[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 155 (Monday, August 12, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65602-65603]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-17849]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Institute of Standards and Technology


Carbon Dioxide Removal Consortium

AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology, Department of 
Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of research consortium.

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SUMMARY: The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), an 
agency of the United States Department of Commerce, in support of 
efforts to develop standards for carbon dioxide removal, is 
establishing the Carbon Dioxide Removal Consortium (``Consortium''). 
The Consortium will bring together stakeholders to identify and address 
measurement and standards needs related to carbon dioxide removal used 
to reduce the overall atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration. The 
Consortium efforts are intended to develop measurement solutions and 
support the development of widely accepted standards to improve 
measurement confidence, measurement traceability and comparability of 
carbon dioxide removal through nature-based, enhanced nature-based, and 
engineered pathways, with an initial focus on forests and direct air 
capture. Participants will be required to sign a Cooperative Research 
and Development Agreement (CRADA).

DATES: The Consortium's activities will commence on Sept 1, 2024 
(``Commencement Date''). NIST will accept letters of interest to 
participate in this Consortium on an ongoing basis.

ADDRESSES: Completed letters of interest or requests for additional 
information about the Consortium can be directed via mail to the 
Consortium Manager, Dr. Pamela Chu, Material Measurement Laboratory, 
100 Bureau Drive, Mail Stop 8320, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899, or via 
electronic mail to [email protected], or by telephone at (301) 975-
2988.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: J'aime Maynard, Consortia Agreements 
Officer, National Institute of Standards and Technology's Technology 
Partnerships Office, by mail to 100 Bureau Drive, Mail Stop 2200, 
Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899, by electronic mail to 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: There is a significant effort underway to 
reduce global carbon dioxide emissions. In addition to transitioning to 
clean energy sources, increasing energy efficiencies, and deploying 
carbon capture, use, and storage, atmospheric carbon dioxide removal 
(CDR) is being developed and deployed to compensate for remaining hard-
to-abate emissions and work towards drawing down the current 
atmospheric CO2 concentration level. Industry is developing 
a variety of CDR techniques including multiple different nature-based, 
enhanced nature-based, and engineered solutions. Given the number and 
diversity of carbon removal pathways, a variety of measurements, 
models, and data are needed to quantify carbon dioxide removed. 
Ultimately, quality-assured measurements and

[[Page 65603]]

associated measurement uncertainties are required to quantify carbon 
removals and/or validate models that estimate the amount of carbon 
removed. The quantification of carbon removal in closed engineered 
systems, such as direct air capture, is reasonably straightforward. In 
contrast, quantifying carbon removal in dispersed natural and hybrid 
systems is extremely challenging. The scientific understanding, 
measurements, and models of these complex systems are still evolving; 
enhanced measurements and data are needed to improve and validate the 
models. Furthermore, advanced technologies that enhance applicability 
and accuracy are needed to expand current measurement capabilities. 
This will enable the acquisition of high-quality data, at appropriate 
spatial and temporal resolutions, over sufficient time to quantify the 
carbon uptake and verify that the carbon remains sequestered over the 
period claimed. Moreover, to be economically viable, the measurement 
and monitoring capabilities must be available at reasonable costs to 
deploy, scale, and maintain. Ultimately, measurement science along with 
SI traceability are critical tools to increase data veracity, quality, 
and objectivity and thus build quality and confidence in the carbon 
removal quantification.
    The initial focus of this consortium is to evaluate, develop, and 
standardize methods to characterize and quantify the carbon removal by 
(1) forests and (2) direct air capture. Test methods to specifically 
measure carbon in these systems will be explored. A later focus of the 
consortium will be to evaluate the suitability of current measurement 
standards for carbon removal in additional pathways prioritized by 
through stakeholder input and, where appropriate, develop new test 
methods needed to help build quality and confidence in the carbon 
removal marketplace. NIST and consortia partners will perform research 
together with the following four goals:
     Evaluate the suitability of current measurement approaches 
to quantify aspects of carbon dioxide removal.
     Validate the repeatability and comparability of the 
current measurement methods.
     Identify areas where measurements, models, and data should 
be expanded and enhanced to provide fit-for-purpose capabilities.
     Use these measurements as a foundation for test method(s) 
that can be standardized through a consensus-based standards 
development organization.
    No proprietary information will be shared as part of the 
Consortium. Participants are expected to provide subject matter 
expertise and to actively participate in the consortium with the goal 
of developing measurement solutions to support the development of 
industry standards.

Participation Process

    Eligibility to participate in the Consortium will be determined by 
NIST based on the information provided by prospective participants in 
response to this notice. NIST will evaluate the submitted responses 
from prospective participants to determine eligibility to participate 
in this Consortium. Consortium members are expected to contribute 
expertise related to carbon dioxide removal such as knowledge as a 
researcher, project developer, evaluator, purchaser, related 
experience, etc. that addresses the measurement, verification, and 
reporting of carbon dioxide removal. Prospective participants should 
provide a letter of interest with the following information to NIST's 
Consortium Manager:
    (1) A description of their specific experience in or knowledge of 
carbon dioxide removal.
    (2) List of interested party's anticipated project team and a 
contracts or legal contact for the CRADA.
    Letters of interest must not include business proprietary 
information. NIST will not treat any information provided in response 
to this notice as proprietary information. NIST will notify each 
organization of its eligibility. In order to participate in this 
Consortium, each eligible organization will be required to sign a 
Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with NIST. All 
participants in the Consortium that are legally permitted to enter into 
a CRADA will be bound by the same terms and conditions. Organizations 
that are legally prohibited or not legally authorized to enter into a 
CRADA may, at NIST's discretion, be permitted to participate in the 
Consortium under an agreement other than a CRADA with terms that will 
differ, as necessary, from the terms of the CRADA. NIST does not 
guarantee participation in the Consortium to any organization 
submitting a letter of interest.
    Authority: 15 U.S.C. 3710a.

Alicia Chambers,
NIST Executive Secretariat.
[FR Doc. 2024-17849 Filed 8-9-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-13-P