Request for Proposals: ERW Field Data Partnership Grants
Cascade is excited to solicit research proposals between $20,000 and $200,000 that aim to collect high-quality ERW field datasets on existing deployments. Proposals will be awarded to scientific partnerships, in which Deployment Partners agree to open up an existing deployment site for additional monitoring and help coordinate logistics, and Researchers co-propose a study, collect and analyze the data, and publish the results.
We believe that this partnership model—in which researchers “piggyback” on existing deployments to carry out additional measurements—can accelerate the collection of novel field datasets in ERW. These partnerships can tackle high-priority research questions at decreased logistical and cost burden for researchers, and enable greater scientific learning from the current wave of commercial ERW activity.
Enhanced rock weathering (ERW) is a carbon dioxide removal (CDR) strategy that involves the spreading of alkaline feedstocks (e.g., silicates, carbonates, or other alkaline materials) on agricultural soils. In the last few years, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of commercial ERW deployments globally driven by voluntary carbon market demand. The quantification of carbon removal in an ERW deployment is complex, and involves a range of biogeochemical fluxes that can impact the net carbon balance across soil systems, groundwater, surface water systems, and the ocean. (See Cascade’s recently published, ‘Foundations for Carbon Dioxide Removal Quantification in ERW Deployments’↗).
For ERW deployments to be economically feasible at scale, it is highly likely that quantification of CDR will need to shift from “measurement-driven” to being increasingly reliant on biogeochemical models. Currently, models cannot reliably predict and quantify the net carbon balance resulting from ERW deployments, particularly across heterogeneous environments.
In the context of commercial ERW deployments, common quantification practice today1 is to directly measure the release of base cations from the feedstock and subsequent cation or dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) export within the top 20-30 cm of the soil profile2. A key bottleneck for present modeling efforts, and for our broader understanding of rock weathering and solute transport dynamics, is a lack of high-quality measurements of biogeochemical processes in ERW deployments beyond the initial dissolution of the feedstock in surface soils. While not typically measured at high resolution in commercial deployments, these processes are still critical to constraining the net climate impact of an ERW project, and so field data is needed to better calibrate and validate future models.
The Objective
We welcome research proposals between $20,000 and $200,000 that aim to collect and publish high-quality ERW field datasets on existing or planned deployments, that go beyond typical commercial expectations for CDR quantification (e.g., beyond feedstock dissolution measurements in shallow soils). In these scientific partnerships, Deployment Partners agree to open up an existing or upcoming deployment site for additional monitoring and help coordinate logistics, and Researchers co-propose a study, collect and analyze the data, and publish the results.
We believe that this partnership model—in which researchers “piggyback” on existing deployments by carrying out measurements that go beyond what is already planned—will accelerate the collection of novel field datasets in ERW. It offers an attractive avenue for tackling high-priority research questions by decreasing the logistical and cost burden for researchers, while extracting even greater scientific learning value from the current wave of commercial ERW activity.
We expect that initial measurements characterizing the feedstock and initial soil conditions, as well as measurements of feedstock dissolution rates in surface soils, are already paid for in the deployment through some other means (e.g. commercial carbon credit sales). Thus, this RFP will not fund the collection of these Contextual Data variables; it will fund only the collection of the ‘additional’ dataset (e.g., sample collection and lab analyses) along with associated research and analysis.
Priority Topic Areas
We seek proposals that build upon the data typically collected in ERW commercial deployments, beyond the initial release and export of cations from the feedstock in surface soils. We welcome the creativity of the ERW community to propose the collection of any datasets that would advance the field. Below are some topic areas of particular interest:
Measurement of secondary phases (e.g., silicates, carbonates, Fe- and Al-oxyhydroxides, amorphous phases) in deep soil cores (>50 cm)
Measurement of the components of the carbonate system and/or cations in waters that drain ERW deployments (e.g., groundwater/porewater, tile drains, or low-order streams)
Measurement of greenhouse gas fluxes (N2O, CH4, CO2)
Cation sorption in deep soil cores
Soil organic carbon stock monitoring
Research proposals focused on collecting field data to inform health and safety impacts of ERW (e.g., the transport and speciation of trace metals) will also be considered.
The following are not in scope for this RFP:
Direct funding of new ERW deployments or field trials (e.g. feedstock transportation, logistics, spreading)
Measurements that are often required for commercial MRV — see Appendix A for full list of Contextual Data expected at the deployment site. In some circumstances, if additional measurements of one or more of the Contextual Data variables is needed in order to increase the resolution of data collection already planned by the Deployment Partner, this request can be included in the proposal and funding will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Important Dates
The proposals will be due on December 20th, 2024 at 11:59pm ET, and funding decisions will be made by no later than February 6th, 2025. For proposals that have a start date in Spring 2025, Cascade can provide a letter that specifies our intent to fund the project upon selection.
Applications should be no longer than four to eight pages (exclusive of supporting information), and should be submitted via this form↗. Applicants are welcome to include figures and references to papers, preprints, and similar as a part of the application; please have all citations at the end of the document. Applicants are advised to not share any information that is considered confidential or a trade secret.
The Cascade team will also be hosting an open information and Q&A session on Thursday, November 14th, 2024 at 12:00PM ET.Register Here↗
For additional questions related to this RfP or the proposal process, please contact the Cascade Climate RFP Team at [email protected]↗. Potential applicants are also encouraged to bring their questions to our webinar and Q&A session for this RFP, scheduled for Thursday, November 14th at 12PM ET. This will be recorded and made available on the Cascade website.
Q&A
On Thursday, November 14th at 12PM ET, Cascade Climate held a webinar to answer questions about this solicitation. The webinar began with a short presentation of these slides RFP webinar↗, and then transitioned to Q&A. The recording↗ of the Q&A is available via the link (passcode: ae0ND@Yd); please note that we erroneously stated that “the Researcher could only be from an academic or non-profit institution.” This was not consistent with the wording of the solicitation, and we’ve addressed this in the FAQ below.
Partnership
Can the Researcher be from a private company?
Yes. Any scientific researcher with the necessary expertise and instrumentation to carry out the collection, analysis, and publication of a proposed dataset may apply to this RFP. (Note: During the webinar, we erroneously stated that the Researcher could only be from an academic or non-profit institution. This was not consistent with the wording of the solicitation.)
Can the Research Partner and Deployment Partner be at the same Organization?
No. The Researcher and Deployment Partner cannot be from the same organization.
If the Deployment Partner is from outside Northern America and Europe, can the Researcher be from Northern America and Europe?
This solicitation has no limitations on the nationalities of either partner. There will be special consideration given to proposals that collect data on fields outside of Northern America and Europe. Please refer to the Selection Criteria section of the solicitation for full details on special considerations.
Are there limits on the number of grant applications per Deployment Partner, or institution?
No. There are no limits on the number of grant applications per institution.
Funding
What is the anticipated funding size?
We welcome research proposals between $20,000 and $200,000.
Can the funding be used to support the salary of post-docs and students?
For staff and research scientists not in non-PI or co-PI roles, as well as postdoctoral, graduate and/or undergraduate research assistants, the grant can provide salary support and related benefits, including graduate student tuition. Please refer to the Allowable Expenses section of the solicitation for full details.
Researchers at universities are often required to submit proposals to RFPs through the institution at some agreed overhead rate. Will proposals be accepted through institutions and at what overhead rate?
Indirect costs may be included but must not exceed 10% of the total project budget. Please refer to the Indirect Costs section of the solicitation for full details.
Can a proposal include co-funding?
Applicants must include a proposed budget in their application. If this proposal includes other funding sources, the budget should explain how costs will be allocated between this proposal and other funding sources, and also include an explanation of the status of the other funding sources (i.e., funds received, awaiting funds, proposal submitted, etc.)
Data
How will data be managed? And potential patents treated?
Please see the Data Sharing Requirements section of the solicitation for full details. Intellectual property will remain the property of the awardee, and we will work with awardees to define grant terms accordingly.
Scope
Are ERW deployments in coastal environments, mine tailings, and other settings beyond soils in scope?
Only field data from ERW deployments on soils is in scope.
Does this solicitation support work on new field trials if the Deployment Partner is funding feedstock, spreading, and MRV?
Yes.
How do you handle Deployment Partners that do not plan to conduct MRV?
Measurements that are generally required for commercial MRV are not within the scope of this solicitation. For proposals where the Deployment Partner does not plan to conduct MRV, there should be an explanation for how relevant Contextual Data will be collected and the funding source for Contextual Data collection. Please refer to the Appendix A of the solicitation for a detailed description of Contextual Data.
Are additional proxies (e.g. stable isotopes, granulometry) within scope?
Yes. We welcome the creativity of the ERW community to propose the collection of any datasets that would advance the field.
In addition to these “Near-Field Zone” measurements, models or geochemical calculations are frequently used to calculate conservative loss estimates associated with downstream loss processes in surface water and marine systems.
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Cascade Climate