The new technology will enable efficient, cost-effective, and large-scale monitoring of soil carbon (SOC) by eliminating the need for soil sampling and laboratory analysis. By contributing to the assessment of carbon reductions from agriculture under GX-ETS3, which will be fully operational in the fiscal year ending March 2027, the technology will improve agricultural productivity and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
With the acceleration of Green Transformation (GX) policies and emissions reduction plans by companies and municipalities, along with the Japanese government's efforts to achieve its carbon neutrality goal by 2050, agricultural soil is increasingly recognized as a promising pathway for carbon storage. Benefits include reduced greenhouse gas emissions, improved soil water retention, and increased soil fertility to enhance crop yields. However, soil carbon (SOC) is heavily influenced by biological and chemical processes, specifically microbial decomposition and root growth. Since these processes are difficult to observe directly, extensive soil sampling and laboratory analysis have traditionally been required.
Mitsubishi Electric's new technology replicates the dynamics of soil organic carbon (SOC) by inputting aerial remote sensing data and ground-based optical measurements into simulation models that represent crop root growth and soil metabolic processes. In a demonstration in Toyotomi-cho, Hokkaido, Japan, the company confirmed that the technology can assess SOC across large areas at low cost and substantially improves accuracy compared to conventional methods. The technology facilitates the preparation of various reports by providing data that can serve as objective evidence for third-party verification under the Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) system required by the Global Exporting Territory (GX-ETS).
Looking ahead, Mitsubishi Electric will conduct further demonstrations on various types of agricultural terrain in Japan and abroad, aiming to contribute to increased agricultural productivity, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and a more carbon-neutral world.
Grades:
- Calculation method that predicts changes in SOC and nutrient levels by quantifying plant root biomass and growth dynamics.
- Model that predicts the rate of decomposition of organic matter by microbial activity and the associated carbon emissions.
- Japan's greenhouse gas emissions trading scheme, in which companies set greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets and, through actual emissions reductions, as well as trading in emissions allowances and credits, aim to achieve both carbon neutrality and economic growth.
