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Despite the efforts to transition to a low carbon economy, greenhouse gas emissions are surging to critical levels. Carbon dioxide removals (CDR) methods, such as direct air capture (DAC), have been gaining substantial public attention in the last few years. DAC is essential in curbing CO2 concentrations and achieving climate targets. It is said that DAC can be deployed at anywhere, but a throughout life cycle assessment (LCA) is imperative to prove its viability. Therefore, this paper aims to explore the feasibility of constructing a 1 MT CO 2 plant in Ireland, using Kinsale and Corrib gas fields as storage points. The results showed that the country is an ideal candidate for scaling up this emerging industry. The efficiency is primarily influenced by the construction of the pipeline section, given a reliable sources of heat and electricity. The study highlights the significant impact of distances to the storage points on feasibility, favouring counties near of the gas fields. In conclusion, Ireland has the potential to establish its own DAC industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current conventional approach to determining the primary energy associated with non-combustible renewable energy (RE) sources such as wind energy and hydro power is to equate the electricity generated from these sources with the primary energy supply. This paper compares this with an approach that was formerly used by the IEA, in which the primary energy equivalent attributed to renewable energy was equated with the fossil fuel energy it displaces. Difficulties with implementing this approach in a meaningful way for international comparisons lead to most international organisations abandoning the primary energy equivalent methodology. It has recently re-emerged in prominence however, as efforts grow to develop baseline procedures for quantifying the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions avoided by renewable energy within the context of the Kyoto Protocol credit trading mechanisms. This paper discusses the primary energy equivalent approach and in particular the distinctions between displacing fossil fuel energy in existing plant or in new plant. The approach is then extended provide insight into future primary energy displacement by renewable energy and to quantify the amount of CO 2 emissions avoided by renewable energy. The usefulness of this approach in quantifying the benefits of renewable energy is also discussed in an energy policy context, with regard to increasing security of energy supply as well as reducing energy-related GHG (and other) emissions. The approach is applied in a national context and Ireland is case study country selected for this research. The choice of Ireland is interesting in two respects. The first relates to the high proportion of electricity only fossil fuel plants in Ireland resulting in a significant variation between primary energy and primary energy equivalent. The second concerns Ireland's poor performance to date in limiting GHG emissions in line with its Kyoto target and points to the need for techniques to quantify the potential contribution of renewable energy in achieving the target set. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this paper an energy balance and a greenhouse gas profile has been formulated for the county of Wexford, situated in the south east of Ireland. The energy balance aims to aggregate all energy consumption in the county for the year 2006 across the following sectors; residential, agriculture, commerce and industry, and transport. The results of the energy balance are compared with the previous energy balance of 2001 where it is found that the residential sector is the biggest emitter of CO2 with 38% of total emissions with the transport and industry/commerce sectors sharing second place on 28%. Consumption of oil is seen to have increased significantly in nearly all sectors, accounting for over 70% of the total final energy consumed (TFC) while the total primary energy requirement (TPER) sees oil consumption accounting for 91% of all fuels consumed. To take into account the contribution of agriculture in total GHG emissions the gases CH4 and N2O will be estimated from the agricultural and waste sectors. The results show that methane contributes 25% of total GHG emissions with agriculture being the primary contributor accounting for 36% of total emissions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Rewetting of drained industrial peatlands may reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and promote recolonisation by peat forming plant species. We investigated carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) dynamics over a three-year period in a rewetted industrial peatland in Ireland. Sample plots were established in bare peat, Juncus effusus-Sphagnum cuspidatum, Sphagnum cuspidatum and Eriophorum angustifolium dominated microsites. The relationships between fluxes and environmental variables were examined and regression models were used to provide an estimate of the annual GHG balance for each microsite. All the vegetated microsites were carbon sinks for the duration of the study. Highest uptake occurred in the Eriophorum microsite (146-583 g C m-2 yr-1), followed by Juncus-Sphagnum (35-204 g C m-2 yr-1) and Sphagnum (5-140 g C m-2 yr-1). The bare peat microsite was a source of 37-82 g C m-2 yr-1. No N2O fluxes were detected. Strong inter-annual variation was observed in all microsites, driven by variation in precipitation and subsequent changes in the position of the water table. In terms of Global Warming Potential (GWP), the microsites had either a cooling effect (Eriophorum), a close to neutral effect (Juncus-Sphagnum, Sphagnum) or a warming effect (bare peat) on the climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]