scholarly journals The Role of Nuclear Power in Meeting Current and Future Industrial Process Heat Demands

Energies ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (19) ◽  
pp. 3664 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aiden Peakman ◽  
Bruno Merk
Keyword(s):  
High Temperature ◽  
Carbon Capture ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Carbon Capture And Storage ◽  
Industrial Process ◽  
Energy System ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Fast Reactors ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Heat Demand

There is growing interest in the use of advanced reactor systems for powering industrial processes which could significantly help to reduce CO 2 emissions in the global energy system. However, there has been limited consideration into the role nuclear power would play in meeting current and future industry heat demand, especially with respect to the advantages and disadvantages nuclear power offers relative to other competing low-carbon technologies, such as Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS). In this study, the current market needs for high temperature heat are considered based on UK industry requirements and work carried out in other studies regarding how industrial demand could change in the future. How these heat demands could be met via different nuclear reactor systems is also presented. Using this information, it was found that the industrial heat demands for temperature in the range of 500 ∘ C to 1000 ∘ C are relatively low. Whilst High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactors (HTGRs), Very High Temperature Reactors (VHTRs), Gas-cooled Fast Reactors (GFRs) and Molten Salt Reactors (MSRs) have an advantage in terms of capability to achieve higher temperatures (>500 ∘ C), their relative benefit over Liquid Metal-cooled Fast Reactors (LMFRs) and Light Water Reactors (LWRs) is actually smaller than previous studies indicate. This is because, as is shown here, major parts of the heat demand could be served by almost all reactor types. Alternative (non-nuclear) means to meet industrial heat demands and the indirect application of nuclear power, in particular via producing hydrogen, are also considered. As hydrogen is a relatively poor energy carrier, current trends indicate that the use of low-carbon derived hydrogen is likely to be limited to certain applications and there is a focus in this study on the emerging demands for hydrogen.

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.

scholarly journals Pathways for Low-Carbon Transition of the Steel Industry—A Swedish Case Study

Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (15) ◽  
pp. 3840
Author(s):  
Alla Toktarova ◽  
Ida Karlsson ◽  
Johan Rootzén ◽  
Lisa Göransson ◽  
Mikael Odenberger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Blast Furnace ◽  
Co2 Emissions ◽  
Steel Industry ◽  
Carbon Capture ◽  
Direct Reduction ◽  
Carbon Capture And Storage ◽  
Steel Production ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Production Plant ◽  
Low Carbon

The concept of techno-economic pathways is used to investigate the potential implementation of CO2 abatement measures over time towards zero-emission steelmaking in Sweden. The following mitigation measures are investigated and combined in three pathways: top gas recycling blast furnace (TGRBF); carbon capture and storage (CCS); substitution of pulverized coal injection (PCI) with biomass; hydrogen direct reduction of iron ore (H-DR); and electric arc furnace (EAF), where fossil fuels are replaced with biomass. The results show that CCS in combination with biomass substitution in the blast furnace and a replacement primary steel production plant with EAF with biomass (Pathway 1) yield CO2 emission reductions of 83% in 2045 compared to CO2 emissions with current steel process configurations. Electrification of the primary steel production in terms of H-DR/EAF process (Pathway 2), could result in almost fossil-free steel production, and Sweden could achieve a 10% reduction in total CO2 emissions. Finally, (Pathway 3) we show that increased production of hot briquetted iron pellets (HBI), could lead to decarbonization of the steel industry outside Sweden, assuming that the exported HBI will be converted via EAF and the receiving country has a decarbonized power sector.

scholarly journals Assessing Renewable Energy Sources for Electricity (RES-E) Potential using a CAPM-Analogous Multi-Stage Model

Energies ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (19) ◽  
pp. 3599 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martinez-Fernandez ◽  
deLlano-Paz ◽  
Calvo-Silvosa ◽  
Soares
Keyword(s):  
Power Generation ◽  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Carbon Capture ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Carbon Capture And Storage ◽  
Offshore Wind ◽  
Energy Sources ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Multi Stage ◽  
The Cost

Carbon mitigation is a major aim of the power-generation regulation. Renewable energy sources for electricity are essential to design a future low-carbon mix. In this work, financial Modern Portfolio Theory (MPT) is implemented to optimize the power-generation technologies portfolio. We include technological and environmental restrictions in the model. The optimization is carried out in two stages. Firstly, we minimize the cost and risk of the generation portfolio, and afterwards, we minimize its emission factor and risk. By combining these two results, we are able to draw an area which can be considered analogous to the Capital Market Line (CML) used by the Capital Asset Pricing model (CAPM). This area delimits the set of long-term power-generation portfolios that can be selected to achieve a progressive decarbonisation of the mix. This work confirms the relevant role of small hydro, offshore wind, and large hydro as preferential technologies in efficient portfolios. It is necessary to include all available renewable technologies in order to reduce the cost and the risk of the portfolio, benefiting from the diversification effect. Additionally, carbon capture and storage technologies must be available and deployed if fossil fuel technologies remain in the portfolio in a low-carbon approach.

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 The Value of BECCS in IAMs: a Review

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 107-115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandre C. Köberle
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Capture ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Carbon Capture And Storage ◽  
Integrated Assessment Model ◽  
Assessment Model ◽  
Model Structure ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Discount Rates ◽  
Value Drivers ◽  
End Use

Abstract Purpose of Review Integrated assessment model (IAM) scenarios consistent with Paris Agreement targets involve large negative emission technologies (NETs), mostly bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS). Such reliance on BECCS implies IAMs assign it a high value. Past analyses on the value of BECCS in IAMs have not explicitly addressed the role of model structure and assumptions as value drivers. This paper examines the extent to which the value of BECCS in IAMs is enhanced by model structure constraints and assumptions. Recent Findings Predominant use of high discount rates (3.5–5%) means models opt for delayed-action strategies for emissions mitigation that lead to high levels of cumulative net-negative emissions, while lower discount rates lead to reduce reliance on NETs. Until recently in the literature, most models limited NET options to only BECCS and afforestation, but introduction of other CDR options can reduce BECCS deployment. Constraints on grid penetration of variable renewable energy (VRE) is a determining factor on the level of BECCS deployment across models, and more constrained grid penetration of VREs leads to more BECCS in electricity generation. Summary This paper concludes BECCS derives significant value not only from the existing structure of IAMs but also from what is not represented in models and by predominant use of high discount rates. Omissions include NETs other than BECCS and deforestation, low-carbon innovation in end-use technologies, grid resilience to intermittent sources, and energy use in agriculture production. As IAMs increasingly endogenize such constraints, the value of BECCS in resulting scenarios is likely to be dampened.

Energy

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
José Goldemberg
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Smart Grids ◽  
Carbon Capture ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Carbon Capture And Storage ◽  
Energy System ◽  
Renewable Energy Resources ◽  
Available Energy ◽  
World Energy

Without a doubt, the topic of energy--from coal, oil, and nuclear to geothermal, solar and wind--is one of the most pressing across the globe. It is of paramount importance to policy makers, economists, environmentalists, and industry as they consider which technologies to invest in, how to promote use of renewable energy sources, and how to plan for dwindling reserves of non-renewable energy. In Energy: What Everyone Needs to Know, José Goldemberg, a nuclear physicist who has been hailed by Time magazine as one of the world's top "leaders and visionaries on the environment," takes readers through the basics of the world energy system, its problems, and the technical as well as non-technical solutions to the most pressing energy problems. Addressing the issues in a Q-and-A format, Goldemberg answers such questions as: What are wind, wave, and geothermal energy? What are the problems of nuclear waste disposal? What is acid rain? What is the greenhouse gas effect? What is Carbon Capture and Storage? What are smart grids? What is the Kyoto Protocol? What is "cap and trade"? The book sheds light on the role of population growth in energy consumption, renewable energy resources, the amount of available energy reserves (and when they will run out), geopolitical issues, environmental problems, the frequency of environmental disasters, energy efficiency, new technologies, and solutions to changing consumption patterns. It will be the first place to look for information on the vital topic of energy.

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