GHG EMISSIONS EVALUATION FROM FOSSIL FUEL WITH CCS

2009 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 81-89 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristian Dinca ◽  
Adrian-Alexandru Badea ◽  
Tiberiu Apostol ◽  
Gheorghe Lazaroiu
Keyword(s):  
Author(s):  
Jian Ma ◽  
Oliver Hemmers

A thermoeconomic analysis of microalgae co-firing process for fossil fuel-fired power plants is studied. A process with closed photobioreactor and artificial illumination is evaluated for microalgae cultivation, due to its simplicity with less influence from climate variations. The results from this process would contribute to further estimation of process performance and investment. The concept of co-firing (coal-microalgae or natural gas-microalgae) includes the utilization of CO2 from power plant for microalgal biomass culture and oxy-combustion of using oxygen generated by biomass to enhance the combustion efficiency. As it reduces CO2 emission by recycling it and uses less fossil fuel, there are concomitant benefits of reduced GHG emissions. The by-products (oxygen) of microalgal biomass can be mixed with air or recycled flue gas prior to combustion, which will have the benefits of lower nitrogen oxide concentration in flue gas, higher efficiency of combustion, and not too high temperature (avoided by available construction materials) resulting from coal combustion in pure oxygen. Two case studies show that there are average savings about $0.386 million/MW/yr and $0.323 million/MW/yr for coal-fired and natural gas-fired power plants, respectively. These costs saving are economically attractive and demonstrate the promise of microalgae technology for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emission.


Significance LNG is cleaner than most fossil fuels but still incompatible with net zero emissions. India, China and other Asian economies see LNG imports as a ready and economically viable means of displacing coal and oil use. Natural gas and then LNG demand will eventually peak as the energy transition accelerates over the next 20 years. Impacts LNG market growth will embed fossil fuel use and infrastructure in developing economies’ energy mixes. Recent market volatility and record spot LNG prices may reverse the trend of greater reliance on spot transactions than long-term contracts. Although the greenhouse gas (GHG) benefits of LNG use in transport are far from clear, it will gain market share in the next few years. LNG project developers will seek to cut GHG emissions from their projects to prolong LNG's attractiveness in the energy transition.


Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (24) ◽  
pp. 6497
Author(s):  
Robert Czubaszek ◽  
Agnieszka Wysocka-Czubaszek ◽  
Piotr Banaszuk

We conducted the Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) of energy production from biogas for maize and three types of wetland biomass: reed Phragmites australis, sedges Carex elata, and Carex gracilis, and “grassy vegetation” of wet meadows (WM). Biogas energy produced from maize reached over 90 GJ ha−1, which was more than four times higher than that gained from wetland biomass. However, an estimation of energy efficiency (EE) calculated as a ratio of energy input to the energy produced in a biogas plant showed that the wet fermentation (WF) of maize was similar to the values obtained for dry fermentation (DF) of sedge biomass (~0.30 GJ GJ−1). The greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions released during preparation of the feedstock and operation of the biogas plant were 150 g CO2 eq. kWhel.−1 for DF of sedges and 262 g CO2 eq. kWhel.−1 for WF of Phragmites. Compared to the prevailing coal-based power generation in Central Europe, anaerobic digestion (AD) of wetland biomass could contribute to a reduction in GHG emissions by 74% to 85%. However, calculations covering the GHG emissions during the entire process “from field to field” seem to disqualify AD of conservation biomass as valid low-GHG energy supply technology. Estimated emissions ranged between 795 g CO2 eq. kWhel.−1 for DF of Phragmites and 2738 g CO2 eq. kWhel.−1 for the WM and, in most cases, exceeded those related to fossil fuel technologies.


2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos Tommasi ◽  
Roberto Zennaro ◽  
Marco Ferrari ◽  
Lino Carnelli ◽  
Tamara Passera ◽  
...  

2007 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 255-283 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy Leduc

AbstractThis paper examines the powerful intersection of Christian fundamentalism and fossil fuel interests in the United States' Republican administration's policy response to climate change. Of particular interest is the increasing recognition that apocalyptic Christian beliefs are informing America's political economic and public understanding of environmental issues, thus allowing climate change to be interpreted from a religious frame of reference that could impact a viable response in a country whose GHG emissions are amongst the highest in the world. While liberal secularists may think the Christian apocalypse to be a misguided belief, scientific discourses on the potential interacting impacts of climatic changes and energy shortages offer an almost complementary rational depiction of apocalypse. By bringing these Christian and secular revelations into dialogue, the following interdisciplinary analysis offers a unique perspective on the way in which apocalyptic thought can both negatively and positively inform a political economic response to climate change.


2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (10) ◽  
pp. 8035-8084 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Sabbatini ◽  
N. Arriga ◽  
T. Bertolini ◽  
S. Castaldi ◽  
T. Chiti ◽  
...  

Abstract. The production of bioenergy in Europe is one of the strategies conceived to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The suitability of the land use change from a cropland (REF site) to a short rotation coppice plantation of hybrid poplar (SRC site) was investigated by comparing the GHG budgets of these two systems over 24 months in Viterbo, Italy. Eddy covariance measurements were carried out to quantify the net ecosystem exchange of CO2 (FCO2), whereas chambers were used to measure N2O and CH4 emissions from soil. Soil organic carbon (SOC) of an older poplar plantation was used to estimate via a regression the SOC loss due to SRC establishment. Emissions from tractors and from production and transport of agricultural inputs (FMAN) were modelled and GHG emission offset due to fossil fuel substitution was credited to the SRC site considering the C intensity of natural gas. Emissions due to the use of the biomass (FEXP) were also considered. The suitability was finally assessed comparing the GHG budgets of the two sites. FCO2 was the higher flux in the SRC site (−3512 ± 224 g CO2 eq m−2 in two years), while in the REF site it was −1838 ± 107 g CO2 m−2 in two years. FEXP was equal to 1858 ± 240 g CO2 m−2 in 24 months in the REF site, thus basically compensating FCO2, while it was 1118 ± 521 g CO2 eq m−2 in 24 months in the SRC site. This latter could offset −379.7 ± 175.1 g CO2 eq m−2 from fossil fuel displacement. Soil CH4 and N2O fluxes were negligible. FMAN weighed 2 and 4% in the GHG budgets of SRC and REF sites respectively, while the SOC loss weighed 455 ± 524 g CO2 m−2 in two years. Overall, the REF site was close to neutrality in a GHG perspective (156 ± 264 g CO2 eq m−2), while the SRC site was a net sink of −2202 ± 792 g CO2 eq m−2. In conclusion the experiment led to a positive evaluation of the conversion of cropland to bioenergy SRC from a GHG viewpoint.


2021 ◽  
pp. 100-112
Author(s):  
Lemma Beressa ◽  
Battula Vijaya Saradhi

The use of imported fuel in the Ethiopian cement industry increased the cost of production and the environmental burden, necessitating intervention. The greenhouse gas (GHG) emission, energy usage intensity, and resource exploitation of Ethiopian cement production were evaluated using the life cycle impact assessment (LCA) tool, aiming to recommend improvements. The LCA study used cumulative energy demand (CED) and Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 2006 life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) methods. For the case study of Mugher cement factory (MCF), the results on energy use intensities showed 3.74, 3.67, and 2.64 GJ/ton of clinker, Ordinary Portland cement (OPC), Pozzolana Portland cement (PPC), respectively. The result revealed MCF's energy use intensity was within the global range of 3.32 to 5.11 GJ/ton of cement production using similar kiln technology. The results on the GHG emissions were 0.87, 0.84, and 0.59 tons of CO2-equivalent/ton of clinker, OPC, and PPC, respectively. Process emissions accounted for 60% of overall CO2 emissions, with energy-related emissions accounting for the remaining 40%. CO2 emissions of MCF are below the global limit of 0.9 tons/ton of clinker, where all energy sources are fossil fuels. However, it is higher than the 0.65 ton/ton of clinker from a moderate rotary kiln in China. MCF used 70% of its total energy sources from imported fossil fuels, and transportation of the imported fuel added 1.2% CO2 to total emissions. A suggested fossil fuel use improvement scenario for MCF, where coffee husk replaces 50% of the imported coal improved the energy intensity, GHG emissions, and total cost of coal in clinker production by 1.2%, 14%, 36%, respectively.


Elem Sci Anth ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martina Grecequet ◽  
Eri Saikawa ◽  
Jessica J. Hellmann

Mitigation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and adaptation to climate risk are two essential ingredients of climate change policy. Both are needed and co-benefits may exist. Yet, mitigation and adaptation are not usually pursued together. Part of remedying this shortcoming is understanding the relationship between GHG emissions and climate vulnerability reduction and recognizing when and where they trend together. Here, we compare changes in fossil fuel CO2 emissions per capita and in climate vulnerability scores over the past two decades in 179 countries. We use climate vulnerability scores from the well-established ND-GAIN Country Index, a composite metric constructed from thirty-six indicators covering three components of vulnerability (exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity). We find that 69% of the countries decreased climate vulnerability, while increasing their per capita fossil fuel CO2 emissions. These countries are successfully reducing climate vulnerability but are increasing their GHG emissions and thus failing in mitigation efforts. In contrast, 23% of the countries have been successful in simultaneously reducing per capita CO2 emissions and climate vulnerability. Furthermore, in highly vulnerable countries, increasing CO2 emissions are not correlated with decreasing climate vulnerability. These findings underscore that climate vulnerability reduction may be due only partly to economic development. This finding also changes our prevailing view that increases in CO2 emissions are associated with vulnerability reduction. Finally, examining mitigation and climate-vulnerability reduction by sector, we show that a majority of countries are able to reduce vulnerability in ecosystem services. Those countries and sectors with positive trends provide examples for others to follow, as solutions at the mitigation-climate vulnerability reduction interface are essential for sustainable economic development.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geoffrey Scott Roest ◽  
Kevin R Gurney ◽  
Scot M Miller ◽  
Jianming Liang

Abstract Background: Cities contribute more than 70% of global anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and are leading the effort to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through sustainable planning and development. However, urban greenhouse gas mitigation often relies on self-reported emissions estimates that may be incomplete and unverifiable via atmospheric monitoring of GHGs. We present the Hestia Scope 1 fossil fuel CO2 (FFCO2) emissions for the city of Baltimore, Maryland – a gridded annual and hourly emissions data product for 2010 through 2015 (Hestia-Baltimore v1.6). We also compare the Hestia-Baltimore emissions to overlapping Scope 1 FFCO2 emissions in Baltimore’s self-reported inventory for 2014. Results: The Hestia-Baltimore emissions in 2014 totaled 1487.3 kt C (95% confidence interval of 1,158.9 – 1,944.9 kt C), with the largest emissions coming from onroad (34.2% of total city emissions), commercial (19.9%), residential (19.0%), and industrial (11.8%) sectors. Scope 1 electricity production and marine shipping were each generally less than 10% of the city’s total emissions. Baltimore’s self-reported Scope 1 FFCO2 emissions included onroad, natural gas consumption in buildings, and some electricity generating facilities within city limits. The self-reported Scope 1 FFCO2 total of 1,182.6 kt C was similar to the sum of matching emission sectors and fuels in Hestia-Baltimore v1.6. However, 20.5% of Hestia-Baltimore’s emissions were in sectors and fuels that were not included in the self-reported inventory. Petroleum use in buildings were omitted and all Scope 1 emissions from industrial point sources, marine shipping, nonroad vehicles, rail, and aircraft were categorically excluded.Conclusions: The omission of petroleum combustion in buildings and categorical exclusions of several sectors resulted in an underestimate of total Scope 1 FFCO2 emissions in Baltimore’s self-reported inventory. Accurate Scope 1 FFCO2 emissions, along with Scope 2 and 3 emissions, are needed to inform effective urban policymaking for system-wide GHG mitigation. We emphasize the need for comprehensive Scope 1 emissions estimates for emissions verification and measuring progress towards Scope 1 GHG mitigation goals using atmospheric monitoring.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ploy Achakulwisut ◽  
Peter Erickson

At present, most global GHG emissions – over 75% – are from fossil fuels. By necessity, reaching net zero emissions therefore requires dramatic reductions in fossil fuel demand and supply. Though fossil fuels have not been explicitly addressed by the UN Framework on Climate Change, a conversation has emerged about possible “supply-side” agreements on fossil fuels and climate change. For example, a number of countries, including Denmark, France, and New Zealand, have started taking measures to phase out their oil and gas production. In the United States, President Joe Biden has put a pause on new oil and gas leasing on federal lands and waters, while Vice President Kamala Harris has previously proposed a “first-ever global negotiation of the cooperative managed decline of fossil fuel production”. This paper aims to contribute to this emerging discussion. The authors present a simple analysis on where fossil fuel extraction has happened historically, and where it will continue to occur and expand if current economic trends continue without new policy interventions. By employing some simple scenario analysis, the authors also demonstrate how the phase-out of fossil fuel production is likely to be inequitable among countries, if not actively and internationally managed.


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