With carbon offsetting, environmental pollution caused by greenhouse gas emissions is tried to be compensated. The more companies and governments turn to renewable energy, and the more carbon emissions are reduced. Carbon offsets that finance renewable energy projects help reduce the carbon intensity of the energy supply. Efforts are being made to reduce the intensity demand of conventional energy channels through energy-saving projects. By balancing, it is aimed to reduce the production cost difference between renewable and conventional (wood, coal, oil and natural gas, fossil, nuclear, river, etc.) energies.
Different types of projects are financed by carbon offsetting. There are three different categories that we will consider. They are explained below one by one.
a. What are Fuel Efficiency Projects?
Energy from fuels such as gas, oil, wood, or coal is replaced by a device that uses less power. Fuel efficiency is a form of efficiency in which heat is used. The potential chemical energies in the fuels of the vehicles express the efficiency of the conversion process into kinetic energy and work. Carbon offsetting is achieved by reducing this emitted carbon dioxide by assuming that the energy demand does not change.
b. What are the Buildings with Energy Efficiency?
Buildings with energy efficiency reduce the amount of energy wasted in buildings with efficient heating, cooling, or lighting systems. About one-third of the total energy consumption in the world is consumed in buildings. As a result of this consumption, 24% of the total carbon dioxide released into the world's atmosphere originates from the energy consumption in buildings. Therefore, replacing light bulbs with LED bulbs highly impacts energy consumption. New buildings will also be able to be built using less carbon-intensive input materials.
c. What are Cogeneration Plants?
Both electricity and heat are produced from the same power source. Thus, it increases the energy efficiency of most power plants that waste the generated energy as heat. Electricity and heat energy are lost from the centers where it is produced until it reaches the places where they will be consumed. By making production at the consumption point, the losses while transmitting energy are also minimized. With a single system, electricity can be produced, buildings can be heated, and hot water needs can be met. Environmental pollution will be prevented by reducing the carbon footprint of the facilities. The external dependency of the facilities on energy supply is reduced. Fossil fuels used for energy production are getting more expensive daily due to both war and supply problems in our world. Unlike cogeneration, when a cooling unit is added to the systems, it is called Trigeneration. In short, it is the conversion of the generated heat and its use for cooling needs.
d. What is Carbon Pension?
Carbon pension includes removing allowances from emissions trading schemes to offset carbon emissions. Volunteer buyers will be able to offset their carbon emissions by purchasing carbon allowances from legally mandated border and trade programs such as the Regional GHG Initiative or the European Emissions Trading Scheme.
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Çağın Ergün
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