We’ve created this “Evidence Hub” as a one stop shop for papers providing a thorough and unbiased examination of scientific evidence and research surrounding all aspects of the BECCS value chain.
It seeks to identify areas of consensus, controversy, and where information is insufficient to draw a robust conclusion. We will add papers to this area as they become available.
If you’re a researcher with an idea of a topic that you would like to explore for our evidence hub, contact us.
Evidence Hub documents
Do we need carbon removals?
The Paris Agreement sets out a goal to limit global warming to 2°C or less, which requires rapid and substantiative cuts to greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs). Most scenarios for limiting global warming by 2050 require some degree of carbon removals, through engineered solutions, afforestation and land use change, or a combination of them all.
Report by Dr Alicia Newton, Senior Scientific Officer, Drax
How do greenhouse gas emissions influence climate?
This synthesis reviews how human activities have altered the carbon cycle, and how the release of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane, and non-carbon greenhouse gases (GHGs) have affected the Earth’s climate. We also assess the impacts of current and future emissions on climate stability and extreme weather.
Report by Dr Alicia Newton, Senior Scientific Officer, Drax
Evaluating global CDR uptake in modelled scenarios
This report synthesises and evaluates the outputs of climate mitigation scenarios from the IPCC, IEA, and other sources with the latest research on Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) technologies. It assesses the type, efficacy and potential of CDR techniques deployed in the scenarios as well as the magnitude of deployment, what drives the deployment and the potential benefits and risks of each approach. The report also explores the variance in estimates between studies and the assumptions that underpin those analyses.
Drax summary by Dr Gareth Johnson, Head of CCS Sustainability, Drax
Report by Dr Matthew Ives and Dr Steve Smith, University of Oxford
Comparative carbon footprint of uses of wood residues and low-grade roundwood
This report evaluates the climate impact of different end-uses of wood residues and low-grade roundwood (pulpwood) using lifecycle assessment (LCA).
It calculates greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from ‘forest gate’ to product end-of-life for bioenergy, bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), biochar, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), pulp and paper, and oriented strand board (OSB, a type of wood panel). The assessment includes emissions from the production and use of the wood products and potential avoided emissions from substitution for non-wood product alternatives.
Drax summary by Dr Eilidh Forster, Head of Forest Carbon, Drax
Report by Dr Caroline Gaudreault, Anthesis
