Carbon and Minerals
This sector is mitigating existing industries
How we define it
The Carbon and Minerals sector includes cleantech that mitigates environmental impacts for the oil and gas industry, mining, traditional electricity production, and gray hydrogen production, as well as non-renewable alternatives to those industries.
Why it matters
Decarbonization: Carbon capture is one of the most promising areas of cleantech with direct application to oil and gas operations, enabling the shift from grey hydrogen to blue, and reducing Scope 1 GHG emissions from traditional power production. Most pathways to net-zero emissions by 2050 require sequestering carbon from existing emission sources. Applications for carbon-to-product utilization are as varied as building materials, automotive light-weighting, and textiles.
Fossil fuel displacement: Blue or green hydrogen and renewable natural gas (coupled with methane leak detection and mitigation) can displace a portion of fossil natural gas in the gas grid and significantly reduce GHG emissions.
Industry remediation: Many operations that contribute to the growth of cleantech will never be entirely “green.” Chief among these is mining, which provides essential materials (lithium, nickel, copper, etc.) for clean technologies across the other eight sectors. Adopting mercury control, cyanide disposal, and wastewater treatment — in addition to sourcing renewable energy for mining operations — will reduce life-cycle impacts for solar panels, electric vehicles, and other cleantech.
Metrics
Project Drawdown
The cleantech for this sector contributes to 1 Project Drawdown solution and the reduction/sequestration of 2.65 - 3.23 gigatons of carbon equivalent (2020-2050).
Drawdown Solutions: Nuclear Power
Note: The carbon capture solutions in this sector are an alternate pathway to achieving the same magnitude of GHG reductions shown in the metrics for the Renewable Energy sector.
Key GRI Environmental Standards
Sustainable Development Goals Target 9.4, Target 9.5, Target 12.4, Target 12.5
