Activities Implemented Jointly Under the Pilot Phase
A. Description of the AIJ project
1. Title of project: Project Salicornia, Halophyte Cultivation in Sonora
2. Host country: Mexico
3. Brief project description:
Project Salicornia is Phase I of a two-phase project to cultivate a native halophyte (a salt-tolerant euphorb
plant, Salicornia bigelovii) in a coastal desert region of northwest Mexico. Phase I is designed to research and
demonstrate Salicornia cultivation on 30 hectares of coastal land. The estimated greenhouse gas (GHG) benefits of
the project result from carbon accumulation and storage in the sandy soil. If Phase II is initiated, the cultivated
crop could potentially serve as a valuable source of biomass material, and food (cooking oil and fresh vegetable
products), and could generate income for the local population.
4. Participants:
Name of Organization or Individual
Country
Genesis, S.A. de C.V. (a subsidiary of PDC)
Mexico
Planetary Design Corporation (PDC)
U.S.A.
Halophyte Enterprises, Inc (HEIa subsidiary of PDC)
U.S.A.
Salt River Project (SRP)
U.S.A.
Econergy International Corporation (EIC)
U.S.A.
Item
Organization
Name of organization (original language)
or
Name of individual if unaffiliated with any organization
Genesis, S.A. de C.V.
Name of organization (English)
(Same as above)
Acronym (original language)
None
Acronym (English)
(Same as above)
Department
Function(s) within the AIJ project activities
On-site management of day-to-day operations, personnel management, and procurement
Street
Yañez 116 Norte
City
Hermosillo, Sonora
State
Post code
CP 81390
Country
Mexico
Telephone
Fax
E-mail
World Wide Web-URL address
Administrative Officer Responsible for the Project
Surname
Mota Urbina
First name, middle name
Carlos
Job title
Director General de Genetica y Sistemas de Ingenieria Solar S.A. de C.V.
Direct telephone
Direct fax
Direct e-mail
Contact Person for AIJ Activities (if different from the Administrative Officer)
Surname
Cota Hernández
First name, middle name
C.P.T. Alfonso
Job title
Director Financieró
Direct telephone
52-62-14 5667 or 14 5824
Direct fax
(Same as above)
Direct e-mail
Item
Organization
Name of organization (original language)
or
Name of individual if unaffiliated with any organization
Contact Person for AIJ Activities (if different from the Administrative Officer)
Surname
(Same as above)
First name, middle name
Job title
Direct telephone
Direct fax
Direct e-mail
Item
Organization
Name of organization (original language)
or
Name of individual if unaffiliated with any organization
Econergy International Corporation
Name of organization (English)
(Same as above)
Acronym (original language)
EIC
Acronym (English)
(Same as above)
Department
Function(s) within the AIJ project activities
Technical and financial advisor
Street
1925 K Street, NW Suite 230
City
Washington
State
Distric of Columbia
Post code
20006
Country
U.S.A.
Telephone
Fax
E-mail
World Wide Web-URL address
Administrative Officer Responsible for the Project
Surname
Ashford
First name, middle name
Michael S.
Job title
Vice President
Direct telephone
202-822-4980
Direct fax
202-822-2986
Direct e-mail
Contact Person for AIJ Activities (if different from the Administrative Officer)
Surname
(Same as above)
First name, middle name
Job title
Direct telephone
Direct fax
Direct e-mail
5. Description of AIJ project activities
Item
Type of Project
Sector(s)
Agriculture
Primary activity(ies)
Salicornia cultivation and crop management; technical analysis of soil carbon accumulation and commercial
feasibility of Salicornia cultivation
Project Location
Country
Mexico
Exact location (city, state, region)
About 400 yards from the coast, adjacent to the town of Bahia de Kino (Kino Bay) in Sonora
Key Dates and Current Stage of Project
Project starting date (month/year)
April 1996
Project ending date (month/year)
October 2055
Project lifetime (years)
59 years, 7 months
Current stage of project
In progress
General Project Description and Technical Data
The project is Phase I of a two-phase project to cultivate Salicornia bigelovii in a coastal desert region
of northwest Mexico. Salicornia bigelovii is a native halophyte, which can be irrigated with sea water and
is ideally suited for cultivation in desert or near-desert, coastal regions.
Phase I is designed to research and demonstrate Salicornia cultivation on 30 hectares of coastal land. The
specific measures to reduce GHG emissions associated with Phase I of the project include development of a
cost-effective process to cultivate Salicornia on a commercial basis, and optimization of agronomic methods
for irrigation and harvesting. These measures will increase carbon storage in the soil at the 30 hectare
site. Phase II, which is currently not part of this USIJI project, will develop a fully commercial 50,000
hectare farm to cultivate Salicornia for use in the production and commercial sale of biomass products and
materials. If Phase II is initiated, the cultivated crop could potentially serve as a valuable source of
cooking oil, fresh vegetable products, high-fiber biomass for particle board manufacturing, and biomass for
power generation, and could provide income to the local population.
6. Cost
(a) Explanation of methodology for calculating cost data
Methodology for Calculating Cost Data
This information is not yet available.
(b) Cost data-Project development
This information is not yet available.
(c) Cost data-Project implementation
This information is not yet available.
7. Monitoring and verification of AIJ project activities and results
Item
Party(ies) that will be monitoring project activities
Genesis and HEI, with technical support from EIC and in coordination with SRP
Party(ies) that will be externally verifying project results
This information is not yet available.
Date when the monitoring plan became (or will become) operational (month/year)
This information is not yet available.
Types of data that will be collected
Soil carbon content and density of below-ground biomass, annual quantity of biomass harvested, annual
production and carbon content of long-lived products, average decay rate of long-lived products, fossil
fuel consumption
Description of Monitoring and Verification Activities and Schedule for Implementation
Monitoring will be conducted by Genesis and HEI with technical support from EIC and in coordination with
SRP. The soil carbon stocks of below-ground biomass will be monitored every 2-3 years over the lifetime of
the project.
Annual biomass harvests will be monitored based on annual project harvest records. Fuel and electricity
consumption used to operate machinery and irrigation pumping will also be monitored.
The proposal states that the participants intend to identify, in consultation with Mexican and U.S.
authorities, appropriate independent entities to conduct external verification. Verification will be
conducted on an annual basis using data collected by the project operators.