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BAC Comments on the Draft 2022 Climate Scoping Plan

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BAC submitted comments on the Draft 2022 Climate Change Scoping Plan focused on several important issues:

  1. BAC supports Alternate 3 as the Proposed Scenario, with some modifications, as
    it will provide the greatest benefits with the fewest downsides.
  2. The Proposed Scenario correctly includes bioenergy and renewable hydrogen,
    but should include specific recommendations to accelerate their use.
  3. The Proposed Scenario also correctly includes CCSU as an essential strategy to
    reduce emissions quickly and to reach carbon neutrality.
  4. The Scoping Plan should focus much more on SLCP reductions and other
    measures that benefit the climate in the near term.
  5. Analysis and recommendations should be based on lifecycle emissions rather
    than broad generalizations about different technologies, fuels, and strategies.
  6. The Scoping Plan should focus transportation and vehicle strategies on
    opportunities to reduce climate and air pollution in the near term.
  7. The Scoping Plan should provide a full and accurate assessment of technically
    available forest and agricultural waste biomass.

BAC-Comments-on-Draft-2022-Scoping-PlanDownload

Bioenergy and the Dairy Sector

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California is the largest dairy state in the United States, providing a large share of the country’s milk and dairy products.  Unfortunately, dairies are also California’s largest source of methane emissions, a climate super pollutant.  Dairy manure can, however, be converted to carbon negative energy, eliminating methane emissions and providing negative carbon emissions instead.   According to the California Air Resources Board, investments in dairy digesters, which convert dairy waste to energy,  are the most effective and the most cost-effective of all of the state’s investments in carbon reductions.

California’s dairy cows produce enough waste to generate 550 megawatts of renewable electricity or more than 100 million gallons per year of carbon negative transportation fuels. Biomethane generated from dairy waste is the lowest carbon fuel of any in existence, more than 500 percent lower greenhouse gas emissions than gasoline or diesel.  Dairy waste can also be used to generate flexible generation renewable power, which is critical to complement wind and solar power because it’s available 24/7 and can be stored and used as needed.  In addition to cutting methane emissions and producing renewable energy, converting dairy waste to energy reduces air and water pollution from dairies, cuts odors, and can provide revenue and onsite energy supplies to dairy farms.

To learn more, see Bioenergy and Dairies

Bioenergy Critical to Climate

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Bioenergy is critical to slow global warming right away and to reach carbon neutrality by mid-century.  That’s because bioenergy can reduce the most damaging climate pollutants known as Short-Lived Climate Pollutants (SLCPs).  Climate scientists agree that we have less than a decade left to avert catastrophic – and largely irreversible – climate change.  The most effective tool we have – the last lever we have left – is to reduce SLCP emissions.  And bioenergy can do that more effectively than other tools because it cuts methane and black carbon emissions – two of the most damaging SLCPs – from organic waste, including landfills and dairies, agricultural waste, and forest waste or other vegetation removed to reduce wildfire risks.  Bioenergy can also provide carbon negative emissions needed to reach carbon neutrality by mid-century.  And, according to the California Air Resources Board, it provides the most cost-effective of all carbon emissions.

Read more about Bioenergy and Climate

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