology or the projected cost of air-capture CDR.

Keywords: sustainable development goals (SDGs); carbon dioxide removal (CDR); carbon sequestration (BECCS); renewable energy; waste-to-energy; Allam Cycle; hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL); macroalgae (seaweed) biofuels (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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