scholarly journals Catalysts for Emerging Energy Applications

MRS Bulletin ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 429-435 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruce C. Gates ◽  
George W. Huber ◽  
Christopher L. Marshall ◽  
Phillip N. Ross ◽  
Jeffrey Siirola ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Natural Gas ◽  
Metal Oxides ◽  
Chemical Transformation ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Biomass Conversion ◽  
Liquid Fuels ◽  
Porous Solids ◽  
Metal Sulfides ◽  
Energy Applications ◽  
Starting Point

AbstractCatalysis is the essential technology for chemical transformation, including production of fuels from the fossil resources petroleum, natural gas, and coal. Typical catalysts for these conversions are robust porous solids incorporating metals, metal oxides, and/or metal sulfides. As efforts are stepping up to replace fossil fuels with biomass, new catalysts for the conversion of the components of biomass will be needed. Although the catalysts for biomass conversion might be substantially different from those used in the conversion of fossil feedstocks, the latter catalysts are a starting point in today's research. Major challenges lie ahead in the discovery of efficient biomass conversion catalysts, as well as in the discovery of catalysts for conversion of CO2 and possibly water into liquid fuels.

scholarly journals Conversion of biomass to biofuels and life cycle assessment: a review

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmed I. Osman ◽  
Neha Mehta ◽  
Ahmed M. Elgarahy ◽  
Amer Al-Hinai ◽  
Ala’a H. Al-Muhtaseb ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Biomass Conversion ◽  
Biofuel Production ◽  
Process Efficiency ◽  
Liquid Fuels ◽  
Thermochemical Processes ◽  
Lower Temperature

AbstractThe global energy demand is projected to rise by almost 28% by 2040 compared to current levels. Biomass is a promising energy source for producing either solid or liquid fuels. Biofuels are alternatives to fossil fuels to reduce anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. Nonetheless, policy decisions for biofuels should be based on evidence that biofuels are produced in a sustainable manner. To this end, life cycle assessment (LCA) provides information on environmental impacts associated with biofuel production chains. Here, we review advances in biomass conversion to biofuels and their environmental impact by life cycle assessment. Processes are gasification, combustion, pyrolysis, enzymatic hydrolysis routes and fermentation. Thermochemical processes are classified into low temperature, below 300 °C, and high temperature, higher than 300 °C, i.e. gasification, combustion and pyrolysis. Pyrolysis is promising because it operates at a relatively lower temperature of up to 500 °C, compared to gasification, which operates at 800–1300 °C. We focus on 1) the drawbacks and advantages of the thermochemical and biochemical conversion routes of biomass into various fuels and the possibility of integrating these routes for better process efficiency; 2) methodological approaches and key findings from 40 LCA studies on biomass to biofuel conversion pathways published from 2019 to 2021; and 3) bibliometric trends and knowledge gaps in biomass conversion into biofuels using thermochemical and biochemical routes. The integration of hydrothermal and biochemical routes is promising for the circular economy.

Evaluasi Prediksi Higher Heating Value (HHV) Biomassa Berdasarkan Analisis Proksimat

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Made Dirgantara ◽  
Karelius Karelius ◽  
Marselin Devi Ariyanti, Sry Ayu K. Tamba
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Natural Gas ◽  
Key Words ◽  
Critical Analysis ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Calorific Value ◽  
Proximate Analysis ◽  
Heating Value ◽  
Bomb Calorimeter ◽  
Hhv Prediction

Abstrak – Biomassa merupakan salah satu energi terbarukan yang sangat mudah ditemui, ramah lingkungan dan cukup ekonomis. Keberadaan biomassa dapat dimaanfaatkan sebagai pengganti bahan bakar fosil, baik itu minyak bumi, gas alam maupun batu bara. Analisi diperlukan sebagai dasar biomassa sebagai energi seperti proksimat dan kalor. Analisis terpenting untuk menilai biomassa sebagai bahan bakar adalah nilai kalori atau higher heating value (HHV). HHV secara eksperimen diukur menggunakan bomb calorimeter, namun pengukuran ini kurang efektif, karena memerlukan waktu serta biaya yang tinggi. Penelitian mengenai prediksi HHV berdasarkan analisis proksimat telah dilakukan sehingga dapat mempermudah dan menghemat biaya yang diperlukan peneliti. Dalam makalah ini dibahas evaluasi persamaan untuk memprediksi HHV berdasarkan analisis proksimat pada biomassa berdasarkan data dari penelitian sebelumnya. Prediksi nilai HHV menggunakan lima persamaan yang dievaluasi dengan 25 data proksimat biomassa dari penelitian sebelumnya, kemudian dibandingkan berdasarkan nilai error untuk mendapatkan prediksi terbaik. Hasil analisis menunjukan, persamaan A terbaik di 7 biomassa, B di 6 biomassa, C di 6 biomassa, D di 5 biomassa dan E di 1 biomassa.Kata kunci: bahan bakar, biomassa, higher heating value, nilai error, proksimat  Abstract – Biomass is a renewable energy that is very easy to find, environmentally friendly, and quite economical. The existence of biomass can be used as a substitute for fossil fuels, both oil, natural gas, and coal. Analyzes are needed as a basis for biomass as energy such as proximate and heat. The most critical analysis to assess biomass as fuel is the calorific value or higher heating value (HHV). HHV is experimentally measured using a bomb calorimeter, but this measurement is less effective because it requires time and high costs. Research on the prediction of HHV based on proximate analysis has been carried out so that it can simplify and save costs needed by researchers. In this paper, the evaluation of equations is discussed to predict HHV based on proximate analysis on biomass-based on data from previous studies. HHV prediction values using five equations were evaluated with 25 proximate biomass data from previous studies, then compared based on error value to get the best predictions. The analysis shows that Equation A predicts best in 7 biomass, B in 6 biomass, C in 6 biomass, D in 5 biomass, and E in 1 biomass. Key words: fuel, biomass, higher heating value, error value, proximate 

scholarly journals Emissions Effects of Energy Storage for Frequency Regulation: Comparing Battery and Flywheel Storage to Natural Gas

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 549
Author(s):  
Eric Pareis ◽  
Eric Hittinger
Keyword(s):  
Energy Storage ◽  
Natural Gas ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Storage Systems ◽  
Storage System ◽  
The United States ◽  
Frequency Regulation ◽  
So2 Emissions ◽  
Gas Generation ◽  
Electrical Generation

With an increase in renewable energy generation in the United States, there is a growing need for more frequency regulation to ensure the stability of the electric grid. Fast ramping natural gas plants are often used for frequency regulation, but this creates emissions associated with the burning of fossil fuels. Energy storage systems (ESSs), such as batteries and flywheels, provide an alternative frequency regulation service. However, the efficiency losses of charging and discharging a storage system cause additional electrical generation requirements and associated emissions. There is not a good understanding of these indirect emissions from charging and discharging ESSs in the literature, with most sources stating that ESSs for frequency regulation have lower emissions, without quantification of these emissions. We created a model to estimate three types of emissions (CO2, NOX, and SO2) from ESSs providing frequency regulation, and compare them to emissions from a natural gas plant providing the same service. When the natural gas plant is credited for the generated electricity, storage systems have 33% to 68% lower CO2 emissions than the gas turbine, depending on the US eGRID subregion, but higher NOX and SO2 emissions. However, different plausible assumptions about the framing of the analysis can make ESSs a worse choice so the true difference depends on the nature of the substitution between storage and natural gas generation.

Accelerating oil and gas investment and reserves by design

2018 ◽  
Vol 58 (2) ◽  
pp. 557
Author(s):  
Barry A. Goldstein
Keyword(s):  
Natural Gas ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
South Australia ◽  
Land Access ◽  
Oil And Gas Exploration ◽  
Oil And Gas Producers ◽  
Crude Oil Prices ◽  
Exploration And Production ◽  
Oil And Gas Operations

Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passion, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence (Adams 1770). Some people unfamiliar with upstream petroleum operations, some enterprises keen to sustain uncontested land use, and some people against the use of fossil fuels have and will voice opposition to land access for oil and gas exploration and production. Social and economic concerns have also arisen with Australian domestic gas prices tending towards parity with netbacks from liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports. No doubt, natural gas, LNG and crude-oil prices will vary with local-to-international supply-side and demand-side competition. Hence, well run Australian oil and gas producers deploy stress-tested exploration, delineation and development budgets. With these challenges in mind, successive governments in South Australia have implemented leading-practice legislation, regulation, policies and programs to simultaneously gain and sustain trust with the public and investors with regard to land access for trustworthy oil and gas operations. South Australia’s most recent initiatives to foster reserve growth through welcomed investment in responsible oil and gas operations include the following: a Roundtable for Oil and Gas; evergreen answers to frequently asked questions, grouped retention licences that accelerate investment in the best of play trends; the Plan for ACcelerating Exploration (PACE) Gas Program; and the Oil and Gas Royalty Return Program. Intended and actual outcomes from these initiatives are addressed in this extended abstract.

scholarly journals One-Dimensional (1D) Nanostructured Materials for Energy Applications

Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (10) ◽  
pp. 2609
Author(s):  
Abniel Machín ◽  
Kenneth Fontánez ◽  
Juan C. Arango ◽  
Dayna Ortiz ◽  
Jimmy De León ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nanostructured Materials ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
High Surface ◽  
High Surface Area ◽  
Future Research ◽  
One Dimensional ◽  
Progressive Movement ◽  
1D Nanostructures ◽  
Energy Applications ◽  
Energy Processes

At present, the world is at the peak of production of traditional fossil fuels. Much of the resources that humanity has been consuming (oil, coal, and natural gas) are coming to an end. The human being faces a future that must necessarily go through a paradigm shift, which includes a progressive movement towards increasingly less polluting and energetically viable resources. In this sense, nanotechnology has a transcendental role in this change. For decades, new materials capable of being used in energy processes have been synthesized, which undoubtedly will be the cornerstone of the future development of the planet. In this review, we report on the current progress in the synthesis and use of one-dimensional (1D) nanostructured materials (specifically nanowires, nanofibers, nanotubes, and nanorods), with compositions based on oxides, nitrides, or metals, for applications related to energy. Due to its extraordinary surface–volume relationship, tunable thermal and transport properties, and its high surface area, these 1D nanostructures have become fundamental elements for the development of energy processes. The most relevant 1D nanomaterials, their different synthesis procedures, and useful methods for assembling 1D nanostructures in functional devices will be presented. Applications in relevant topics such as optoelectronic and photochemical devices, hydrogen production, or energy storage, among others, will be discussed. The present review concludes with a forecast on the directions towards which future research could be directed on this class of nanostructured materials.

Biocatalysis and biomass conversion: enabling a circular economy

2020 ◽  
Vol 378 (2176) ◽  
pp. 20190274 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roger A. Sheldon
Keyword(s):  
Circular Economy ◽  
Biomass Conversion ◽  
Raw Material ◽  
Liquid Fuels ◽  
Waste Biomass ◽  
Renewable Biomass ◽  
Precious Metal Catalysts ◽  
Mitigate Climate Change ◽  
Forestry Residues ◽  
The Right

This paper is based on a lecture presented to the Royal Society in London on 24 June 2019. Two of the grand societal and technological challenges of the twenty-first century are the ‘greening' of chemicals manufacture and the ongoing transition to a sustainable, carbon neutral economy based on renewable biomass as the raw material, a so-called bio-based economy. These challenges are motivated by the need to eliminate environmental degradation and mitigate climate change. In a bio-based economy, ideally waste biomass, particularly agricultural and forestry residues and food supply chain waste, are converted to liquid fuels, commodity chemicals and biopolymers using clean, catalytic processes. Biocatalysis has the right credentials to achieve this goal. Enzymes are biocompatible, biodegradable and essentially non-hazardous. Additionally, they are derived from inexpensive renewable resources which are readily available and not subject to the large price fluctuations which undermine the long-term commercial viability of scarce precious metal catalysts. Thanks to spectacular advances in molecular biology the landscape of biocatalysis has dramatically changed in the last two decades. Developments in (meta)genomics in combination with ‘big data’ analysis have revolutionized new enzyme discovery and developments in protein engineering by directed evolution have enabled dramatic improvements in their performance. These developments have their confluence in the bio-based circular economy. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue ‘Science to enable the circular economy'.

Mesoporous MnCo2S4 nanosheet arrays as an efficient catalyst for Li–O2 batteries

Nanoscale ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (33) ◽  
pp. 15588-15599 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zoya Sadighi ◽  
Jiapeng Liu ◽  
Francesco Ciucci ◽  
Jang-Kyo Kim
Keyword(s):  
Metal Oxides ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Rechargeable Batteries ◽  
Metal Sulfides ◽  
Efficient Catalyst ◽  
Nanosheet Arrays ◽  
Ternary Metal ◽  
Ternary Metal Sulfides

Ternary metal sulfides and ternary metal oxides have received much attention as potential electrodes for high performance rechargeable batteries.

scholarly journals Advances in Underground Energy Storage for Renewable Energy Sources

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 5142
Author(s):  
Javier Menéndez ◽  
Jorge Loredo
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Energy Storage ◽  
Natural Gas ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Energy Sources ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Coal Fuel

The use of fossil fuels (coal, fuel, and natural gas) to generate electricity has been reduced in the European Union during the last few years, involving a significant decrease in greenhouse gas emissions [...]

Methods to Improve Combustion Stability, Efficiency, and Power Density of a Small, Port-Injected, Spark-Ignited, Two-Stroke Natural Gas Engine

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Derek Johnson ◽  
Mahdi Darzi ◽  
Chris Ulishney ◽  
Mehar Bade ◽  
Nima Zamani
Keyword(s):  
Natural Gas ◽  
Power Density ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Exhaust System ◽  
Combustion Stability ◽  
Liquid Fuels ◽  
Delivery Ratio ◽  
Resonance Theory ◽  
Indicated Mean Effective Pressure ◽  
Exhaust Systems

Two-stroke engines are often used for their low cost, simplicity, and power density. However, these engines suffer efficiency penalties due to fuel short-circuiting. Increasing power density has previously been an area of focus for performance two-stroke engines — such as in dirt bikes. Smaller-displacement engines have also been used to power remote controlled cars, boats, and aircraft. These engines typically rely on gasoline or higher-octane liquid fuels. However, natural gas is an inherently knock-resistant fuel and small natural gas engines and generators could see increased market penetration. Power generators typically operate at a fixed frequency with varied load, which can take advantage of intake and exhaust system tuning. In addition, stationary engines may not be subject to size restrictions of optimal intake and exhaust systems. This paper examines methods to improve combustion stability, efficiency, and power density of a 29cc air-cooled two-stroke engine converted to operate on natural gas. Initial conversion showed significant penalties on delivery ratio, which lowered power density and efficiency. To overcome these issues a tuned intake pipe, two exhaust resonators, and a combustion dome were designed and tested. The engine was operated at 5400 RPM and fueling was adjusted to yield maximum brake-torque (MBT). All tests were conducted under wide-open throttle conditions. The intake and exhaust systems were designed based on Helmholtz resonance theory and empirical data. The engine utilized a two-piece cylinder head with removable combustion dome. The combustion dome was modified for optimal compression ratio while decreasing squish area and volume. With all designs incorporated, power increased from 0.22 kW to 1.07 kW — a factor of 4.86. Efficiency also increased from 7% to 12%. In addition to these performance gains, the coefficient of variation (COV) of indicated mean effective pressure (IMEP) decreased from just above 11% to less than 4%.

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