Judith Russenberger

Counting on …day 89

17th June 2025

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is one of the low carbon processes promoted by fossil fuel companies as a low carbon product. CCS involves three stages:-

Capturing the CO2 for storage – The CO2 is separated from other gases produced in industrial processes, such as those at coal and natural-gas-fired power generation plants, or steel or cement works..
Transport – The CO2 is compressed and transported via pipelines, road transport or ships to a site for storage.
Finally, the CO2 is injected into rock formations deep underground for permanent storage. (1)

CCS has been put forward as part of the global net zero ambition to tackle those industrial processes where it is difficult to reduce or remove carbon emissions – eg iron ore smelting, cement making and a small number of similar chemical manufacturing processes that unavoidably produce CO2 as a by-product.

However CCS is still a technology in its infancy and currently has a negligible impact on reducing carbon emissions globally. It is also expensive and does itself require additional energy inputs.

“[There are] 50 operational CCUS projects globally, with about 44 under construction and more than 500 in some stage of planning. Operational projects are capturing about 50 million metric tons of CO2 per year (MtCO2/yr). If all projects in development were complete, estimated total CCUS capacity would be between 416 and 520 MtCO2/yr, which is around 0.9%-1.1% of today’s global greenhouse gas emissions.” (1)

In the UK the Net Zero Teeside Power (NZT Power) project is being developed to capture the carbon emissions from a new gas-fired power station. The power station will be located in the Tees estuary and it’s CO2 will be stored under the North Sea. The 743MW power station will probably supply about 1 to 1.5% of the UK’s electricity needs. The carbon capture technologies to be used is Shell’s CANSOLV, a technology used previously for CCS at two coal fired power stations. It is an as-yet untried technology for gas power stations. Carbon Commentary comments further on this:-

“Typically, gas power stations emit an exhaust stream which is only about 3.5% CO2, a number far lower than most chemical processes and also well below the concentrations from a coal-fired power station. Capturing CO2 from a gas-fired power station is the most expensive way of reducing emissions from a static source.

“Assuming that the proposed NZT power station typically delivers electricity at an average price of £75 per MWh, the CCS will add between about 50% and about 100% to the cost of the power. The total bill to customers will range from about £112 to approximately £150 per MWh. These figures compared to costs of around £50 for onshore wind and solar.” (2)

CCS is clearly a developing technology but is surely one that is best reserved for decarbonising those manufacturing processes where there is no alternative solution and not as a means of allowing for the continued burning of fossil fuels to generate electricity when there are so many other carbon free options such as wind, solar and tidal.

Green Tau: issue 108

16th June 2025

A different take on ‘chastity’

“Members of the Third Order fight against all such injustice in the name of Christ, in whom there can be neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female; for in him all are one. Our chief object is to reflect that openness to all which was characteristic of Jesus. This can only be achieved in a spirit of chastity, which sees others as belonging to God and not as a means of self-fulfilment.”

At the same workshop I mentioned in Green Tau 107, we also reflected on the above. This is the Franciscan (TSSF – Third Order of the Society of St Francis) principle given for day 8. Its understanding of chastity as not making use of someone else, not using someone else as a means of fulfilling our desires, is noteworthy. Making use of other people is something that is easily done, and often unconsciously.

For example when we buy a cup of coffee, is our desire for the drink being satisfied through the exploitation of underpaid coffee workers in distant parts of the world? Is it being met by the exploitation of café staff who scrape by on a zero hours contract and the minimum wage?

The teaching of St Francis (which itself follows the understanding gained from Genesis 2, Job 38 and psalms 19 and 104 etc) is that all parts of creation – birds and animals, sun and moon, wind and fire, and all manner of plants – and not just fellow humans, are our brothers and sisters and should be respected and treated as such, for they are all created by God and each praises God. So when we are asked to see ‘others as belonging to God and not as a means of self-fulfilment’ then included in all those others, are birds and animals, sun and moon, wind and fire, and all manner of plants etc. We should not be using or exploiting that which God has created as our brethren here on Earth.

For example, if we think to buy a dog, we should not see having that dog as a means of satisfying our own needs – maybe for companionship or protection or as an instagram prop – but as a brother or sister worthy of respect and care.

Or for example, if we buy a pint of milk, we should consider whether our desire for milk is being met by a system that sees a cow as a milk-producing machine that will be slaughtered at at the age of 4 to 6 years.

Or for example, when we fly or drive a petrol car, we should consider whether our desire for travel is being met by a system that sees the atmosphere as a useful place to dispose of greenhouse gas emissions even though that space is already over full.

We don’t live in a perfect world, and many of the systems within which we live are not ones we can readily change – but that should not stop us being aware of the times when we are exploiting others and when we can, changing the way we behave, and when we can’t pressing for change.

For the full set of principles and objectives visit https://tssf.org.uk/tssf-downloads/about-the-third-order/the-principles-of-the-third-order/

Counting on … day 85

16th June 2025

If petrol, diesel and biodiesel fuels are incompatible with net zero carbon targets, how should transport be powered?

On the roads, electric vehicles (EVs or sometimes ZEVs) are one answer, and one favoured by many governments. With the stimulus of subsidies and legislation establishing an end date for the sale of combustion engine cars, EVs are gaining in popularity.

“The UK’s EV sector is gaining momentum, with pure electric cars capturing 21.8% of the market in May 2025. For the first five months of the year, EVs held a 20.9% share, falling short of the government’s 28% zero-emission vehicle mandate target. Including plug-in hybrids and petrol-electric hybrids, electrified vehicles accounted for 47.3% of all registrations last month. Meanwhile, petrol car sales dropped 12.5% year-on-year to 71,000 units, representing 47.5% of the market, while diesel sales fell 15.5% to 7,900 units, just 5.2% of total registrations.” (1)

Not only does the UK have a zero sales date for combustion driven cars of 2030, the UK also has a mandatory 45% emissions reduction target for trucks by the same date. Already electric trucks are being developed with ranges of 500km. (2)

“Sales of electric trucks increased 35% in 2023 compared to 2022, meaning that total sales of electric trucks surpassed electric buses for the first time, at around 54 000. China is the leading market for electric trucks, accounting for 70% of global sales in 2023, down from 85% in 2022. In Europe, electric truck sales increased almost threefold in 2023 to reach more than 10 000 (>1.5% sales share).” (3)

There would seem therefore to be a strong economic case for businesses to invest in electrical vehicles and associated infrastructure, rather than for businesses to be using their market power to relentlessly promote the continued use of combustion engines which are known to make a significant contribution to climate damaging greenhouse gas emissions.

Green Tau: issue 107

15th June 2025

‘The Gospel is as much about where you are coming from as where you are going’.

I was recently taking part in a workshop entitled ‘Tools for contemplative action’ and this phrase that came up, set me thinking. ‘Where you are coming from’ suggests not just your roots or the place where you started, but what is it that is shaping your thinking? What is influencing the choices you make or the actions you take? And if this is important in determine how we respond to God and God’s kingdom, can we change ‘Where are you coming from’ mindset?

By way of an example, Saul – before he became Paul – was coming from the mindset that valued the Law as the absolute and unassailable sole way of encountering God, and he acted accordingly chasing down and imprisoning those who threatened. Then Saul undergoes a 180° transformation – or conversion – and now comes from a mindset where the only way of understanding God and living as God desires is to embrace Jesus Christ and to follow his way of absolute love.

One local church within the period of a year achieved the Eco Church bronze award. They ticked enough of the right boxes and their scores stacked up. They introduced oat milk with their coffee, stopped using pesticides in the garden, and invested in LED lighting.

Did it make any radical changes to the way the congregation thought about the climate and ecological crises? Not really.

Did it transform their hearts and minds, attuning them more closely with ethical and ecological issues, changing the way they behaved? Not really.

But what if that congregation had undergone an ecological conversion? What if their hearts and minds had been transformed to love God and each other and creation in a new and heartfelt ecological way?

Pope Francis, in his encyclical Laudatory Si, called on all people of faith to seek an ecological conversion, confident that this would lead to:-

gratitude and gratuitousness (recognition that the world is God’s loving gift)
generosity in self-sacrifice and good works
a loving awareness of a universal communion with the rest of creation
greater creativity and enthusiasm in resolving the world’s problems
a feeling of responsibility based on faith (1)

Ecological conversion is to change where we are coming from. It transforms the base line from which we operate. It reorientates our focus. It changes how we live and think and behave. It transforms how we embody and share the Gospel – ie how we live and share the good news of the kingdom of God.

Such an ecological conversion would have us asking how does what I buy impact other living beings? Could I change or reduce what I buy to show greater love towards, or to protect, others? How does who I bank with impact the natural world, or impact those of my brothers and sisters enduring the impacts of climate change? Does my money help others have better lives or does it cause harm? Do I tread lightly on the earth or does my lifestyle demand a disproportionate amount of the earth’s resources? Am I mindful of the needs of others when I plan my holidays, choose how to travel, go on a shopping spree? Do I treasure the natural world around me, or do I trample what is before my nose to snap that iconic view on the other side of the world?

Such a conversion would have us being grateful for and finding joy in what we already have, and realising that for many of us what we have is more than we need in order to live a fulfilled – ie God-filled – life. We might find ourselves challenging the premise that ‘the more you have, the happier you are’.

Such a conversion would have the effect of giving us time and space to wonder and delight in the natural beauty and integrity of the world that God has created. We might find it an under-appreciated source of joy and sustenance.

Such a conversion would have us asking questions of retailers and industrialists and companies that extract raw materials – How does what you do show care for planet, for the natural world, for people you employ, and for the people you sell to? We would be questioning them about practices that are destructive and products that are elitest – and boycotting them if they continue with such practices. Equally such a conversion would have us asking questions of our local and national politicians and how they might use their power to protect biodiversity, to limit the emission of greenhouse gases, to ensure justice for all but especially for those already marginalised and persecuted by our current economic and social systems.

Such a conversion would have us signing petitions, writing letters and joining campaigns to challenge and change oppressive operations. Such a conversion would have would see us drawing together as communities, helping support others of our brothers and sisters – human and creaturely – close at home and far away.

All these ways of behaving differently are out there in the world and being practiced by individuals and communities. Any of us could take up these alternative ways of behaving. Yet many of us don’t. And I think the reason we don’t – or why we try and then give up – is because we still hold onto old mindsets. We haven’t had that transformation, that experience of ecological conversion, that changes the ‘where we are coming from’.

Can we as fellow Christians, as fellow beings, encourage and enable and pray for that ecological conversion?

https://laudatosimovement.org/news/what-is-an-ecological-conversion-en-news/

Trinity Sunday

16th June 2025

Reflection with readings below

Trinity Sunday is a celebration of the mystery of God. Human understanding of God is always going to be limited and incomplete because God is always going to be so much more and so much greater than we can imagine or understand. So we should not feel foolish or hopeless if we feel do not understand God as well as the ‘experts’ but at the same time we should not narrow our search for understanding or simply appreciating the character and nature of God.

Trinity Sunday in particular celebrates God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit – three different but interconnected and united aspects of God. And today’s readings touch in that range and diversity of experiencing God. The readings also show us how integral to and engaged with, is God’s relationship with the Earth. And that points us to the benefit we can gain by studying, by paying attention to the Earth and all that God has created – for that too will enlarge and deepened our understanding of, our relationship with God. We might them reflect that Jesus came to save the world – that is to save not just humans but the whole of creation.

Looking around the world and at the poly crises we face – loss of biodiversity, climate change, conflict, social injustice, depletion of resources – we might reread the passage from Proverbs and realise how we have failed to pay attention to God’s wisdom, how we have failed to understand – and to put into practice – what wisdom has to teach us about living in harmony with all that God has created.

When we look at the conflict in Gaza and in Ukraine, can we reflect how in the natural world (ie the world not dominated by humans) different plants and animals benefit from living alongside each other, thriving together such that successful stable ecosystems are those with the greatest diversity of species. Which is not to deny the predation of some creatures on others, but the overall outcome is one of balance and harmony. But in conflict zones we see humans either wanting to eradicate the other or, motivated by greed, wanting to extract more than their fair share of resources. There is no system in place to help nations and communities understand each other, to value what gifts and skills they have to share, and how by cooperation they might all thrive.

When we look at polluted waters, we see how we as humans have not understood how rivers and seas work, how delicately balanced are their ecosystems, how flooding them with pollutants damages not just life in the water but also the ability of the river or marine ecosystem to protect against floods, droughts and storms. For example, if pollution kills the wildlife – the plants and birds and worms – that create and sustain the mudflats, then the mudflats break down and can no longer absorb excess waters during times of flood, nor protect the land behind during times of storm tides.

Celebrating Trinity Sunday, let us acknowledge God as Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer.

Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31

Does not wisdom call,
and does not understanding raise her voice?

On the heights, beside the way,
at the crossroads she takes her stand;

beside the gates in front of the town,
at the entrance of the portals she cries out:

“To you, O people, I call,
and my cry is to all that live.

The Lord created me at the beginning of his work,
the first of his acts of long ago.

Ages ago I was set up,
at the first, before the beginning of the earth.

When there were no depths I was brought forth,
when there were no springs abounding with water.

Before the mountains had been shaped,
before the hills, I was brought forth–

when he had not yet made earth and fields,
or the world’s first bits of soil.

When he established the heavens, I was there,
when he drew a circle on the face of the deep,

when he made firm the skies above,
when he established the fountains of the deep,

when he assigned to the sea its limit,
so that the waters might not transgress his command,

when he marked out the foundations of the earth,
then I was beside him, like a master worker;

and I was daily his delight,
rejoicing before him always,

rejoicing in his inhabited world
and delighting in the human race.”

Psalm 8

1 O Lord our Sovereign, *
how exalted is your Name in all the world!

2 Out of the mouths of infants and children *
your majesty is praised above the heavens.

3 You have set up a stronghold against your adversaries, *
to quell the enemy and the avenger.

4 When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, *
the moon and the stars you have set in their courses,

5 What are humans that you should be mindful of them? *
mortals that you should seek them out?

6 You have made them but little lower than the angels; *
you adorn the, with glory and honour;

7 You give them mastery over the works of your hands; *
you put all things under his feet:

8 All sheep and oxen, *
even the wild beasts of the field,

9 The birds of the air, the fish of the sea, *
and whatsoever walks in the paths of the sea.

10 O Lord our Sovereign, *
how exalted is your Name in all the world!

Romans 5:1-5

Since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.

John 16:12-15

Jesus said to the disciples, “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.”

Tune our senses to God’s wisdom

7th June 2025

Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind: ‘Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Job 38:1-2

The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit. John 3:8

Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Ephesians 5:17

Listen; attune your ears – what do you hear?

The excited chatter of children,

and the chatter of jackdaws,

wind rustling the leaves,

and feet tapping the road.

Or the drone of cars – too much!

Or the whine of planes – too many!

Look; focus your vision – what do you see?

a lacework of branches against the sky,

and curvaceous clouds,

the green patina of leaves,

and the tight curl of a snail shell.

Or traffic crawling bumper to bumper – too much

Or discarded tatters of plastic – too many!

Stretch; bare your skin – what do you feel?

The warm caress of the sun,

the gentle frisson of the breeze,

the prickle of grass,

the textured bark of a tree.

Or the rasp of exhaust in your throat – too much!

Or the scratch of particulates in your eyes – too many!

Sniff; breathe deeply – what do you smell?

The aroma of fresh coffee,

and the zest of orange juice,

the fragrance of the rose,

and the warmth of ground spices.

Or the reek of petrol – too much!

Or the sting of pesticides – too many!

Savour; let it linger on your tongue – what do you taste?

The fresh acidity of an apple,

and the earthy satisfaction of bread,

the squashy sweetness of banana,

and the melting delight of chocolate.

Or the fake sweetness of green wash – too much!

Or the gall of climate injustice- too many !

Merciful God,

bring us to our senses.

Help us rebuild a world

of right experiences.

Amen.

“Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” John 3:17

Holy God,

in the hour of our stupidity,

guide us with your wisdom.

Help us to understand afresh

the intricacies and interconnectedness

of the world you have given us.

Holy God,

in the hour of our need,

repair the damage we have caused

to your world

so that we might all be saved.

Amen.

Counting on … day 84

13th June 2025

Last year Shell paused work on its biofuel plant in the the Netherlands. This project was to have become one of Europe’s largest biofuel plants producing SAF and renewable diesel. Weak market conditions were apparently to blame (basically a situation where the global supply of biofuels exceeded current demand and producers wouldn’t or couldn’t reduce the prices to boost demand). At the same time BP also paused two biofuel projects in Germany and the U.S. (1)

One question to ask is how can funding be provided for long term projects when companies are focused on short term profits? Is this where governments should step in either with subsidies or with legislation that builds long term certainty around how energy needs are to be met? And if so, who is going to guide government policy – powerful fossil fuel companies or scientists?

Another question is whether alternative biofuels are the right solution for the need to reduce global carbon emissions? And are fossil fuel companies pursuing these alternative fuels that can be used interchangeably with fossil fuels, being used as a way of keeping the market for fossil fuels open?

Here it should be noted that Shell’s CEO, Wael Sawan, has stated that Shell’s current objective is to shift focus from renewables to high-profit oil and gas projects so that Shell can exploit the higher global oil and gas prices that still persist following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. (2)

Counting on … day 83

12th June 2025

Diesel – or petroleum diesel – is made from fossil fuels.

Biodiesel is a similar product which is made from plant based oils, animal fats and recycled cooking grease. Once treated using a process of ‘transesterification’ it can be mixed with regular diesel for use in combustion engines – it is not sufficiently similar chemically for use a complete substitute for petroleum diesel.

Renewable diesel or HVO (hydrotreated vegetable oil) is also made from plant and animals based fats, and waste oils using a process called ‘hydrotreating’. This diesel substitute closely mimics regular diesel and can be used as a direct replacement – ‘drop in’ – fuel for combustion engines.(1)

Again the issue that makes the sustainability of renewable diesel questionable is the available supply of plant and animals based fats and waste oil needed in its production. There is a risk that virgin forests in South America and Asia may be cleared to make way for soy and palm oil cultivation – as fuel crops – exacerbating the imbalance of CO2 emissions (virgin forests are net absorbers of carbon dioxide). Equally relying animal based fats (also known as tallow) that come from beef farming adds to the growing trend in deforestation to make way for grass and fodder crops. And, ironically for a product sold as sustainable, when demand for waste oil exceeds supply, the shortfall is made up by substituting virgin plant oil. (2)

Replacing fossil fuel diesel with plant based diesel does not provide a sustainable low carbon solution. Plants and animals are best farmed to provide food and not as a fuel source for energy.

Counting on … day 82

11th June 2025

Biogas is a mixture of methane, CO2 and other gases produced from plant and/or animal material via anaerobic digestion. It comprises between 45-75% methane by volume. Biogas can be used for cooking, heating and for electricity in biogas adapted power stations. Biogas can not as a direct substitute for natural gas. Biomethane on the other hand is nearly 100% methane and can be used to replace natural gas without changing the means of transmission or the end-user’s equipment.(1)

Biomethane is produced by upgrading biogas (ie removing the other gases by various means). Carbon dioxide produced as a byproduct can be used for industrial processes or combined with hydrogen to create more methane. At present biomethane represents about 0.1% of natural gas demand. (1)

The biomaterial used to produce both biogas and biomethane comes from the same sources as for SAF – ie waste material from farms and forestry work, solid municipal/ household waste (including food waste and packaging), recycled cooking fat ( I think MacDonald’s trucks advertise this), animal fat, virgin corn/soy/rapeseed/palm oil, sugar cane and beet, aide and other grains, grasses such as miscanthus, algae etc – and therefore has the same issues around the sufficiency of supply.

Should agricultural land be used to grow crops for provide biofuels or to provide food?

National Grid notes that “UK households, hospitality and food service, food manufacture, retail and wholesale sectors produce around 10 million tonnes of food waste per year. If this was all treated through anaerobic digestion, the industry could generate 11 TWh of biogas – enough to heat 830,000 homes – and cut emissions by 8.8 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent, or 2% of the UK’s annual emissions.” (2) On the other hand, as 70% of that food waste was edible, would it have been better used feeding people? Equally given that it represents £22billion (3) would it not be better if the waste been avoided in the first place and the money used for home insulation or public transport?

https://www.iea.org/reports/outlook-for-biogas-and-biomethane-prospects-for-organic-growth/an-introduction-to-biogas-and-biomethane

(2) https://www.nationalgrid.com/stories/energy-explained/what-is-biogas

(3) https://www.wrap.ngo/taking-action/food-drink/actions/action-on-food-waste

Counting on … day 81

10th June 2025

Not only do fossil fuel companies promote their oil and gas as being cleaner on the basis of reduced scope 1 and 2 emissions, they also promote themselves as offering the consumer ‘low carbon products.’ For example this from Shell:-

“Shell Low Carbon Solutions offers products and solutions to help customers in heavy transport and industry reduce emissions and deliver more value. Learn about their low-carbon fuels, carbon credits, CCS, DAC, hydrogen, and how they work with partners in aviation…” (1)

But what are low-carbon fuels? For Shell, low carbon fuels include sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), biomethane which is also known as renewable natural gas (RNG) and renewable diesel known also as HVO and HEFA.

SAF is a biofuel meaning that it is produced from plant or animal based materials rather than from fossil fuels. SAF is designed to as a ‘drop in’ fuel for aviation is it can be sued in airplanes without any alteration to the plane’s fuel systems and engines. SAF is seen as low carbon because the carbon dioxide emitted in use is what would have been what as the plant/ animal material had absorbed in its life time. There is of course a carbon footprint in producing SAF which means it would cut emissions compared with tradition jet fuel by 80% rather than 100%.

However at the moment SAF only accounts for about 0.1% of total aviation fuel consumption. Whilst scaling up production facilities is part of the issue, the bigger issue is availability of plant and animal material from which to make SAF. The bio materials used including waste material from farms and forestry work, solid municipal/ household waste (including food waste and packaging), used cooking fat, animal fat, corn/soy/rapeseed/palm oil, sugar cane and beet, aide and other grains, grasses such as miscanthus, algae etc.(2) However the supply of such material is at present insufficient to match the demand for aviation fuel and this raises the conundrum that to supply enough plant and animal material, it would be necessary to set divert agricultural land away from growing food to growing aviation fuel.

The Royal Society has made estimates as to how much biomaterial would be needy to meet UK aviation fuel demand. “Used cooking oil in the UK can be utilised to provide 0.3 to 0.6% of the total amount of jet fuel required every year in the UK. The report also calculated that to meet the 12.3 million tonnes of jet fuel per year will require 42.4 million tonnes of rapeseed biomass per year and 68% of UK’s agricultural land. The report suggests that utilising Miscanthus for alcohol-to-jet in the UK will require 10.3 to 6.2 million hectares to meet UK fuel demand.” (3)

Clearly SAF is not in reality a sustainable option. If net zero is a real ambition, then reducing air miles will have to be a major part of the solution.

(3) https://iuk-business-connect.org.uk/perspectives/feedstocks-for-a-sustainable-aviation-fuel-industry/