Partner Spotlight

Big Sky Carbon Sequestration Partnership

The Big Sky Carbon Sequestration Partnership (BSCSP) is one of seven regional partnerships funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Energy Technology Lab (NETL). The DOE/NETL partnerships were formed "to help determine the best approaches for capturing and permanently storing gases that can contribute to global climate change." The BSCSP includes the states of Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, and South Dakota, and Montana State University is the partnership lead.

Big Sky Carbon Atlas

The Big Sky Carbon Atlas is spatial database and geoportal on carbon sources, sinks, and related infrastructure in the region of the Big Sky Carbon Sequestration Partnership (BSCSP). Public content in the geoportal inlcudes a gallery of thematic maps and an interactive mapping application. Stakeholders in the BSCSP also have password-protected access to additional maps and data downloads.

Static maps available through the Carbon Atlas depict CO 2 point source emissions, projected energy demands, civil and energy infrastructure, geologic formations of potential CO 2 storage, landcover, afforestation potential, and agricultural CO 2 soil fluxes. The interactive map allows users to explore the spatial relationships of these themes by manipulating data layers.

In addition to directly serving these maps, the Atlas feeds regional data to the NATCARB Portal, contributing to a national perspective on carbon sequestration.

History of the Project
Abundant coal and hydropower offer the BSCSP states some of the lowest cost electricity in the nation. However, burning fossil fuels for transportation, electricity generation, and manufacturing emits greenhouse gases that may impact regional and global climate. Thus, the BSCSP is working to determine the most suitable technologies, regulations, and infrastructure needs for carbon capture and sequestration in the region.

The Big Sky Carbon Atlas was developed as an online resource for stakeholders and partners in the BSCSP to explore the spatial characteristics of key physiographic and economic factors affecting BSCSP activities. The Big Sky Institute at Montana State University and the NBII Mountain Prairie Node provide the technical support to develop, maintain, and serve the Carbon Atlas online.

Resources on Carbon Sequestration
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What is Carbon Sequestration?

"Carbon sequestration" is a family of methods for capturing and permanently isolating gases such as CO 2 that otherwise could contribute to global climate change. Affordable and environmentally safe sequestration approaches could offer a way to help mitigate rising atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide.

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