Targeting Net Zero Energy at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar: Assessment and Recommendations

In 2008, the Department of Defense (DoD) and Department of Energy (DOE) defined a joint initiative to address military energy use by identifying specific actions to reduce energy demand and increase use of renewable energy on DoD installations. A Task Force comprised of representatives from the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), the four military Services, DOE’s Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP), and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) was established. In light of DoD priorities, early attention was given to the possibility of net zero energy military installations (NZEI), that is, installations that would meet their energy needs with local renewable resources. Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) The Task Force selected Miramar to be the prototype installation for net zero energy assessment and planning. This selection was based on Miramar’s strong history of energy advocacy and extensive track record of successful energy projects

Energy Systems (Chapter 6)

Warming cannot be limited to well below 2°C without rapid and deep reductions in energy system carbon dioxide (CO2) and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In scenarios limiting warming to 1.5°C (>50%) with no or limited overshoot (2°C (>67%) with action starting in 2020), net energy system CO2 emissions (interquartile range) fall by 87–97% (60–79%) in 2050. In 2030, in scenarios limiting warming to 1.5°C (>50%) with no or limited overshoot, net CO2 and GHG emissions fall by 35–51% and 38–52% respectively. In scenarios limiting warming to 1.5°C (>50%) with no or limited overshoot (2°C (>67%)), net electricity sector CO2 emissions reach zero globally between 2045 and 2055 (2050 and 2080). (high confidence)

Rightsizing of Incentives for collaborative e-Science Grid Applications with TES

The particle physics community is sharing its resources over a Grid network. Currently resources are used on availability. But there is no fair allocation considering the importance or the private value of a job. Researchers are using Grid resources regardless of whether others need them more urgently. Furthermore, they do not even provide their own resources as they do not have an incentive for sharing them. Researchers are demanding a Grid infrastructure where an incentive mechanism is implemented. This will support a fair allocation of resources. Incentives can be provided by using money. But one constraint is that no real money should be involved for billing the resources in the science community. In this paper, a mechanism called Token Exchange System (TES) is proposed. Considering the requirements from the particle physics community this mechanism combines the advantages of reputation and payment mechanism in one coherent system to realize a fair allocation. It enables to build up a Grid infrastructure with an incentive mechanism which is scalable, incentivecompatible and does not require a face-to-face agreement like the current system

Transformations to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Report prepared by The World in 2050 initiative

The World in 2050 (TWI2050) initiative endeavors to demonstrate how the objectives of sustainable development within planetary boundaries can be met, ensuring prosperity, social inclusion, and good governance for all. TWI2050 is a global research initiative launched by the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), and the Stockholm Resilience Centre (SRC). The initiative brings together a network of more than 150 participants that includes leading policymakers, analysts, modelling and analytical teams from 60 organizations from around the world to collaborate in developing pathways toward sustainable futures and the policy frameworks needed for implementing the SDGs, and more importantly, for achieving the needed transformational change. This report of the international TWI2050 scientific initiative was prepared by more than 60 authors and 20 organization and was launched at UN High-level Political Forum, 9-18 July 2018. It comprises key messages, synthesis and four chapters. Chapter 1 introduced TWI2050 framework. The narrative and target spaces are presented briefly in Chapter 1 and will be further refined in the next phase of TWI2050 and published. Chapter 2 examines, at the global scale, some major current trends in demography, economics, finance, society and politics. It presents potential major tipping points and dynamics that are likely to interact thereby creating a very different world from the present. It assesses currently observable megatrends and historical patterns with corresponding path dependencies. The chapter points to several of these megatrends that need to be taken into consideration how to achieve the transformation to sustainability. Chapter 3 investigates the characteristics of pathways that would lead to sustainable future. It first assess the scientific literature on pathways that achieve several SDGs. Next, implications of the linkages across SDGs are highlighted by presenting model-based pathways which follow an integrated approach with special emphasis on the six transformations. Pathways are presented that feature SDGs under review at HLPF 2018 (SDGs 6, 7, 11, 12 and 15). The chapter concludes with a discussion of research implications. Chapter 4 presents - from multiple perspectives - the governance framework required to achieve and steer transformations toward sustainability. This governance framework comprises of both fine tailored policy principles across the social, economic and political domains as well as enabling conditions for the great (societal) transformation that is needed to achieve the sustainability aspirations. The main findings and conclusions of the four chapters are summarized in the Synthesis presented at the beginning of the report that also connects them to policy interventions

A review of commercialisation mechanisms for carbon dioxide removal

The deployment of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) needs to be scaled up to achieve net zero emission pledges. In this paper we survey the policy mechanisms currently in place globally to incentivise CDR, together with an estimate of what different mechanisms are paying per tonne of CDR, and how those costs are currently distributed. Incentive structures are grouped into three structures, market-based, public procurement, and fiscal mechanisms. We find the majority of mechanisms currently in operation are underresourced and pay too little to enable a portfolio of CDR that could support achievement of net zero. The majority of mechanisms are concentrated in market-based and fiscal structures, specifically carbon markets and subsidies. While not primarily motivated by CDR, mechanisms tend to support established afforestation and soil carbon sequestration methods. Mechanisms for geological CDR remain largely underdeveloped relative to the requirements of modelled net zero scenarios. Commercialisation pathways for CDR require suitable policies and markets throughout the projects development cycle. Discussion and investment in CDR has tended to focus on technology development. Our findings suggest that an equal or greater emphasis on policy innovation may be required if future requirements for CDR are to be met. This study can further support research and policy on the identification of incentive gaps and realistic potential for CDR globally