Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • G06Q30/00—Commerce
  • G06Q30/06—Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Definitions

• This invention relates to a system of generating carbon offsets in animal husbandry by using a product that reduces greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the digestive tract of animals (especially methane emissions in ruminant animals).
• GFG greenhouse gas
• GHG greenhouse gas emissions
• the microbials in the rumen produces pyruvate.
• This pyruvate can be transformed in volatile fatty acids (indirect in acetate and butyrate or directly in propionate).
• pyruvate can be transformed in C0 2 and H 2> too and afterwards in methane.
• the methane production is in other words as a consequence out of this, a microbial driven process to remove hydrogen.
• This transformation in methane is a loss for the ruminant. Therefore the aim to manipulate the rumen carbohydrate fermentation is between else the mitigation of methane production which leads to a loss of between 3 and 8 % of the gross energy uptake.
• the intention is to use the methane reduction properties of the management system or the feed components and feed additives to create carbon offsets. A carbon offset registration for methane emissions from the digestive activities of ruminants does not exist worldwide.
• a certification process is necessary. Such a certification process is based on a methodology to be accepted by the responsible governmental authority. A methodology for the certification of the mitigating effect of the use of a product that reduces GHG emissions from the digestive tract of animals does not exist.
• a number of practices to reduce the GHG emissions from the digestive tract of animals are known, e.g. improved management (e.g. grazing management, soil testing, appropriate water sources, preventive health program, etc.), type of diet, (for ruminants, e.g. cellulose, hemicellulose vs. starch), the feed processing, (grinding and pelleting of forages), addition of lipids to the feed (mainly fish or soy oil), animal genetic or other .
• alterations in for example the ruminal microflora are performed such as e.g. defaunation (reduction/elimination of protozoa), or by feeding of feed additives such as ionophores (monensin), chloroform , PUFA (alternative hydrogen receptor), organic acid (e.g. Fumaric acid), nitrates, other chemicals (BES or amichloral), and feeding of botanicals/plant extracts /phytogenic feed additives.
• feed additives such as ionophores (monensin), chloroform , PUFA (alternative hydrogen receptor), organic acid (e.g. Fumaric acid), nitrates, other chemicals (BES or amichloral), and feeding of botanicals/plant extracts /phytogenic feed additives.
• a carbon offset is a reduction in emissions of carbon dioxide or greenhouse gases made in order to compensate for or to offset an emission made elsewhere.
• Carbon offsets are measured in metric tons of carbon dioxide-equivalent (CO 2 e) and may represent six primary categories of greenhouse gases (GHG).
• the categories include: carbon dioxide (C0 2 ), methane (CH 4 ), nitrous oxide (N2O), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), and sulfur hexafluoride (SF 6 ).
• One carbon offset represents the reduction of one metric ton of carbon dioxide or its equivalent in other greenhouse gases.
• the system of the current invention can be generally used in both the compliance market and the voluntary market.
• Offsets are typically achieved through financial support of projects that reduce the emission of greenhouse gases in the short- or long-term.
• the most common project type is renewable energy such as wind farms, biomass energy, or hydroelectric dams.
• Others include energy efficiency projects, the destruction of industrial pollutants or agricultural byproducts, destruction of landfill methane, and forestry projects.
• the invention relates to a method of generating and trading carbon offset by employing the following steps:
• the management system comprises a feed, or a feeding system and/or veterinary health components.
• the feed comprises a feed additive.
• the feed additive is a medicinal feed additive.
• the feed additive is a phytogenic feed additive.
• the feed additive comprises an essential oil.
• the generated carbon offset is traded in a trading system for carbon offset by offering an e-trading platform and a process for automatically certifying the generation of a carbon offset.
• Alternative trading platforms can be employed as well.
• One aspect of the current invention is directed to a carbon offset generating system comprising a network device realizing a carbon offset information server, the carbon offset information server has a communication interface for allowing, in use the carbon offset information server to communicate with a plurality of remote user devices , a physically separate and optionally a remotely located carbon offset registry server and comprising a processor designed or configured to communicate with the remote user device and with the carbon offset registering server via a communication interface wherein,
• a unique specific identifier is created for a product that reduces greenhouse gas emissions from the digestive tract of animals;
• this unique specific identifier is communicated to the manufacturer of a product that reduces greenhouse gas emissions from the digestive tract of animals and the carbon offset information server; c) such identifier is connected with an object that is physically attached to a product that reduces greenhouse gas emissions from the digestive tract of animals;
• a remote user device detects the specific identifier on the object attached to such product ;
• the remote user device communicates with the carbon offset information server via the communication interface
• the carbon offset information server calculates the generated carbon offset based on the specific identifier.
• the greenhouse gas is methane.
• the animals are livestock animals, especially, ruminant animals, preferably cattle.
• the product that reduces greenhouse gas emissions from the digestive tract of animals is selected from a feed or a feeding system and/or veterinary health components.
• the product that reduces greenhouse gas emissions from the digestive tract of animals is a feed additive, especially a medicinal feed additive.
• the product that reduces greenhouse gas emissions from the digestive tract of animals is a phytogenic feed additive, especially an essential oil.
• the specific identifier is a bar code.
• the specific identifier is physically attached to a product resulting from a processing step.
• the remote user device is a located at a farm and/or feed mill.
• the current invention provides a method that allows the user of a product for use in in animal husbandry e.g. the end user, e.g. a farmer to generate carbon offsets from the purchase of products or services that lead to the reduction of methane emissions from a livestock animal, especially a ruminant animal.
• Livestock animals are animals that are raised to produce either milk, eggs, meat or wool or fur for human consumption or use.
• Livestock animals are e.g. warm-blooded animals, such as cattle, pigs, sheep and goats, poultry such as chickens, turkeys and geese, fur-bearing animals such as mink, foxes, chinchillas, rabbits and the like.
• ruminant animals are cattle, sheep, coat, camelids and llamas.
• Especially preferred livestock animals are cattle animals, which are raised to produce meat or milk for human consumption (e.g. of genus Bos taurus or Bos indicus: e.g. cattle, buffalo, zebu, yak).
• meat or milk for human consumption e.g. of genus Bos taurus or Bos indicus: e.g. cattle, buffalo, zebu, yak.
• Such a product can be e.g. a feed additive, a veterinary product, or other physical products that are sold to farmers e.g. a service for ruminant animals to improve a feeding system.
• Feed may take the form of feed materials, compound feed, feed additives, pre-mixtures or medicated feedingstuffs.
• a feed additive is a product which provides a particular effect/need in a relatively concentrated form. Feed additives tend to fall into certain categories which describe their action in the feed or in the animal, these categories being given below: technological additives, sensory additives, nutritional additives, zootechnical additives, coccidiostats and histomonostats (www.fefana.org).
• Phytogenic additives are plant derivate products (natural or synthetically produced) used as additive in animal feed.
• Essential oils are any of a large class of volatile odoriferous oils of vegetable origin that give plants their characteristic odours and often other properties, that are obtained from various parts of the plants (as flowers, leaves, bark or roots) by steam distillation, that are usually mixtures of compounds (as aldehydes, phenols or esters), and that are used often in the form of essences in perfumes, flavourings, and pharmaceutical preparations.
• the product is a feed additive that reduces the GHG emissions from the digestive tract of animals, in particular the methane emission in a ruminant animal.
• a feed additive is a phytogenetic feed additive.
• phytogenetic feed additive comprises one or more botanicals especially essential oils.
• Such products are e.g. mentioned but not limited to FEMA list and described in WO 2003/094628.
• the product is a bolus for intraruminal administration as it is known in the art. Such bolus can comprise a feed additive, especially one or more essential oils.
• the manufacturer of a product that reduces the GHG emissions from the digestive tract animals in particular methane emissions in ruminant animals registers such product with a carbon offset registering entity.
• a carbon offset registering entity is a governmental authority or in the voluntary market another appointed entity that issues carbon offsets.
• Such carbon offset registering entity has a carbon offset registry server that hosts information about products that reduce greenhouse gas, e.g. methane emissions and carbon credits.
• the manufacturer of a product provides to such carbon offset registering entity evidence of the methane reduction achieved by the use of such product for ruminant animals and the carbon offset registering entity calculates and assigns the carbon offsets that the user of such product is entitled to.
• Such information is then linked to a specific identifier.
• the information about the product, the carbon offset that this product is entitled to and the specific identifier that has been assigned to such product is stored at a carbon offset information server.
• an identifier for the product that reduces GHG emissions is issued, eventually by the carbon offset registering entity or others.
• Such identifier is then physically attached to a product / connected to the product that reduces GHG emissions when delivered to a customer.
• Such physical attachment/ connection can be e.g. to print a bar code on the packaging of the product, provide stickers with bar-codes together with the product, print a bar code on invoices or bills of delivery.
• Suitable specific identifiers are in general unique identification means, e.g. an individual code, especially a barcode or alternative letter codes, number codes, symbols or combination thereof.
• the manufacturer of the product provides such specific identifier together with the product to the customer that buys such GHG emission reducing product. If the product is further processed, the identifier is provided to the customer with the further processed product until it is finally applied/ administered by the end user (e.g. farmer) to the animals. Hence the unique identifier serves as a tracer.
• the product is further processed and e.g. blended with other products.
• a feed additive first a concentrate of the feed additive is produced that is then mixed with general feed components such as grain or other inert fillers, e.g. lactose etc.
• general feed components such as grain or other inert fillers, e.g. lactose etc.
• the resulting product that contains a blended concentrate is called pre-mix.
• a further processing step e.g. at a feed-mill
• such premix is incorporated into regular animal, especially ruminant feed.
• the result of such processing step is called feed or concentrate.
• steps are alone or together referred to as processing steps.
• the specific identifier for the carbon offset needs to be transferred from the feed mill (direct customer of the manufacturer of the product) to the end user. This can be achieved by e.g. the manufacturer issuing multiple labels that are transferred to the end user.
• a fourth step the user that buys the product with said specific identifier and administers the product that reduces the methane emission to ruminant livestock animals or the manufacturer of the GHG mitigating product can send such identifier to a carbon offset information entity.
• the carbon offset information entity links the specific identifier for the product that reduces methane emissions with information that it has in the carbon offset information server.
• the carbon offset information entity based on this information calculates the carbon offset by the use of the product by the end user and applies for carbon offset for such product with the carbon offset registering entity.
• the carbon offset registering entity issues carbon credits for the use of the product. Such carbon offset can be then traded.
• a system for executing the method as described above includes a carbon offset information server,, an identifier, a remote user device, a carbon offset registry server and one or more remote resources.
• Such system comprises a network device realizing a carbon offset information server, the carbon offset information server has a communication interface for allowing, in use the carbon offset information server to communicate with a plurality of remote end user devices , a physically separate and remotely located carbon offset registry server and comprising a processor designed or configured to communicate with the remote user device and with the carbon offset registering server via a communication interface wherein,
• a unique identifier is created e.g. by the carbon offset registry server or others for a product that reduces methane emissions from the digestive tract of ruminant animals;
• this identifier is used by the manufacturer of a product that reduces GHG emissions from the digestive tract of animals, in particular methane in ruminant animals and the carbon offset information server;
• such identifier is connected with an object that is physically attached to a product that reduces methane emissions from the digestive tract of ruminant animals;
• a remote user device detects the identifier on the object attached to such product ;
• the remote user device communicates with the carbon offset information server via the communication interface
• the carbon offset information server calculates the generated carbon offset based on the identifier.
• the carbon offset information server is located at a carbon offset information entity that collects information about products that are eligible for carbon offsets and specific identifiers and includes means to link such information.
• the steps of generating specific identifiers and transmitting such identifiers to the manufacturer and the carbon offset information entity can employ any of myriad well-known technologies, including bar codes, data glyphs, metadata, file header information, RF ID, UV/IR identifiers, organic transistors, and other machine-readable indicia and techniques for associating plural-bit digital data with an electronic or physical object.
• the detailed embodiment employs bar codes technology, although this is illustrative only.
• the remote user device (as used by the end user, e.g. a farmer or by a party that processes the product further e.g. a feed mill) interacts with the object that comprises the specific identifier connected to the product that reduces methane emission from the ruminant digestive system, e.g. the product packaging or the invoice or customer cards or if electronically, computer files.
• the object by which the specific identifier has been attached to the product can be electronic or not.
• Electronic objects can include computer files, representations of audio, video, or still imagery (e.g., files or in streaming form), etc.
• Non-electronic objects can include physical objects such as, product packaging or labels, invoices, package inserts, customer cards, etc.
• the remote user device for use in the current invention is a device that interferes with the specific identifier and is able to communicate with the carbon offset information server.
• the remote user device can take many different forms, e.g., a cell phone, a personal digital assistant (e.g., a Palm Pilot), a personal computer, a (barcode) scanning system, a fax etc.
• the remote user device When used with non-electronic objects, the remote user device typically includes some form of sensor or transducer to produce electronic signals or data corresponding to the specific identifier on the object. Examples include CCD- or CMOS-based optical sensors (either as part of still— or video cameras, flatbed scanners, mice, or otherwise), microphones, barcode scanners, RF ID sensors, mag stripe readers, etc.
• the sensor may be coupled to associated interface electronics, which in turn may be coupled to device driver software which in turn may be coupled to one or more applications.
• a software program serves to communicate the specific identifier data from the remote user device to the carbon offset information server through a communication interface (e.g., the internet).
• the carbon offset information server communicates with the physically separate and remotely located carbon offset registry server via such communication interface (e.g. the internet) is
• FIG. 1 One example of a carbon offset generating system is illustrated in Figure 1.

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Cited By (4)

Citations (1)

• 2012
  • 2012-12-14 WO PCT/IB2012/002710 patent/WO2013088232A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation

Patent Citations (1)

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