Energy Democracy: Understanding our alternatives (CCS & HERS)
Recognizing the harmful effects of fossil fuel usage is always the first step to grasping the obvious solution. Admittedly, fossil fuel has assisted largely in global development and industrialization, but the fact still remains that it is grossly harmful and a big disadvantage to our climate now. The Economic and health hazards are numerous and already, efforts are being but in place to curb the usage of this source of energy. From these efforts we are being guaranteed that a step at a time, the needful will be done. But what exactly do we mean when we say ‘the needful’. Where does the solution lie? Already various enthusiasts have highlighted Renewable energy as the most viable alternative. But, while agreeing with this position, I would like to introduce us to various phases we can comfortable go through while working out the intricacies of a comfortable renewable energy era.
Without doubt and any reservation, I ultimately believe our solution lies in Renewable energy and that outside that any other alternative would leave us with the same problems and just delay the inevitable. But, while we progress towards this renewable energy future, it is important for us to understand that we will be faced with various limitations and challenges that will be difficult to surmount and therefore, it is necessary to think of other better means of reducing the carbon footprints while also gradually bringing in renewable energy. First in this really short list of alternatives I believe we should pay attention to is Carbon Capturing and Storage and then, the use of hybrid System.
Carbon capturing and storage may be new to a lot of people but it is not to some. Simply, Carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) is a technology aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels during industrial and energy-related processes. CCS involves the capture, transport and long-term storage of carbon dioxide, usually in geological reservoirs deep underground that would otherwise be released to the atmosphere. It is a technology that can capture up to 90% of the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions produced from the use of fossil fuels in electricity generation and industrial processes, preventing the carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere. It is a potential means of mitigating the contribution to global warming and ocean acidification of carbon dioxide emissions from industry and heating. Although Carbon dioxide has been injected into geological formations for several decades for various purposes, including enhanced oil recovery, this long-term storage of CO2 is a relatively new concept.
First, capture technologies allow the separation of carbon dioxide from gases produced in electricity generation and industrial processes by one of three methods: pre-combustion capture, post-combustion capture and oxyfuel combustion. Carbon dioxide is then transported by pipeline or by ship for safe storage. Millions of tones of carbon dioxide are already transported annually for commercial purposes by road tanker, ship and pipelines. Countries like the U.S already have over four decades of experience of transporting carbon dioxide by pipeline for enhanced oil recovery projects. The carbon dioxide is then stored in carefully selected geological rock formation that are typically located several kilometres below the earth’s surface. Carbon dioxide can be captured directly from the air or from an industrial source (such as power plant flue gas) using a variety of technologies, including absorption, adsorption, chemical looping, membrane gas separation or gas hydrate technologies.
The emissions from fossil fuels grew 1.5% in 2017, 2.1% in 2018 and another 0.6% in 2019. By the end of the year, emissions from industrial activities and the burning of fossil hit over 36.8 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. CCS is now seen as a critical part of the world’s future low-carbon energy portfolio. Leading energy and climate change institutions agree on the crucial role for CCS in effectively realizing global emissions reduction targets. International evidence shows CCS contributing 17 per cent of the necessary global emissions reductions in 2050 (from coal, gas and heavy industry users), and delivering 14 per cent of the cumulative emissions reductions needed between 2015 and 2050.
Amongst many other benefits, CCS could reduce the cost of electricity and consumer bills. Research shows that inclusion of CCS amongst the technologies that will be needed to meet energy demand by 2030 results in a 15 per cent reduction in the wholesale price of electricity (i.e. the market price plus the support for low-carbon generation) compared with alternative scenarios in which CCS is not deployed.
CCS could also create new jobs. There is a large amount of data and case studies available on potential job creation from CCS in the power sector. Taken together, these paint an impressive picture with a range of 1000–2,500 jobs created during plant construction (typically four to six years) per power plant CCS installation. If more CCS operations were implemented, more skilled technicians would be needed to manage them, thus more jobs.
Only CCS offers the possibility for further significant decarburization in energy intensive industries. The sectors that make up the energy-intensive industries range from iron and steel, to chemicals, cement, and refineries. Together, these industries use large amounts of energy and generate over 30% of Global carbon emissions. Most of the options to reduce emissions in these sectors (mainly through energy efficiency) have already been implemented. Due to the fact that the CO2 is process- as well as fuel-generated, only CCS offers the possibility for reduction of the emissions in these places.
Furthermore, the use of CCS with renewable biomass is one of the few carbon abatement technologies that can be used in a ‘carbon-negative’ mode (taking carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere). It has been hailed as a key component in the world’s shift towards renewable energy.
Now to the Hybrid system, I like to identify two facets of hybrid energy system. One being the use of a renewable energy source in conjunction with the general power grid. This system involves using a solar unit to power some basic home appliances like light bulbs and fans while still staying connected to the general power grid. This could come in as a gradual transition, especially due to the fact that higher capacity is more expensive to acquire.
Another hybrid option is the use of two renewable energy source. One of the barriers associated with renewable is stochastic and unpredictable weather behavior. Its availability varies depending on the location. That is why, it is necessary to complement renewable with other sources like batteries. Because of this intermittent nature of renewable, single renewable energy source tends to be problematic in terms of energy yield and operational cost. Based on the aforementioned drawbacks, two or more renewable are being combined to form a hybrid renewable energy system (HRES). The main goal of doing this, is to improve electrical power production, to minimize cost, to reduce negative effects associated with burning fossil fuels and to improve the overall system efficiency.
In recent times, the integrated renewable energy system is gaining more attention, because a hybridized system can be efficiently applied to supply high efficiency and reliable electricity to the end-users, unlike a single-renewable source. A HERS can be applied in stand-alone or grid-connected modes. Stand-alone system must have a large storage to handle the load. While in a grid-connected mode, the storage can be small, and the deficient power can be acquired from the grid. It should be noted that, grid-connected mode must have a power electronic controllers for load sharing, voltage, harmonic, and frequency control.
Clearly, I do not doubt the ability of the global community in transiting comfortably to Renewable Energy. But, the numbers are not in our favor, thus the need to think differently.