Research Enhancement Office

The information below is from the 2019 request for proposals. Please see the opportunity website for updated information. 

The University of California (UC) is soliciting ideas from the UC community for projects that reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions or sequester carbon. Under UC’s Carbon Neutrality Initiative (CNI), the UC system has committed to reducing its net GHGs from its operations to zero by 2025. To help UC bring its emissions all the way down to zero, we are seeking two types of offset projects:

1) UC-initiated offset projects (Due by May 31, 2019): The goal of this RFI is to build a portfolio of potential offset projects that are initiated by UC faculty, students, and staff, and explore the viability of supporting those projects with payments from UC for GHG emission reductions or sequestration achieved. As an initial step, UC is offering awards of up to $70,000, depending on project size and co-benefits, to bring selected projects closer to implementation. Ultimately, UC hopes to support a portfolio of UC-initiated projects that result in GHG reductions that meaningfully contributes to UC's expected carbon offset needs of 250,000 to 500,000 tons of carbon dioxide-equivalent in 2025 and declining from that year onward.

They welcome submissions for projects that measurably reduce GHG emissions or sequester carbon, and would be initiated by UC. They hope to receive a wide range of submissions that vary in size, location, type, co-benefits, submitter (faculty, students, staff, researchers), and readiness (from early testing of moonshot ideas to implementing well-established technologies).

2) Projects already on the carbon offset market (Reviewed as they come in): The goal of this solicitation is to tap the knowledge pool of the University community to identify offset projects already available on the offset market that meet UC’s standards, mission, and values. Please tell them if you know of a specific offset project or an offset project type from which UC might consider purchasing credits.

Go to Application Homepage

Projects can be located anywhere and must meet UC values by resulting in emissions reductions or sequestration that are high quality, reasonable-cost, and fulfill our mission of research, education, and public service. They are particularly seeking projects that expand or apply UC research, offer educational opportunities to students, advance understanding of scalable climate solutions, provide health and social justice benefits, and directly benefit or have resonance with the UC community and communities surrounding the UC campuses.