The Color of Energy: The Competition to be the Energy of the Future

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hon Chung Lau
Keyword(s):  
Financial Incentives ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Carbon Capture And Storage ◽  
Green Energy ◽  
Renewable Energies ◽  
Carbon Intensity ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Energy Carriers ◽  
Co2 Intensity

Abstract Energies may be described as brown, blue or green. Brown energies are CO2-emitting fossil fuels. Blue energies employ carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies to remove the emitted CO2 from brown energies. Green energies are zero or low CO2-emitting renewable energies. Likewise, energy carriers such as electricity and hydrogen may be described as brown, blue or green if they are produced from brown, blue or green energy, respectively. The transition from a high carbon intensity to a low carbon intensity economy will require the decarbonization of three major sectors: power, transport and industry. By analyzing the CO2 intensity and levelized cost of energy (LCOE) of energy and energy carriers of different colors, we show that renewable energies are best used in replacing fossil fuels in the power sector where it has the most impact in reducing CO2 emission. This will consume the majority of new additions to renewable energies in the near to medium future. Consequently, the decarbonation of the transport and industry sectors must begin with the use of blue electricity, blue fossil fuels and blue hydrogen. To achieve this, implementation of large-scale CCS projects will be necessary, especially outside of USA and northern Europe. However, this will not happen until significant financial incentives in the form of carbon tax or carbon credit becomes available from national governments. Furthermore, private-public partnership and intergovernmental cooperation will be needed to implement these CCS projects.

The Role of Fossil Fuels in a Hydrogen Economy

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hon Chung Lau
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Capture ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Carbon Tax ◽  
Developing Economies ◽  
Carbon Capture And Storage ◽  
Energy Transition ◽  
Renewable Energies ◽  
Two Factors ◽  
Final Energy Consumption

Abstract The world of energy is transitioning from one based on fossil-fuels to one based on renewable energies and hydrogen as an energy carrier. At present, only 11% of the world's final energy consumption and less than 1% of industrial hydrogen come from renewable energies. Our analysis shows that this energy transition will take several decades because of two factors. First, renewable energies give more CO2 savings in replacing fossil fuels in the power sector than producing hydrogen for heat generation in the industry sector. Therefore, significant quantities of green hydrogen will not be available until renewable energies have replaced fossil fuels in power generation. This will take at least two decades for advanced economies and twice as long for developing economies. Second, even if blue hydrogen produced by fossil fuels with carbon capture and storage (CCS) is available in large quantities, it is still more expensive than blue fossil fuels which is also decarbonized by CCS. Consequently, fossil fuels and CCS will continue to play a key role in this energy transition. To accelerate this energy transition, governments should introduce a significant carbon tax or carbon credit to incentivize companies to implement large-scale CCS projects. Nations whose governments adopt such policies will go through this energy transition faster and benefit from the associated job creation and economic opportunities.

What comes next: responding to recommendations from the task force on climate-related financial disclosures (TCFD)

2018 ◽  
Vol 58 (2) ◽  
pp. 633 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shiva Tyagi
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Capture ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Task Force ◽  
Carbon Capture And Storage ◽  
Oil And Gas Industry ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Gas Industry ◽  
Low Carbon Economy

The task force on climate-related financial disclosures (TCFD) published its recommendations for disclosing climate-related risks in June 2017. The TCFD report represents a framework for companies to disclose climate-related information consistently in their mainstream financial filings. Reporting financial activity using the lens of climate-related risk would, according to the TCFD, help more appropriately price risks and allocate capital in the context of climate change. The initiative, while voluntary, would help speed the transition to a low-carbon economy, and help shift the corporate perspective beyond immediate concerns. The oil and gas industry can play a leading role in the transition to a low carbon economy through: carbon capture and storage, use of natural gas as a transition fuel and the implementation of large-scale renewable energy projects. Given the oil and gas industry’s global leadership in petroleum geology, resource extraction and pipeline transmission, the industry has a vital role in testing the feasibility of large-scale carbon capture and storage. Fossil fuels and renewable energy technologies have obvious complementary synergies and fossil fuels like natural gas are necessary for the reliable, affordable and low-cost transition to a low carbon transition pathway. The oil and gas industry may be the only sector with the requisite expertise and global scale of operations to test and implement large-scale renewable technology initiatives within a public-private partnership framework. Moreover, oil and gas companies are well positioned to be leaders in the effort to adapt and strengthen resilience to the effects and risks of climate change and reduce impacts.

scholarly journals Life Cycle Assessment of Direct Air Carbon Capture and Storage with Low-Carbon Energy Sources

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tom Terlouw ◽  
Karin Treyer ◽  
christian bauer ◽  
Marco Mazzotti
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Carbon Capture ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Carbon Capture And Storage ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Solid Sorbent ◽  
Low Carbon Energy ◽  
And Storage ◽  
Limited Scope

Prospective energy scenarios usually rely on Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) technologies to achieve the climate goals of the Paris Agreement. CDR technologies aim at removing CO2 from the atmosphere in a permanent way. However, the implementation of CDR technologies typically comes along with unintended environmental side-effects such as land transformation or water consumption. These need to be quantified before large-scale implementation of any CDR option by means of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). Direct Air Carbon Capture and Storage (DACCS) is considered to be among the CDR technologies closest to large-scale implementation, since first pilot and demonstration units have been installed and interactions with the environment are less complex than for biomass related CDR options. However, only very few LCA studies - with limited scope - have been conducted so far to determine the overall life-cycle environmental performance of DACCS. We provide a comprehensive LCA of different low temperature DACCS configurations - pertaining to solid sorbent-based technology - including a global and prospective analysis.

Green pivot: can Australia master the hydrogen trade?

2021 ◽  
Vol 61 (2) ◽  
pp. 466
Author(s):  
Prakash Sharma ◽  
Benjamin Gallagher ◽  
Jonathan Sultoon
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Capture ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Carbon Capture And Storage ◽  
Clean Energy ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Metallurgical Coal ◽  
Thermal Coal ◽  
The World ◽  
Trading Partners ◽  
End Use

Australia is in a bind. It is at the heart of the pivot to clean energy: it contains some of the world’s best solar irradiance and vast potential for large-scale carbon capture and storage; it showed the world the path forward with its stationary storage flexibility at the much vaunted Hornsdale power reserve facility; and it moved quickly to capitalise on low-carbon hydrogen production. Yet it remains one of the largest sources for carbon-intensive energy exports in the world. The extractive industries are still delivering thermal coal for power generation and metallurgical coal for carbon-intensive steel making in Asian markets. Even liquefied natural gas’s green credentials are being questioned. Are these two pathways compatible? The treasury and economy certainly benefit. But there is a huge opportunity to redress the source of those funds and jobs, while fulfilling the aspirations to reach net zero emissions by 2050. In our estimates, the low-carbon hydrogen economy could grow to become so substantial that 15% of all energy may be ultimately ‘carried’ by hydrogen by 2050. It is certainly needed to keep the world from breaching 2°C. Can Australia master the hydrogen trade? It is believed that it has a very good chance. Blessed with first-mover investment advantage, and tremendous solar and wind resourcing, Australia is already on a pathway to become a producer of green hydrogen below US$2/kg by 2030. How might it then construct a supply chain to compete in the international market with established trading partners and end users ready to renew old acquaintances? Its route is assessed to mastery of the hydrogen trade, analyse critical competitors for end use and compare costs with other exporters of hydrogen.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN LOW CARBON, CLEANER AND GREENER ENERGIES AND THE ENVIRONMENT

SINERGI ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 329
Author(s):  
Abdeen Mustafa Omer
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Global Warming ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Alternative Energy ◽  
Heat Pumps ◽  
Green Energy ◽  
Renewable Energies ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Ground Source Heat Pumps ◽  
Biogas Technology

The increased availability of reliable and efficient energy services stimulates new development alternatives. This article discusses the potential for such integrated systems in the stationary and portable power market in response to the critical need for cleaner energy technology. Several issues relating to renewable energies, environment, and sustainable development are examined from both current and future perspectives throughout the theme. It is concluded that green energies like wind, solar, ground source heat pumps, and biomass must be promoted, implemented, and demonstrated from the economic and/or environmental point of view. Biogas from biomass appears to have potential as an alternative energy source, potentially rich in biomass resources. The current literature is reviewed regarding the ecological, social, cultural and economic impacts of biogas technology. Finally, this article gives an overview of the present and future use of biomass as an industrial feedstock to produce fuels, chemicals and other materials. However, to be truly competitive in an open market situation, higher-value products are required. Results suggest that biogas technology must be encouraged, promoted, invested, implemented, and demonstrated, especially in remote rural areas. Anticipated future energy use patterns and consequent environmental impacts (acid precipitation, ozone depletion, greenhouse effect, or global warming) are discussed in this article. An approach is needed to integrate renewable energies in a way to meet high building performance. However, their ability to match demand is determined by adoption of one of the following two approaches: the utilisation of a capture area greater than that occupied by the community to be supplied, or the reduction of the community’s energy demands to a level commensurate with the locally available renewable resources. Adopting green or sustainable approaches to how society is run is seen as an important strategy in finding a solution to the energy problem. The key factors to reducing and controlling CO2, which is the major contributor to global warming, are the use of alternative approaches to energy generation and the exploration of how these alternatives are used today and may be used in the future as green energy sources.

CCS Can Make Fossil-Fueled Energy Clean in Guangdong Province, China

2013 ◽  
Vol 807-809 ◽  
pp. 783-789 ◽  
Author(s):  
Di Zhou ◽  
Cui Ping Liao ◽  
Peng Chun Li ◽  
Ying Huang
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Capture ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Fossil Fuel ◽  
Northern South China Sea ◽  
Carbon Capture And Storage ◽  
Guangdong Province ◽  
Sedimentary Basins ◽  
Clean Energy ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Fossil Fuel Energy

CCS (Carbon Capture and Storage) is the only technology available to achieve a deep cut in CO2emissions from large-scale fossil fuel usage. Although Guangdong Province has less heavy industries and higher reliance on energy import compared with many other provinces in China, CCS is still essential for the low-carbon development in the province. This is because fossil fuel energy is now and will be in the foreseeable future the major energy in Guangdong. CCS may have other benefits such as helping energy security and bring new business opportunities. The feasibility of CCS development in Guangdong is ensured by the existence of sufficient CO2storage capacity in offshore sedimentary basins in the northern South China Sea. A safe CO2storage is achievable as long as the selection of storage sites and the storage operations are in restrict quality control. The increased cost and energy penalty associated with CCS could be reduced through technical R&D, the utilization of captured CO2, and the utilization of infrastructure of offshore depleted oil fields. Fossil fuel energy plus CCS should be regarded as a new type of clean energy and deserves similar incentive policies that have been applied to other clean energies such as renewables and nuclear.

scholarly journals Social Acceptance of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) from Industrial Applications

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (21) ◽  
pp. 12278
Author(s):  
Katja Witte
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Capture ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Social Acceptance ◽  
Carbon Capture And Storage ◽  
Industrial Sector ◽  
Industrial Applications ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Reduction Of Co2 ◽  
Storage Technologies ◽  
And Storage

To limit global warming, the use of carbon capture and storage technologies (CCS) is considered to be of major importance. In addition to the technical–economic, ecological and political aspects, the question of social acceptance is a decisive factor for the implementation of such low-carbon technologies. This study is the first literature review addressing the acceptance of industrial CCS (iCCS). In contrast to electricity generation, the technical options for large-scale reduction of CO2 emissions in the energy-intensive industry sector are not sufficient to achieve the targeted GHG neutrality in the industrial sector without the use of CCS. Therefore, it will be crucial to determine which factors influence the acceptance of iCCS and how these findings can be used for policy and industry decision-making processes. The results show that there has been limited research on the acceptance of iCCS. In addition, the study highlights some important differences between the acceptance of iCCS and CCS. Due to the technical diversity of future iCCS applications, future acceptance research must be able to better address the complexity of the research subject.

scholarly journals From Megawatts to Kilowatts: A Review of Small Wind Turbine Applications, Lessons From The US to Brazil

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. 2760 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caio Cesar Moreira Chagas ◽  
Marcio Giannini Pereira ◽  
Luiz Pinguelli Rosa ◽  
Neilton Fidelis da Silva ◽  
Marcos Aurélio Vasconcelos Freitas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Financial Incentives ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Public Policies ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
The United States ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Power Grids ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Low Carbon Economy

Increased use of fossil fuels has contributed to global warming due to greenhouse gas emissions, which has led countries to implement policies that favor the gradual replacement of their use with renewable energy sources. Wind expansion in Brazil is a success story, but its adherence to distributed generation is still a big challenge. In this context, the authors of this paper argue that the development of robust and viable distributed power grids will also depend in the future on improving small wind generation as an important alternative to the diversity of decentralized power grids. In this study, the authors present an overview of the small-sized Aeolic (or wind) energy market in Brazil, with the objective to support the debate regarding its expansion. Promoting the small wind market in Brazil is still a big challenge, but lessons can be learned from the United States. In this context, the article uses the United States learning curve, analyzing barriers that were found, as well as public policies implemented to overcome them. The lessons learned in the American market may guide public policies aimed at fostering this technology in Brazil. If technological improvements, certification and introduction of financial incentives were implemented in Brazil, the small wind industry chain could grow substantially, building a trajectory to promote the low carbon economy.

Optimal Net-Zero Cost Deep Energy Retrofit of Low-Rise Social Housing Townhouses

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lubna Al-Tameemi
Keyword(s):  
Heat Pump ◽  
Social Housing ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Housing Stock ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Heating System ◽  
Carbon Intensity ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Energy Retrofit

Whole building optimization retrofits have been performed for two townhouses in four locations with different climates to find both energy efficiency and cost-effective retrofit solutions across a thirty-year time span analysis. The objective is to find deep energy retrofit packages that can be used for large scale social housing retrofit. The multi-objective optimizations aim to achieve the least annualized related costs, lower initial and operational energy related costs and substantial carbon savings by analyzing one natural gas heated option and four electric heated options (baseboard heating system, central air-source heat pump, ductless mini-split heat pump and ground-source heat pump). Results reveal that prescriptive deep energy retrofit solutions achieved between 78% to 100% site energy reductions through building enclosures improvement, upgrades of HVAC and water heating systems, upgrades of appliances and lighting, and the addition of onsite renewable energy generation. Results also indicate that ductless mini-split heat pump (MSHP) optimized model has lower long-term costs and a shorter modified payback period than the optimized gas-heated model at all locations; thus suggesting that heating electrification is cost effective and can reduce the majority of operational GHG emissions of existing housing stock in locations with low carbon intensity electric grid. (834KB) https://digital.library.ryerson.ca/islandora/object/RULA:8613/datastream/Calc_Lubna/view (284KB) https://digital.library.ryerson.ca/islandora/object/RULA:8613/datastream/AnAl_Lubna/view (4 MB) https://digital.library.ryerson.ca/islandora/object/RULA:8613/datastream/AnHr_Lubna/view (5MB) https://digital.library.ryerson.ca/islandora/object/RULA:8613/datastream/Wind_Lubna/view (6MB) https://digital.library.ryerson.ca/islandora/object/RULA:8613/datastream/Toro_Lubna/view (6MB) https://digital.library.ryerson.ca/islandora/object/RULA:8613/datastream/Thby_Lubna/view (6MB) https://digital.library.ryerson.ca/islandora/object/RULA:8613/datastream/Otta_Lubna/view

scholarly journals The national-level energy ladder and its carbon implications

2013 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 484-503 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul J. Burke
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide Emissions ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Fossil Fuel ◽  
National Level ◽  
Carbon Intensity ◽  
Level Energy ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Poor Countries ◽  
Low Carbon Energy

AbstractThis paper uses data for 134 countries for the period 1960–2010 to document an energy ladder that nations ascend as their economies develop. On average, economic development results in an overall substitution from the use of biomass to energy sourced from fossil fuels, and then increasingly towards nuclear power and certain low-carbon modern renewables such as wind power. The process results in the carbon intensity of energy evolving in an inverse-U manner as per capita incomes increase. Fossil fuel-poor countries climb more quickly to the low-carbon upper rungs of the national-level energy ladder and so typically experience larger reductions in the carbon intensity of energy as they develop. Leapfrogging to low-carbon energy sources on the upper rungs of the national-level energy ladder is one route via which developing countries can reduce the magnitudes of their expected upswings in carbon dioxide emissions.

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