ABSTRACT
Among the emerging CO SB 2 sb capture technologies, calcium looping offers a competitive energy efficiency and moderate cost for the removal of CO SB 2 sb in both pre-combustion and post-combustion systems [[13]]. Currently, the industrial sector accounts for around 20% of overall CO SB 2 sb emissions, and about 70-80% of these emissions come from energy intensive industries, such as steelmaking, cement manufacture, chemical sector or paper manufacture [[15]]. The combination of post-combustion with MEA absorption in biomass-fired power plants and the subsequent storage of CO SB 2 sb in geothermal systems appears as a feasible negative CO SB 2 sb emissions option, as the calculated energy penalty is limited to 6 MJ/kg CO SB 2 sb , and the estimated cost for the CO SB 2 sb avoided is around 50 EUR/t CO SB 2 sb [[21]]. CO SB 2 sb emissions generated by human activities reached the highest ever annual level of 36.3 Gt in 2021, due to the extremely rapid growth of the energy demand observed after the COVID-19 crisis [[1]]. [Extracted from the article] Copyright of Energies (19961073) is the property of MDPI and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)
ABSTRACT
The increasing concentration of anthropogenic CO2 in the atmosphere is causing a global environmental crisis, forcing significant reductions in emissions. Among the existing CO2 capture technologies, microalgae-guided sequestration is seen as one of the more promising and sustainable solutions. The present review article compares CO2 emissions in the EU with other global economies, and outlines EU's climate policy together with current and proposed EU climate regulations. Furthermore, it summarizes the current state of knowledge on controlled microalgal cultures, indicates the importance of CO2 phycoremediation methods, and assesses the importance of microalgae-based systems for long-term storage and utilization of CO2. It also outlines how far microalgae technologies within the EU have developed on the quantitative and technological levels, together with prospects for future development. The literature overview has shown that large-scale take-up of technological solutions for the production and use of microalgal biomass is hampered by economic, technological, and legal barriers. Unsuitable climate conditions are an additional impediment, forcing operators to implement technologies that maintain appropriate temperature and lighting conditions in photobioreactors, considerably driving up the associated investment and operational costs.
ABSTRACT
The UK has a new king (doi:10.1136/bmj.o2196),1 one who believes that modern medicine must combine the “best of new technology and current knowledge with ancient wisdom” (doi:10.1258/jrsm.2012.12k095),2 and a new prime minister, Liz Truss, who promises to deliver, deliver, and deliver (doi:10.1136/bmj.o2147).3 England has a new health secretary, with a worrying track record on health (doi:10.1136/bmj.o2193).4 The US has introduced a law that limits the profiteering of drug companies(doi:10.1136/bmj.o2163).5 Scotland is considering legalising assisted dying (doi:10.1136/bmj.o2205).6 And The BMJ has appointed three new columnists (doi:10.1136/bmj.o2201, doi:10.1136/bmj.o2195, doi:10.1136/bmj.o2206).789 And yet, covid persists in posing questions that are difficult to answer (doi:10.1136/bmj.o2183),10 including the merits and role of testing (doi:10.1136/bmj-2022-071215, doi:10.1136/bmj.o2055).1112 A plan to solve the workforce crisis has many obvious factors to consider yet remains elusive (doi:10.1136/bmj-2022-072977)13;new evidence underscores the worrying link between doctors’ burnout and deterioration in patient care (doi:10.1136/bmj-2022-070442, doi:10.1136/bmj.o2157)1415;health service whistleblowers still receive shoddy treatment (doi:10.1136/bmj.o2187)16;and people at the end of life continue to struggle to benefit from palliative care (doi:10.1136/bmj.o2202).17 Another constant in our ever changing world is industry’s attempts to manipulate science, behaviour that we would now describe as disinformation. Two particular areas of focus are the push for fracking, something of which Liz Truss has spoken favourably—despite evidence pointing to climate harm from methane leaks (doi:10.1136/bmj.k2397)19—and for developing carbon capture technology, a response to carbon emissions that has seen universities receive huge donations even though industry’s internal documents accept that carbon capture doesn’t make economic or environmental sense. Evidence of attempts to manipulate science were persuasive in our decision to stop publishing research funded by the tobacco industry (doi:10.1136/bmj.f5193).20 We already support divestment from fossil fuels, and this new investigation is another spur for medical and healthcare organisations to join us (doi:10.1136/bmj.m167).21 Our policy is also to decline all research funded by companies that produce fossil fuels, although their involvement in research into alternative green energy solutions makes this calculus more complex.
ABSTRACT
Carbon dioxide (CO2) has reached a higher level of emissions in the last decades, and as it is widely known, CO2 is responsible for numerous environmental problems, such as climate change. Thus, there is a great need for the application of CO2 capture and storage, as well as of CO2 utilization technologies (CCUS). This review article focuses on summarizing the current CCUS state-of-the-art methods used in Europe. Special emphasis has been given to mineralization methods/technologies, especially in basalts and sandstones, which are considered to be suitable for CO2 mineralization. Furthermore, a questionnaire survey was also carried out in order to investigate how informed about CO2 issues European citizens are, as well as whether their background is relative to their positive or negative opinion about the establishment of CCUS technologies in their countries. In addition, social acceptance by the community requires contact with citizens and stakeholders, as well as ensuring mutual trust through open communication and the opportunity to participate as early as possible in the development of actions and projects related to CO2 capture and storage, at all appropriate levels of government internationally, as citizens need to understand the benefits from such new technologies, from the local to the international level.
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It is increasingly evident that climate sustainability depends not only on societal actions and responses, but also on ecosystem functioning and responses. The capacity of global ecosystems to provide services such as sequestering carbon and regulating hydrology is being strongly reduced both by climate change itself and by unprecedented rates of ecosystem degradation. These services rely on functional aspects of ecosystems that are causally linked—the same ecosystem components that efficiently sequester and store carbon also regulate hydrology by sequestering and storing water. This means that climate change adaptation and mitigation must involve not only preparing for a future with temperature and precipitation anomalies, but also actively minimizing climate hazards and risks by conserving and managing ecosystems and their fundamental supporting and regulating ecosystem services. We summarize general climate–nature feedback processes relating to carbon and water cycling on a broad global scale before focusing on Norway to exemplify the crucial role of ecosystem regulatory services for both carbon sequestration and hydrological processes and the common neglect of this ecosystem–climate link in policy and landscape management. We argue that a key instrument for both climate change mitigation and adaptation policy is to take advantage of the climate buffering and regulative abilities of a well-functioning natural ecosystem. This will enable shared benefits to nature, climate, and human well-being. To meet the global climate and nature crises, we must capitalize on the importance of nature for buffering climate change effects, combat short-term perspectives and the discounting of future costs, and maintain or even strengthen whole-ecosystem functioning at the landscape level. Significance Statement Natural ecosystems such as forests, wetlands, and heaths are key for the cycling and storage of water and carbon. Preserving these systems is essential for climate mitigation and adaptation and will also secure biodiversity and associated ecosystem services. Systematic failure to recognize the links between nature and human well-being underlies the current trend of accelerating loss of nature and thereby nature’s ability to buffer climate changes and their impacts. Society needs a new perspective on spatial planning that values nature as a sink and store of carbon and a regulator of hydrological processes, as well as for its biodiversity. We need policies that fully encompass the role of nature in preventing climate-induced disasters, along with many other benefits for human well-being.
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The rise of carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in the atmosphere emphasises the need for improving the current carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology. A conventional absorption method that utilises amine-based solvent is known to cause corrosion to process equipment. The solvent is easily degraded and has high energy requirement for regeneration. Amino acids are suitable candidates to replace traditional alkanolamines attributed to their identical amino functional group. In addition, amino acid salt is a green material due to its extremely low toxicity, low volatility, less corrosive, and high efficiency to capture CO2. Previous studies have shown promising results in CO2 capture using amino acids salts solutions and amino acid ionic liquids. Currently, amino acid solvents are also utilised to enhance the adsorption capacity of solid sorbents. This systematic review is the first to summarise the currently available amino acid-based adsorbents for CO2 capture using PRISMA method. Physical and chemical properties of the adsorbents that contribute to effective CO2 capture are thoroughly discussed. A total of four categories of amino acid-based adsorbents are evaluated for their CO2 adsorption capacities. The regeneration studies are briefly discussed and several limitations associated with amino acid-based adsorbents for CO2 capture are presented before the conclusion.
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Mediterranean coastal areas are among the most threated forest ecosystems in the northern hemisphere due to concurrent biotic and abiotic stresses. These may affect plants functionality and, consequently, their capacity to provide ecosystem services. In this study, we integrated ground-level and satellite-level measurements to estimate the capacity of a 46.3 km2 Estate to sequestrate air pollutants from the atmosphere, transported to the study site from the city of Rome. By means of a multi-layer canopy model, we also evaluated forest capacity to provide regulatory ecosystem services. Due to a significant loss in forest cover, estimated by satellite data as −6.8% between 2014 and 2020, we found that the carbon sink capacity decreased by 34% during the considered period. Furthermore, pollutant deposition on tree crowns has reduced by 39%, 46% and 35% for PM, NO2 and O3, respectively. Our results highlight the importance of developing an integrated approach combining ground measurements, modelling and satellite data to link air quality and plant functionality as key elements to improve the effectiveness of estimate of ecosystem services.
ABSTRACT
Carbon dioxide capture and utilization (CCU) technology is a significant means by which China can achieve its ambitious carbon neutrality goal. It is necessary to explore the behavioral strategies of relevant companies in adopting CCU technology. In this paper, an evolutionary game model is established in order to analyze the interaction process and evolution direction of local governments and coal-fired power plants. We develop a replicator dynamic system and analyze the stability of the system under different conditions. Based on numerical simulation, we analyze the impact of key parameters on the strategies of stakeholders. The simulation results show that the unit prices of hydrogen and carbon dioxide derivatives have the most significant impact: when the unit price of hydrogen decreases to 15.9 RMB/kg or the unit price of carbon dioxide derivatives increases to 3.4 RMB/kg, the evolutionary stabilization strategy of the system changes and power plants shift to adopt CCU technology. The results of this paper suggest that local governments should provide relevant support policies and incentives for CCU technology deployment, as well as focusing on the synergistic development of CCU technology and renewable energy hydrogen production technology.
ABSTRACT
[...]the investment in hydrogen should support sustainable growth and job creation, which will be critical when recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. Hydrogen production technologies by primary energy sources: - Coal * coal gasification, * CCS (carbon capture and storage of CO2), * CCU (carbon capture and utility of CO2);- Natural gas or crude oil * steam reforming, * by-product in refining processes, * separation from coke oven gas, * pyrolysis. The energy potential of hydrogen and the fact that it is the most popular element on Earth provide grounds for the claim that it will soon become one of the main energy carriers used in the world. [...]it is highly probable that the hydrogen market will contribute to the comprehensive development and will enable the achievement of the goal of obtaining climate neutrality in energy-intensive sectors of the economy. [...]of appropriate support for research and development, our country has the opportunity to use the scientific potential and expert experience in the field of hydrogen technologies, relying on its own innovative technologies.
ABSTRACT
Carbon capture is among the most sustainable strategies to limit carbon dioxide emissions, which account for a large share of human impact on climate change and ecosystem destruction. This growing threat calls for novel solutions to reduce emissions on an industrial level. Carbon capture by amorphous solids is among the most reasonable options as it requires less energy when compared to other techniques and has comparatively lower development and maintenance costs. In this respect, the method of carbon dioxide adsorption by solids can be used in the long-term and on an industrial scale. Furthermore, certain sorbents are reusable, which makes their use for carbon capture economically justified and acquisition of natural resources full and sustainable. Clay minerals, which are a universally available and versatile material, are amidst such sorbents. These materials are capable of interlayer and surface adsorption of carbon dioxide. In addition, their modification allows to improve carbon dioxide adsorption capabilities even more. The aim of the review is to discuss the prospective of the most widely available clay minerals in the Baltic States for large-scale carbon dioxide emission reduction and to suggest suitable approaches for clay modification to improve carbon dioxide adsorption capacity.
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Introduction The Paris Agreement establishes a process to combine Nationally Determined Contributions with the long-term goal of limiting global warming to well below 2 °C and even to 1.5 °C. Responding to this challenge, national and regional low-emission strategies are prepared by both EU and non-EU countries, outlining clean energy transition pathways. The authors identify the scope of the required investment in generation capacity and the amount of electricity production from BECCS necessary to meet the greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets in the EU, examining the technology’s impact on the overall system costs and marginal abatement costs (MACs). [...]an automated scheduling framework enabled by smart contract is established for reliable coordination between wind farms and multiple energy markets. [...]based on the findings of the empirical study, this paper puts forward policy recommendations for the construction of China’s carbon disclosure system.
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The sequestration and storage of carbon dioxide by marine macrophytes is called blue carbon;this ecosystem function of coastal marine ecosystems constitutes an important countermeasure to global climate change. The contribution of marine macrophytes to blue carbon requires a detailed examination of the organic carbon stock released by these macrophytes. Here, we introduce a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR)-based environmental DNA (eDNA) system for the species-specific detection of marine macrophytes. and report its application in a field survey in Hiroshima Bay, Japan. A method of qPCR-based quantification was developed for mangrove, seagrass, Phaeophyceae, Rhodophyta and Chlorophyta species, or species-complex, collected from the Japanese coast to investigate their dynamics after they wither and die in the marine environment. A trial of the designed qPCR system was conducted using sediment samples from Hiroshima Bay. Ulva spp. were abundant in coastal areas of the bay, yet their eDNA in the sediments was scarce. In contrast, Zostera marina and the Sargassum subgenus Bactrophycus spp. were found at various sites in the bay, and high amounts of their eDNA were detected in the sediments. These results suggest that the fate of macrophyte-derived organic carbon after death varies among species.
ABSTRACT
Small Island Developing States (SIDS) face complex socio-economic and environmental threats, making them particularly vulnerable to climate change. Blue Carbon (BC) ecosystems (mangrove forests, tidal marshes, and seagrass meadows) provide climate regulation services by sequestering and storing carbon, presenting an opportunity for SIDS to address climate change and implement Paris Agreement commitments in their Covid-19 recovery. BC habitat decline not only reduces carbon sequestration benefits provided, but can also result in sediment disturbance and the release of previously stored carbon back into the atmosphere. In this work, a scenario analysis informed by a stakeholder workshop and scientific and socio-economic expectations is used to assess the economic importance of Grenada’s BC (mangroves and seagrasses) over the next 10, 25 and 50 years. Our findings indicate that sequestration benefits are severely diminished under Business-as-Usual habitat loss, but still marginally outweigh losses from carbon emissions, with overall welfare gains of US$0.5–1.9 million over 50 years. To stimulate economic recovery post-pandemic, stakeholders anticipated a realistic scenario of increased habitat decline resulting in overall losses of US$5.4–19.4 million in the next 50 years. However, if ecosystems are maintained, overall carbon benefits could reach US$10.7 million, while a 20% increase in mangroves over the next 25 years provides benefits reaching US$11.1 million between 2020 and 2070. These results demonstrate a significant increase in value when BC ecosystems are maintained and not disturbed, preventing the release of previously stored carbon and enhancing sequestration capacity. Restoration benefits are marginal, compared to conservation, supporting claims that conservation is more cost effective.
ABSTRACT
China hosts over half of global coal-fired power generation capacity and has the world’s largest coal reserves. Its 2060 carbon neutrality goal will require coal-fired electricity generation to shrink dramatically, with or without carbon capture and storage technology. Two macroeconomic areas in which the socioeconomic impact of this decline is felt are losses in jobs and tax revenues supported by thermal coal mining, transport and power generation. At the national level, under a ‘baseline’ (B) scenario consistent with China’s carbon neutrality goal, labour productivity growth in coal mining implies that significant job losses will occur nationally in the medium term, even if all coal plants continue operating as planned. Jobs supported by the coal power industry would decline from an estimated 2.7 million in 2021, to 1.44 million in 2035 and 94,000 in 2050, with jobs losses from mining alone expected to exceed 1.1 million by 2035. Tax revenues from thermal coal would total approximately CNY 300 billion annually from 2021–2030, peaking in 2023 at CNY 340 billion. This is significantly less than estimated subsidies of at least CNY 480 billion, suggesting coal is likely a net fiscal drain on China’s public finances, even without accounting for the costs of local pollution and the social cost of carbon. As coal plant retirements accelerate, from 2034 onwards, fiscal revenues begin to fall more rapidly, with rates of decline rising from 1% in the 2020s to over 10% a year by the 2040s. More aggressive climate policy and technology scenarios bring job and tax losses forward in time, while a No Transition policy, in which all currently planned coal plants are built, delays but does not ultimately prevent these losses. At the provincial level, China’s major coal-producing provinces will likely face challenges in managing the localised effects of expected job losses and finding productive alternative uses for this labour. Governments of coal-producing provinces like Inner Mongolia, with an industry highly dependent on exports to other provinces, are more exposed than others to declining tax revenues from coal, and more insulated from job losses, given their high current degree of labour efficiency. Although their provincial revenues are likely to remain stable until the early 2030s under the B scenario, the possibility of increasing policy stringency underlines the need for revenue and skill base diversification. At the firm level, China’s ‘Big Five’ state-owned power companies were responsible for over 40% of both jobs and tax revenues in 2021. The number of jobs supported by the activities of each of the largest ten firms, with one exception, will decline by 71–84% by the early 2040s, with the tax contribution of each declining by 43–69% in the same period.
ABSTRACT
The net greenhouse gas emissions need to become zero or even negative beyond 2050 to comply with the Paris Agreement and keep global warming well-below 1.5–2 °C with respect to pre-industrial levels [2]. [...]in the oxy-combustion systems, the combustion of the fuel takes place with pure oxygen rather than air, giving as a result a virtually pure CO2 stream due to the absence of nitrogen in the incoming comburent gas. [...]it is expected that energy demand grows strongly in the developing countries in coming decades, and therefore, about 70% of CCS development should be carried out in these regions in order to meet the long-term climate targets included in the 1.5–2 °C global emission scenario [2]. [...]progress in CCS deployment must be accelerated in developing countries. Rich nations need to provide developing regions with not only financial support to facilitate the transition to low-carbon economy but also the experience gained in successful large-scale operating projects to reduce costs and risks in future scaling up of CCS technologies in the developing countries.
ABSTRACT
Evaluation of economic aspects is one of the main milestones that affect taking rapid actions in dealing with GHGs mitigation;in particular, avoiding CO2 emissions from large source points, such as power plants. In the present study, three kinds of capturing solutions for coal power plants as the most common source of electricity generation have been studied from technical and economic standpoints. Aspen HYSYS (ver.11) has been used to simulate the overall processes, calculate the battery limit, and assess required equipment. The Taylor scoring method has been utilized to calculate the costliness indexes, assessing the capital and investment costs of a 230 MW power plant using anthracite coal with and without post-combustion, pre-combustion, and oxy-fuel combustion CO2 capture technologies. Comparing the costs and the levelized cost of electricity, it was found that pre-combustion is more costly, to the extent that the total investment for it is approximately 1.6 times higher than the oxy-fuel process. Finally, post-combustion, in terms of maturity and cost-effectiveness, seems to be more attractive, since the capital cost and indirect costs are less. Most importantly, this can be applied to the existing plants without major disruption to the current operation of the plants.
ABSTRACT
At present, mitigating carbon emissions from energy production and industrial processes is more relevant than ever to limit climate change. The widespread implementation of carbon capture technologies requires the development of cost-effective and selective adsorbents with high CO2 capture capacity and low thermal recovery. Coal fly ash has been extensively studied as a raw material for the synthesis of low-cost zeolite-like adsorbents for CO2 capture. Laboratory tests for CO2 adsorption onto coal fly ash zeolites (CFAZ) reveal promising results, but detailed computational studies are required to clarify the applicability of these materials as CO2 adsorbents on a pilot and industrial scale. The present study provides results for the validation of a simulation model for the design of adsorption columns for CO2 capture on CFAZ based on the experimental equilibrium and dynamic adsorption on a laboratory scale. The simulations were performed using ProSim DAC dynamic adsorption software to study mass transfer and energy balance in the thermal swing adsorption mode and in the most widely operated adsorption unit configuration.
ABSTRACT
The rising concentration of global atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) has severely affected our planet’s homeostasis. Efforts are being made worldwide to curb carbon dioxide emissions, but there is still no strategy or technology available to date that is widely accepted. Two basic strategies are employed for reducing CO2 emissions, viz. (i) a decrease in fossil fuel use, and increased use of renewable energy sources;and (ii) carbon sequestration by various biological, chemical, or physical methods. This review has explored microalgae’s role in carbon sequestration, the physiological apparatus, with special emphasis on the carbon concentration mechanism (CCM). A CCM is a specialized mechanism of microalgae. In this process, a sub-cellular organelle known as pyrenoid, containing a high concentration of Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase-oxygenase (Rubisco), helps in the fixation of CO2. One type of carbon concentration mechanism in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and the association of pyrenoid tubules with thylakoids membrane is represented through a typical graphical model. Various environmental factors influencing carbon sequestration in microalgae and associated techno-economic challenges are analyzed critically.