Most net-zero scenarios include carbon removal as a major component. Simon Göss at cr.hub reviews five major scenarios from the IPCC, IEA, ETC, McKinsey, and the Network for Greening the Financial System (NGFS). He starts by making the very important distinction between carbon capture and negative emissions: capturing carbon from, say, a gas plant does not deliver negative emissions, it just prevents new emissions. This article is about the … [Read more...]
What if Carbon Capture fails? Modelling the consequences and solutions
Most policy scenarios being used by governments include carbon capture as a vital tool to reduce emissions. Though itâs far from proven at scale, models assume that between 2030 and 2050 carbon dioxide removal (CDR) will get its act together and deliver on its part in the net-zero puzzle. Assuming that will happen, burning fossil fuels can continue for longer. But Neil Grant and Ajay Gambhir at Imperial College London, writing for Carbon Brief, … [Read more...]
U.S. canât hit net-zero power target by 2035 without Advanced Nuclear
President Bidenâs target of net-zero power generation by 2035 will be extremely challenging, if not impossible, argues Charles Merlin writing for IFRI. He says the best chance of achieving it is through advanced nuclear reactors, though the 2030+ switch-on dates of the new technology still wonât guarantee meeting Bidenâs timescales. Why should the U.S. drive for advanced nuclear? Because of the known limitations of the other technologies. Wind … [Read more...]
Europeâs Carbon Capture pipeline: 40+ projects. But whereâs the policy support and market creation?
13 different European countries have announced more than 40 carbon capture projects. Most are yet to become operational, but the commitment from the private sector â ranging from new players to established energy and industry majors â is clear. Now is the time for governments to create for CCUS the kind of policies that accelerated the growth of wind and solar, says Lee Beck at the Clean Air Task Force. Norway and the Netherlands are taking those … [Read more...]
NW Europeâs Hydrogen targets: ambition must match reality
The IEAâs report released earlier this year, âHydrogen in North-Western Europe: A vision towards 2030â, welcomes the fact that the six countries analysed - Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and the UK â have the ambition to build a hydrogen economy. They are Europeâs major hydrogen producers and consumers, have major ports that already service this sector, have natural gas infrastructure that can be repurposed, and access … [Read more...]
Case study Italy: Optimising emissions cuts means weâll need âgreyâ and âblueâ Hydrogen too
Europe is committing to hydrogen. The ideal is âgreenâ hydrogen, produced from renewable energy alone. Carlo Stagnaro at Istituto Bruno Leoni analyses emissions and costs in Italy to make the case for policy-makers to consider including âgreyâ and âblueâ hydrogen in their strategies too. Because grids are far from green today, a new wind and solar plant will reduce more emissions by feeding the grid than by making hydrogen. âGreyâ hydrogen, … [Read more...]
Clean Hydrogen from water electrolysis: research into catalysts to meet global targets
The full potential of the new hydrogen economy will depend on producing enough clean hydrogen from water electrolysis which uses precious metals. But, as Glennda Chui at SLAC (Stanford University & DoE) explains, there arenât enough precious metals in the world to get to the scale we need. And their cost is so high the clean hydrogen they generate could never compete with hydrogen derived from fossil fuels. Over 95% of hydrogen produced today … [Read more...]
18 energy transition scenarios to watch: where they agree and disagree
A wide range of regions, nations and respected organisations have created net-zero strategies and pathways, but on what do they agree and disagree? Dolf Gielen, Asami Miketa, Ricardo Gorini and Pablo Carvajal at IRENA have done a meta-analysis of 18 recent energy transition scenarios to find out. There is consensus over the main strategies: renewable power generation, and the direct and indirect electrification of end-use sectors â these account … [Read more...]
The IEA explains its new âNet-Zero Emissions by 2050â roadmap
Today the IEA publishes its new special report, âNet Zero by 2050: a Roadmap for the Global Energy Sectorâ, its deepest dive so far into whatâs needed for a successful global transition. It analyses the options as well as the socio-economic, behavioural and environmental impacts they will have globally. Here, Laura Cozzi (Chief Energy Modeller) and Timur GĂŒl (Head of the Energy Technology Policy Division) at the IEA summarise the key principles … [Read more...]
Bidenâs Leaders Summit: turning climate commitments into solutions
President Biden's Leaders Summit on Climate last month helped focus minds on making firm commitments to reducing global emissions. As we all know, targets are one thing, credible and realistic solutions are another. To understand the challenge better, Dolf Gielen, Ricardo Gorini and Gayathri Prakash at IRENA break down into themes those areas that need much more effort and, if dealt with successfully, can get us to net zero by 2050: structural … [Read more...]
CCS: Identifying the best underground locations for storing CO2 can take 10 years, so letâs start now
Underground geological formations have more space to store CO2 than weâll ever need, by orders of magnitude. But the process of assessing the best locations can take up to ten years, so that work needs to start now, say Raimund Malischek and Samantha McCulloch at the IEA. The main constraints are technical (which porous rock formations absorb CO2 most easily, etc.), while the displacement of land use and public acceptance must also be considered. … [Read more...]
Carbon Capture in Germany: are industry, government and innovators starting to move?
For two years there was little movement after German Chancellor Angela Merkel put carbon capture, removal, and storage back on Germanyâs agenda. But the past few months have seen pressure build for a launch of CCS that may model itself on Germanyâs success with solar, explains Lee Beck writing for Atlantic Council. Political voices both within and outside government, as well as investments by giants like Heidelberg Cement and Linde, are giving … [Read more...]
Public opposition and grid integration costs: the two limiting factors for Wind?
Are we heading for an over-reliance on wind? With wind generation costs continuing to drop dramatically, Schalk Cloete takes a data-driven look at the obstacles wind will face as its contribution to the global energy mix (a little over 2% today) keeps rising. In the main, it is grid integration and public opposition to very visible turbines â and they are related. Putting turbines out of sight and offshore will increase transmission costs. And … [Read more...]
EEMPA solvent and CO2 mineralisation can take us one step closer to our carbon capture goals
If the models are correct that global carbon emissions will keep rising until at least 2040 then carbon capture and storage (CCS) is essential. And most of the vast amounts of CO2 we must capture wonât be âutilisedâ as itâs more than we can possibly use. So storage is an essential part of the equation, explains Jim Conca. He scopes out the problem before looking at two innovations that can bring costs down and bring the technology one step closer … [Read more...]
Saudi Arabiaâs clean hydrogen plans for converting ambitions into action
The recent Memorandum of Understanding with Germany on clean hydrogen cooperation underlines Saudi Arabiaâs ambition in becoming a global powerhouse producer in this field. Governments and industry players are currently considering clean hydrogen as an energy vector with key energy transition roles in an increasingly carbon-constrained world. Hydrogen has the potential to grow into a trillion-dollar commodity market, with enormous opportunities … [Read more...]
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