Underestimating the value of biogenic CO2 emissions may prove costly

The measurement of CO₂ emissions is the biggest change to the emissions monitoring systems market.

The assumption that biogenic CO₂ emissions amount to 50% of total CO₂ flue gas emissions in waste incineration plants will lead to a costly underestimation when reporting to Emissions Trading Schemes. 

The incineration of municipal solid waste and RDF is inhomogeneous which causes considerable fluctuations to the biogenic portion. 

The actual prices for 1 ton of CO₂ vary in the different ETSs. Between €45 in the German Fuel Trading act and around €100 in the UK carbon tax regulation. 

Using the example of a EfW plant with emissions of approximately 100,000 tons of CO₂ per year, for every 10% above the assumed base level of 50%, plants could be offsetting values of somewhere between €450,000 and €1m. 

Therefore, it is very much in the financial interest of the plant to accurately report the fluctuations of the biogenic CO₂ emissions.

Designed for Accurate Reporting 

The AMESA-B from ENVEA offers the most accurate and easy to use measurement system for determining fossil and biogenic CO₂ emissions. 

The AMESA-B adopted a sampling method which has been successful for almost 30 years. 

Following successful trials with the UK’s big 5 waste-to-energy companies and many sites across Europe, the AMESA B system is empowering sites to accurately assess the biogenic fraction of their carbon emissions.  

The AMESA B system was designed to follow the EN 15267-3 standard and meet the requirements of EN ISO 13833 by sampling flue gas on a CO₂ adsorber. After the sampling period, the adsorber cartridge is sent to a C14 accredited laboratory.  

The 14C method uses the fact that the fossil and biogenic materials can be identified by a marker of the carbon atoms. The fossil material consists of 12C and biogenic material includes 14C. 

The AMESA-B provides full compliance with EN ISO 13833: 

• Sampling probe  
• Water removal  
• Leak test  
• Volume flow  
• Sampling flowrate  
• Adsorber cartridge  

The Breakthrough for Accurate Sampling 

CO₂ sensors are installed before and after the adsorber cartridge to compare the CO₂ concentration in the stack. The first sensor shows if the extracted CO₂ stack gas is passing the adsorber cartridge. A second CO₂ sensor, a breakthrough sensor, notifies when the cartridge needs to be exchanged to avoid adsorber cartridge saturation. 

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