How might Canada achieve net-zero?
Plan Zero is an independent research project to model how Canada might achieve net-zero emissions.
[Draft] New: the PlanZero glossary
This post announces a new page, a a glossary of terms and acronyms with specific meanings in the context of PlanZero posts. This glossary also introduces modelling terminology to support future posts. The modelling terminology is used to reframe the NIR-reconstruction project within languages of both strategic management and of statistical modelling.
[Draft] About this project: rewriting and expanding planzero.ca/about
Briefly going meta: refining the vision and mission, acknowledging the project contributors, and explaining how posts themselves are meant to work as a mechanism for developing PlanZero. The content of this post also now appears on the site's "About" page.
[Draft] Modelling a Bovaer Strategy
This post breaks from the sector-by-sector National Greenhouse Gas Inventory to do a relatively simple bit of modelling: what would happen if Canada's beef and dairy farmers gradually transitioned to administring the feed additive Bovaer, which reduces methane emissions? A PlanZero model finds that it would remove up to almost 10Mt of emissions, and cost about $222 per tonne removed.
Heavy-Duty Diesel Vehicles: Emissions Calculations
Eighth in the sector-by-sector National Greenhouse Gas Inventory series: heavy-duty diesel vehicles, such as medium and large freight vehicles, buses, and municipal refuse trucks.
Enteric Fermentation: Emissions Calculations
Seventh in the sector-by-sector National Greenhouse Gas Inventory series: enteric fermentation, the emission of methane from the digestive systems of all livestock, but especially ruminants, and most especially cattle.
Cars and Trucks: Emissions Calculations
Sixth in the sector-by-sector National Greenhouse Gas Inventory series: energy to power light-duty gasoline cars and trucks (including SUVs, minivans, and cargo vans). A transition to EVs seems to be the sector's clearest pathway to decarbonization.
Residential Stationary Combustion Sources: Emissions Calculations
Fifth in the sector-by-sector National Greenhouse Gas Inventory series: residential stationary combustion. Energy from stationary combustion within residential buildings is used predominantly to heat living spaces and provide hot water. Heat-pumps and ongoing insulation improvements promise a viable pathway to decarbonization in this sector.
Stationary Combustion to Extract Oil and Gas: Emissions Calculations
Fourth in the sector-by-sector series on the National Greenhouse Gas Inventory computation: stationary combustion sources involved in the extraction of oil and gas. Energy from stationary combustion is used directly and indirectly to drive pumps, compressors, separators, and diverse aspects of conventional wells, gathering systems, gas plants, and bitumen upgrading operations.
Oil and Natural Gas Venting: Emissions Calculations
Third in the sector-by-sector series on the National Greenhouse Gas Inventory computation: the venting of emissions from oil and gas systems. Venting refers to the intentional or engineered release of greenhouse gases across within the oil and gas sector. The re-engineering of the sector to avoid such releases is well underway, but venting still accounts for 5.5% of Canada's annual emissions total, at least as of 2023.
Emissions calculations for Harvested Wood Products and Forest Land
Second in the sector-by-sector National Greenhouse Gas Inventory computation: Harvested Wood Products and Forest Land. Data from Natural Resources Canada on harvested wood volume supports a satisfactory estimate of Harvested Wood Products emissions, and a first step toward a Forest Land estimate.
Emission calculations for Public Electricity and Heat
The first in a series of posts replicating the sector-by-sector computation of Canada's National Greenhouse Gas Inventory: Public Electricity and Heat. As it is first, it also introduces the sectors of the IPCC reporting guidelines, and the 71 sectors with which Canada reports its greenhouse gas inventory.
The Paris Agreement and the CNZEAA
A brief introduction to the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act, the federal implementation of Canada’s obligations under the Paris Agreement.
A Model of Greenhouse Gas Emissions
What are greenhouse gases and what do they have to do with climate? This is, I hope, the first post in a series developing various plans to achieve a net-zero economy in Canada. It outlines the terms in which net-zero is defined, and documents planzero's simple climate model.
Contributing (even for myself)
Coming back from the winter break, I thought I'd write about how I myself should contribute to this site; partly to get back in gear, and partly to encourage collaboration.
How might Canada achieve Net-Zero?
Plan Zero is an independent research project to work publicly toward understanding how Canada might achieve net-zero emissions.