Enhancing COMET-FarmTM and COMET-PlannerTM
for User Utility, Effectiveness,
and Market Purposes
Adam Chambers
Natural Resources Conservation Service
Environmental Markets Leader
Portland, OR
Mark Easter, Amy Swan, Keith Paustian, and Kevin Brown
Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, CO
Outline
• COMET Tools Update – Science, Science, Transparency and Markets
• COMET Tool Enhancements completed in 2015
• Planned Tool Enhancements for 2016
• Fine-tuning the COMET Tools for GHG Markets -> Discussion and Feedback
COMET Tools Status Update
• Carbon Footprint, COMET Tools development, Supply Chains, Offsets
• Science - Partnership with CSU ~ dedication to continual improvement
• Science - California Specialty Crops
• Engagement with the Climate Hubs
• Science - National Inventory efforts
• Transparency - Outreach, Training & Help Desk
• Transparency – Open source
• Markets – C-AGG partnership
Adding California Specialty Crops to COMET-FarmTM
A Collaboration Involving:
Adam Chambers – Portland
California State Office Staff
Amrith Gunasekara
Sacramento
Kerri Steenwerth
Davis
Keith Paustian, Mark Easter, Amy Swan et al.
Fort Collins
Marci Baranski
OCE - CCPO, Washington, DC
College of Ag Sci
Fort Collins
Will Horwath, Martin Burger
Davis
Tools for Conservation Scenario Analysis
COMET-FarmTM
Conservation
Practices
Tillage
Reduction
Baseline Scenario
(Business as Usual)
Compare GHG
Benefits on
the Same
Balance Sheet
Improved
Fertilizer
Management
Add
Cover Crops
COMET-PlannerTM
Business as Usual
Conservation
Practice
=
Practice
Benefit
• Entity level
• User-specific
• Dynamic &
Empirical Models
(“Tier 3”)
• Synergisms of
Multiple Practices
• Reduced
Uncertainty
• More Data Entry
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Multi-State Level
Emperical Models
Higher Uncertainty
3-Click Tool
COMET Tool Enhancements in 2015
• COMET-FarmTM
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Alignment with USDA Entity-Level Methods Document
Example Demonstration Projects added for all Modules
PDF File Tutorials, Streaming Webinars Available on youtube
Processing tomatoes, bioenergy crops & cover crops added
Streamlined data entry for rice production
Agroforestry models updated to latest FIA models, projections extend to 50 years
Graphical Reports now available
• COMET-PlannerTM
• Additional Detail added on practices for N Management, Organic Matter Additions
Planned Enhancements for 2016
• COMET-FarmTM
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Adding California specialty crops to COMET-Farm
Rapid data entry features
COMET-Farm/Planner API Web Service – allow model runs from other web tools
Fully Integrate livestock grazing into pasture, rangeland and cropland systems
Agroforestry links to U.S. GHG Inventory
Outreach efforts to expand
Release COMET-FarmTM and COMET-PlannerTM into the Open Source Environment
• COMET-PlannerTM
• Link COMET-PlannerTM to COMET-FarmTM via meta-analysis
• Improve spatial resolution
• Make improvements based on lessons learned from specialty crop work
California Specialty Crops in COMET-FarmTM
Crops List:
Processing
Tomatoes
Almonds
Walnuts
Strawberries
Pistachios
Lettuce
Grapes
Broccoli
Citrus
Cauliflower
Peaches/
Nectaries
We will improve the improve the COMET-FarmTM GUI and
management options based on these cropping systems.
Prunes/
Plums
Rapid Data Entry in COMET-FarmTM
Select from list of dominant crop rotations and dominant practices for the region
– or –
Users may build their own crop rotations
COMET-FarmTM/PlannerTM API Web Service:
Allow model runs from other web tools
“Outside” Users:
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Registries
Aggregators
Agencies
Others?
COMET-FarmTM &
USDA GHG Methods:
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Croplands
Livestock
Agroforestry/Forestry
Agroforestry in the COMET tools & U.S. GHG Inventory
• COMET-FarmTM agroforestry
carbon stock models consistent
with other woody carbon models
in the U.S. GHG Inventory
• Testing a potential national
inventory method for agroforestry
using these models in Iowa.
• Extend what we learn in Iowa to
Land Resource Regions in the Corn
Belt and Great Plains.
Integrate Livestock Grazing into COMET-FarmTM
• Users will be able to identify whether
systems are cash crops, cover crops or
pasture/rangeland systems
• Grazing offtake will be added to the “Crop
and Planting Date” panel in Current and
Future Management sections
• Grazing can be done on any system at any
time: pasture, rangeland, cover crops
before burn down, corn stubble after
harvest, winter wheat in spring, etc.
Expanded Outreach Efforts
In 2015 we focused
on California
In 2016 we will expand outreach
to the entire lower 48 states.
Release COMET-FarmTM in Open Source Environment
• Maximum Transparency about how
Methods Doc’t was implemented.
• Improve collaboration opportunities:
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Registries
Other Government Agencies
Non-Governmental Agencies
Extend our work to others
• Will Include Calculation Modules,
Cropland/Livestock/Forestry GUIs,
Reporting, Databases
COMET-PlannerTM Improvements
• Link COMET-PlannerTM to COMET-FarmTM via meta-analysis approach
• Fully align COMET-FarmTM and COMET-PlannerTM
• Implement the USDA Methods Document methods COMET-PlannerTM
• Improve spatial resolution (currently multi-state, make data state-level or MLRA-level)
• Potential improvements using “lessons learned” from specialty crop work
• Make available via API web service to other users, other tools
• Release into the Open Source Environment
How can we continue to improve the COMET Tools?
• Where can we improve the tools to reduce project costs?
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Graphical User Interface Improvements?
Reports?
Crops and Management Practices?
Mapping, large-scale, multi-partner projects?
• How can we continue to expand the user base?
• The Colorado State University / C-AGG Collaboration Begins Now
• Workshops at the 2016 March and July C-Agg meetings to focus on GUI, Reporting
Thank You
Improve reporting for GHG Offset Markets
Designate Year
Management Practice
Changed