Opportunities and risks of the climate policy in Russia

The climate agenda involves significant economic dimension and component. This is precipitated, on the one hand, by the climate change impact on the economy and its implications for economic development that necessitate costs for planning and implementing adaptation measures, and, on the other hand, by the imperatives of structural and technological modernization of the economy to strengthen its competitiveness and sustainability of socio-economic development including reduction of industrial greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions and increasing the ecosystems’ carbon sink capacity. The above implies harmonization of ecological, climatic, socio-economic, and technological characteristics to produce an effective national low GHG emissions socio-economic development strategy required by the Paris Climate Agreement. This in turn calls for comprehensive assessment of the impact produced by new low-carbon technologies on economic dynamics using the framework of macrostructural calculations and scenarios of economic development of Russia with different volumes of funding invested in decarbonization. It is argued that the most efficient is a group of so-called moderate scenarios that provide for both GHG reduction and economic growth rates above the global average. More ambitious scenarios involve risks of slowing GDP growth given weighty additional investment which constrains the dynamics of household consumption. The key role of the Russian ecosystems capacity to absorb and sequester carbon in implementation of the low GHG emissions socio-economic development strategy is substantiated and the imperative for the complex of measures to improve the efficiency of land use and forestry resources (LULUCF), primarily the quality of R&D and the national monitoring system development, is emphasized.

Biomethane from Manure, Agricultural Residues and Biowaste—GHG Mitigation Potential from Residue-Based Biomethane in the European Transport Sector

Biomethane from manure, agricultural residues, and biowaste has been prioritized by many energy strategies as a sustainable way to decrease greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the transport sector. The technology is regarded as mature; however, its implementation is still at an early stage. At EU level, there are currently two major instruments relevant for promoting the production of biomethane from waste and residues and which are likely to contribute to unlocking unused GHG mitigation potentials: the Renewable Energy Directive 2018/2001 (RED II) and the European Emission Trading System (EU ETS). Our study analyzes the effects of these two instruments on the competitiveness of biomethane as an advanced transport fuel in relation to different policy scenarios within the RED II framework and under EU ETS conditions. Within the RED II market framework for advanced biofuels, biomethane concepts that use manure as a substrate or as a cosubstrate show significantly lower GHG mitigation costs compared to advanced biofuels. With respect to the current EU ETS conditions for bioenergy, it is helpful to consider the GHG reduction potential from the non-ETS agricultural sector as a way to unlock unused potential for reducing GHG emissions.

Afforestation of abandoned peat extraction sites with Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) as a solution of climate change mitigation

On a global scale, ambitious climate change mitigation targets are set. By 2050, the European Union is expected to be climate neutral which means that the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions will not exceed removals. This initiative is also supported by Latvia. For businesses and carbon intensive industries transition to climate neutral economy will be provided by Just Transition Fund. The direction of the peat sector towards climate neutrality will promote research and innovation as well as restoration of peat extraction sites. These are also the objectives of implementing the Just Transition Fund for investments in Latvia. Studies on management of peat soils to improve the calculation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have been carried out in Latvia within LIFE REstore project. The aim of the study is to assess the impact of afforestation of abandoned peat extraction sites with Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) on GHG emissions compared to retaining of the existing situation (abandoned peatlands with poorly developed vegetation). Afforestation of degraded peatlands can contribute to significant GHG reduction in wetlands – up to 20% of the net GHG emissions due to wetlands management. The most of the GHG mitigation potential is ensured by accumulation of CO2 in living biomass.

Greenhouse Gas Impact of Algal Bio-Crude Production for a Range of CO2 Supply Scenarios

Refined bio-crude production from hydrothermal liquefaction of algae holds the potential to replace fossil-based conventional liquid fuels. The microalgae act as natural carbon sequestrators by consuming CO2. However, this absorbed CO2 is released to the atmosphere during the combustion of the bio-crude. Thus, the life-cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of refined bio-crude are linked to the production and supply of the materials involved and the process energy demands. One prominent raw material is CO2, which is the main source of carbon for algae and the subsequent products. The emissions associated with the supply of CO2 can have a considerable impact on the sustainability of the algae-based refined bio-crude production process. Furthermore, the diurnal algae growth cycle complicates the CO2 supply scenarios. Traditionally, studies have relied on CO2 supplied from existing power plants. However, there is potential for building natural gas or biomass-based power plants with the primary aim of supplying CO2 to the biorefinery. Alternately, a direct air capture (DAC) process can extract CO2 directly from the air. The life-cycle GHG emissions associated with the production of refined bio-crude through hydrothermal liquefaction of algae are presented in this study. Different CO2 supply scenarios, including existing fossil fuel power plants and purpose-built CO2 sources, are compared. The integration of the CO2 sources with the algal biorefinery is also presented. The CO2 supply from biomass-based power plants has the highest potential for GHG reduction, with a GHG footprint of −57 g CO2 eq./MJ refined bio-crude. The CO2 supply from the DAC process has a GHG footprint of 49 CO2 eq./MJ refined bio-crude, which is very similar to the scenario that considers the supply of CO2 from an existing conventional natural gas-based plant and takes credit for the carbon utilization.

Electric energy planning in Namibe, Angola: Inserting renewable energies in search of a sustainable energy mix

The socioeconomic development of any region requires electricity for operating the various sectors of the economy. Sometimes energy is scarce, not only because of the lack of energy resources, but also because energy policy is inadequate or non-existent. This paper examines the situation in the province of Namibe, Angola, characterising the energy sector, and proposing an energy mix for the security of electricity supply, environmental protection and sustainable economic development. Using the Long-range Energy Alternative and Planning System, energy scenarios were simulated and the greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) for the period 2014-2040 calculated and analysed. The most sustainable scenario, in terms of energy mix diversification and GHG reduction, as well as the least costly (considering electricity production and carbon costs), has an increase of hydro capacity and the insertion of wind, solar photovoltaic, thermoelectric sources and natural gas. Given the intermittency of photovoltaic and wind systems, natural gas appears in this scenario as a way to avoid interruptions in the electricity supply. This scenario is the one with the largest production reserve margin of 24.47 %, and emissions are avoided at 386 550 tCO2eq compared to the base scenario in 2040. Energy policymakers can take this scenario as a model to assist in making decisions on how power capacities can be installed over the planned time for the desired energy output.

Digitalization for Reducing Carbon Footprint in Drilling Operations

Objectives/Scope Drilling activities are energy intensive, in order to support, for example, heavy loads, high volumes circulation, and high torque equipment. As of today, this energy is mainly provided by diesel generators consuming tons of fuel every day. Hence, drilling activities are a significant producer of greenhouse gases (GHG) in the upstream industry, therefore drawing attention on the potential for emissions reduction. There are two ways for reducing emissions: changing the source of energy, and reducing the consumption. This paper is focusing on the latter, addressing the potential for GHG reduction thanks digitalization of the rig operations. Methods, Procedures, Process The process is structured in two phases: Phase 1 - data monitoring Rig operations provide different data sources from rig sensors and daily reporting. The digitalization process in place in Saipem is gathering and consolidating these data on rig site and in headquarters in real time. On one hand, dedicated algorithms are applied to identify the rig state (type of ongoing operation) every 5 seconds. On the other hand, engines’ consumptions data are provided either through reporting or from engines monitoring systems (where available). All these data are then consolidated and displayed on interactive dashboards, providing insightful information on fuel efficiency and energy consumption by type of operations for each rig. Phase 2 - consumption optimization By analysing the power needs according to a given environment (eg. depth) and operational conditions (eg. tripping) the system provides the best statistical performance recorded from the rig fleet and set it as a target for low emission operations. Then the operators on the rig have clear instructions on how to utilize their diesel generators to ensure both operational safety and emissions reduction. In addition, the use of the engines at an optimal level supports also availability (less failures) and maintainability (longer lifetime). Results, Observations, Conclusions The system in place has produced valuable results in less than 6 months, by offering a clear visibility on the most consuming activities and the definition of best-in-class energy-efficient operations. These instructions are distributed among the rigs, and the operators can proactively optimize the use of their engines according to the upcoming activities and the operating environment. GHG emissions are constantly monitored and reductions have been recorded on a monthly basis. Novel/Additive Information Considering that the cleaner energy is the one that is not consumed, this digitalization process of rig sensor data and operation reporting offers an unprecedented vision of the activities and their related GHG emissions. A cautious analysis of these data provides practical indicators for the most efficient use of diesel generators. This proactive energy management supports operators and contractors in delivering a proactive sustainability strategy with measurable results.

Waste management planning toward zero waste in Hotel XYZ Bandung with circular economy principles (case study: room service facility’s solid waste)

Hotel XYZ is a commercial area in the city of Bandung which still applies the traditional linear economic cycle. The 61.61% of ±9000 m2 building area is used for room service facilities. The hotel has not paid attention to its waste management so all the waste generated from this hotel end up at the landfill area. This study aims at improving the waste management in Hotel XYZ to meet the principle of circular economy. Using SNI 19-3964-1994 approach to measure the generation of waste composition, the amount of waste generated from room service facilities is 0.03 kg/m2/day or 0.41 liter/m2/day. The zero waste index (ZWI) calculation was used for the evaluation of waste management in the hotel. The waste generated at Hotel XYZ has the potential to achieve substitute material savings by 63.16 kg, substitution of energy by 775.79 MegaJoule (MJ), greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction by 49.36 kg/CO2e, -164.06 L/kg of water saving. The most waste generated by hotel room service facilities is recyclable waste consisting of single-use packaging from hotel equipments. Waste reduction plan for the room service facilities is carried out by replacing single-use packaging with refillable packaging so the hotel is able to save their shopping expenditure costs up to Rp. 844,691.00 per day.

Mapping the Energy Flows and GHG Emissions of a Medium-Size City: The Case of Valladolid (Spain)

Valladolid (Spain) is a medium-size city (~300,000 inhabitants) that established a greenhouse (GHG) emissions reduction target in 2011 of 20% from 2010–2020. However, tracking the evolution of GHG in medium-size cities is challenging due to the general lack of compulsory data collection at this scale and issues with boundaries when attempting alternative estimates. Here, we propose and apply a novel method to estimate the evolution of GHG emissions due to energy consumption for the period of 2010–2019 in Valladolid, combining top-down and bottom-up data following a physical energy flows approach. The energy consumption of the city is estimated by main sectors and types of energies. The results show that, throughout the past decade, both total energy consumption and its sector end-use share did not significantly change: final energy consumption remained at around 24 MWh (86.5 GJ) per capita and was still highly dependent on fossil fuels, especially natural gas and oil products (over 70% of total energy supply). The GHG reduction by 2019 was ~11% with relation to 2010 and, thus, had not reached the set objective; in per capita terms, the GHG reduction was lower (~6%) due to population loss during the period. The trend, however, has not been monotone and has instead followed a U-shape strongly correlated with the economic crisis and subsequent recovery, suggesting that transition policies have had, at most, a modest effect on the overall results. The analysis shows, first of all, the limitations of statistical sources at a local level, both for energy and mobility, which do not allow more accurate results in identifying the main energy consumers to be reached; and, secondly, the need for strong decarbonization measures which have to be set urgently at all the relevant institutional levels. Reaching GHG neutrality in the city by 2050 requires reducing the GHG emissions by ~13%/year, which is ~20 times faster than for the 2010–2019 average of 0.6%/year.