Carbon Capture, Transport and Storage

The objective of the European Industrial Initiative (EII) on Carbon Capture, Transport and Storage (CCS) is to contribute to the development of the technology that will enable the application of CCS in all carbon intensive industrial sectors and to ensure its competitive cost for deployment by 2020-2025. The operational objectives of this EII include the final Investment decisions for up to 12 CCS demonstration projects should be taken by 2015, as well as a programme of knowledge-sharing between projects (https://www.ccsnetwork.eu).

All the main technology routes for carbon capture, post combustion, pre-combustion and oxyfuel, are to have pilot projects for demonstration. These pilot projects should improve the capture processes by reducing the cost of technology and the loss of efficiency. They should also contribute to improve the integration of capture technologies into industrial installations, and to increase the purity of the CO2 stream as required to manage risks in the transport and storage infrastructures.

The transport concepts should be further developed to increase operational reliability and safety, both through pipeline and ship. The pilot projects should also contribute to launch the core of a trans-European CO2 network.

Storage monitoring technologies and reporting procedures shall be validated and a consistent methodology for classification of storage reserves/capacity should be established. Finally, this industrial initiative should also evaluate the storage potential within the territory of the European Union, namely in deep saline aquifers, depleted oil and gas fields and “unmineable” coal layers. These sites and CO2 emission sources will be mapped out to enable the identification of potential pipeline trajectories connecting sources and sinks.

The operating costs of CCS will greatly depend on the price of coal and of Emission Unit Allowances under the European Emissions Trade Scheme. As an ending note, let us refer that one of the outcomes of the Durban conference of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change was the inclusion of projects for carbon dioxide capture and storage in geological formations as eligible Clean Development Mechanism activities – a program which provides financial support for developing countries, under the Kyoto Protocol for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

Sources:

- CCS EII Implementation Plan 2010-2012, Zero Emissions Platform

- UNFCCC

Pan-European power grid

The European Union's targets to increase the share of renewable energy to 20% by 2020, and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80% below 1990 levels by 2050, pose a major challenge to the power grid throughout Europe. The existing electricity grid is mostly based on technology which was developed more than 30 years ago, for one-way energy flows from large production plants to the consumer.

Unlike the conventional power plants, which enable full control of the production of energy, the sources of renewable energy have natural variability, particularly wind and solar energy, but also hydraulic energy, which are all dependent upon weather conditions. Additionally, there is also a major paradigm shift as we move from a highly centralized network to decentralized production, where the consumption points can also inject electricity into the power grid, through micro and mini-production of electricity.

To accommodate the massive deployment of renewable and decentralized energy sources, a stronger and smarter electricity grid is required, with significant benefits deriving from the creation of a single interconnected grid throughout Europe in terms of energy security and affordably.

On the supply side, the wide geographic integration cancels-out part of the local variability of renewable energy sources and reduces the need and level of curtailment of the conventional power plants to avoid temporary surplus in electricity production. “The increase in transmission capacity and crossborder coordination of market operations will also allow sharing of reserve capacity between regions reducing total reserve requirements by approximately 40%, avoiding significant redundant investment.” (ROADMAP 2050 - Practical guide to a prosperous, low carbon Europe). On the demand-side, the demand curves are also softened.

Changes in the European electrical network infrastructure and operation are critical to the delivery of the decarbonization of the power sector and of the economy.

Considering the importance of the electricity networks to a low-carbon Europe, the Strategic Energy Technology Plan includes the European Electricity Grid Initiative (EEGI) in coordination and cooperation with other initiatives, namely photovoltaics, concentrated solar power, and wind energy.

The EEGI is based on a 9-year European research program for development and demonstration, with focus on system innovation rather than on technology innovation. It addresses the challenge of integrating new technologies under real life working conditions, including new intermittent renewable resources at the different voltage levels, recharging infrastructure for electric vehicles and active demand from end users. The initiative includes the smart grid model (functionalities necessary), transmission, distribution and the coordination of the different networks.

Besides contributing to the future coordinated planning and operation of the European Electricity Network, EEGI will also contribute to the study of new market rules.

Sources:

- ROADMAP 2050 - Practical guide to a prosperous, low carbon Europe, European Climate Foundation;

- The European Electricity Grid Initiative (EEGI) Roadmap 2010-18 and Implementation Plan 2010-12

Solar energy – European photovoltaic industry initiative

Continuing the overview on the Industry Initiatives included in the European Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET-Plan), this post focuses on the use of solar energy through photovoltaic  technology for the production of electricity, and most particularly on the 2010-2012 implementation plan for the Solar Industry Initiative.

The implementation plan describes the immediate actions needed to achieve the goals set forward for 2020 in the European Commission's Photovoltaic Roadmap, namely the R&D steps required to enable rapid large-scale deployment of photovoltaics at minimum cost and maximum benefit for society.

The implementation plan identifies two major initiatives to enable the large-scale deployment of photovoltaics:

• Reducing photovoltaic electricity generation costs through technology progress, experience and economies of scale;
• Integrating photovoltaic electricity into the European Grid.

The R&D actions for Cost Reduction will focus on improving manufacturability, materials development, and enhancing performance. R&D will also be conducted to advance grid integration, large-scale grid integration analysis, and solar resources prediction and monitoring. The R&D actions will be followed by demonstration projects to enable the replication and large scale implementation of the results. These projects will include the large integration of PV in urban areas, grid integration of distributed photovoltaic power generation, and last scale demonstration of new concepts and technologies.

Besides the efforts of the photovoltaic sector, the success of the Solar Energy Industry Initiative will also depend on the Electricity Grid Initiative, as well as on the development of other technologies, such as electricity storage, electrical vehicles, demand side management and smart grids.

Although not included in the European Industrial Initiative, the need for an education and training program has been pointed as a requirement to avoid a shortage of qualified professionals, such as project engineers and installers, and to keep the leadership of the European industry. The importance of awareness and communication activities has also been recognized for the dissemination of the benefits of photovoltaics near the general public and important stakeholders, including policy-makers, utilities, architects, and the construction sector. 

Source: Solar Energy Industry Initiative 2010-2012 implementation plan.

Wind Energy Industrial Initiative for Europe

Dear Readers, I do appologize for this post's delay. I hope you will find it worthwhile.

Today's blog concerns the Wind European Industrial Initiative which integrates the European Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET-Plan), and more specifically its 2010 – 2012 Implementation Plan. The main actions included in the Wind energy implementation plan are:

a) New turbine designs, materials and components
This implementation vector includes the establishment of a network of 5 to 10 European testing facilities, and the development of a EU's cross-industrial cooperation and demonstration programme.

b) Offshore technology
This area of intervention includes the development and testing of new structures, the automation of substructures manufacturing, and know-how intake from the oil&gas sector through the promotion of technology transfer.

c) Grid integration
Grid connection, power transmission, and secure and stable system dynamics are also major focus areas. Balancing and market operation also have a dedicated sub-programme, and potentially missing grid activities may also be considered.

d) Resource Assessment, spatial planning and social acceptance
The assessment of the Wind resource and the development of spatial planning instruments are also worthy of specific programs. The final actions address Public acceptance analysis and overarching Key Performance Indicators.

Source: 
European Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET-Plan). Wind European Industrial Initiative, 2010 – 2012 Implementation Plan.

Bioenergy in the European Energy Technology Plan

Today’s post highlights the Industrial Bioenergy Initiative included in the European Union’s Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET-Plan) under the slogan “Boosting the contribution of Bioenergy to the EU climate and energy ambitions”.

The term Bioenergy is used to designate the production of heat, electricity and fuels from biological resources, including dedicated crops, agricultural and forestry residues, and municipal and industrial wastes.

“The SET-Plan Bioenergy Initiative focuses on innovative value chains which are not yet commercially available, and which could bring significant contribution to the bioenergy markets by large scale deployment (large single units or larger number of smaller units), whilst complying with the sustainability requirements of the Renewable Energy Directive (2009/28/EC).” A specific complementary activity is also proposed to tackle the critical issue of biomass supply.

The Industrial Bioenergy Initiative will promote public-private partnerships to leverage financing and risk management of projects for the implementation of demonstration plants and of first commercial units of new value chains (flagship). The demonstration projects are expected to produce their first commercial contribution by 2015-2020.

Projects will be selected based on different criteria, including their innovative nature: at least one “technology brick” or the integration of “technology bricks” within the considered value chain should not have been deployed at demonstration or commercial scale before. The seven value chains listed below will be considered:

a) Thermochemical pathways

1: Synthetic liquid fuels and/or hydrocarbons and blending components through gasification.

2: Bio-methane and other bio-synthetic gaseous fuels through gasification.

3: High efficiency heat & power generation through thermochemical conversion

4: Intermediate bioenergy carriers through techniques such as pyrolysis and torrefaction

b) Biochemical pathways

5: Ethanol and higher alcohols from ligno-cellulosic feedstock through chemical and biological processes

6: Hydrocarbons through biological and/or chemical synthesis from biomass containing carbohydrates

7: Bioenergy carriers produced by micro-organisms (algae, bacteria) from CO2 and sunlight

c) Complementary measures and activities

8: Biomass feedstock for bioenergy

9: Set of activities on longer term R&D&D on emerging and innovative bioenergy value chains

Source: European Industrial Bioenergy Initiative, Implementation Plan 2010 – 2012, European Union, 2012.

European Energy Strategy

In 2010, the European Commission published the European Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET-Plan), with the explicit objective of make low-carbon technologies affordable and competitive.

This instrument focuses on strengthening industrial participation in energy research and demonstration as a way to boost innovation and accelerate deployment of low-carbon energy technologies. The collective European approach helps to better tackle barriers and share risks.

The SET-Plan includes initiatives in the following research areas:

• Bioenergy – development of biofuels that comply with the EU sustainability criteria (Directive 2009/28/EC of 23 April 2009 on promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources).
• CO2 Capture, Transport and Storage – technologies to be couple with power generation and other energy intensive industries that use fossil fuels, particularly coal and gas.
• European Electricity Grid – to further integrate national networks into a pan-European network and enable the transmission and distribution of electricity from dispersed and concentrated renewable sources (up to 35 % by 2020, and make electricity production completely decarbonised by 2050).
• Fuel Cells and Hydrogen (FCH) – development of hydrogen-supply and fuel-cell technologies for mass market introduction in 2015-2020.
• Sustainable Nuclear Initiative – intended to demonstrate the long-term sustainability of the 4^th generation nuclear reactors, based on closed fuel cycles.
• Energy Efficiency – The Smart Cities Initiative – This initiative will support regions and large cities that take pioneering measures in energy efficiency and energy production to progress towards a radical reduction of greenhouse gas emissions even further than established in the EU energy and climate change policy.
• Solar Europe Initiative – focuses on photovoltaics and concentrating solar power technologies to make them more competitive and to facilitate their integration into the electricity grid.
• European Wind Initiative – aims to make wind energy more competitive, to harness the potential of offshore resources and deep waters, and to facilitate grid integration.

Also noteworthy are the creation of the SET-plan Steering Group, with representatives from the EU Member States and where Norway, Switzerland, and Turkey participate as observers, and of the European Energy Research Alliance, founded by leading European research institutes.

Source: 

The European Strategic Energy Technology Plan (Set –Plan) Towards a low carbon future, European Comission, 2010

Wishes of lower carbon-intensity for 2012

The Kyoto Protocol and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change share the ultimate objective to stabilize the atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHGs) at a level that will prevent dangerous interference with the climate system.

Scientists have pin-pointed a 2 degrees Celsius rise in global average temperature from pre-industrial levels as the highest rise at which Humanity has a 50% chance of avoiding the worst effects of climate change.

Energy consumption is on the rise, despite the 2008 financial crisis and the economic crisis that followed. With the continuing growth of the population in developing countries such as China, already the world's largest energy consumer, and the growth of the global GDP, stabilizing the atmospheric concentrations of GHGs requires an alternative development paradigm with significantly lower Carbon-intensity.

As the oil reserves diminish, forcing the exploration of more difficult to access reserves and increasing the production costs, one thing is certain: the days of cheap oil and cheap energy are coming to an end. The lower Carbon-intensity economy will develop in the coming decades, it is inevitable. The question is whether it will deliver in time to avoid disastrous socio-economic and environmental effects of climate change.

I must say I am reasonably optimistic. Countries and corporations worldwide have two alternatives in face of the inevitable shift towards a lower Carbon-intensity economy. They can plan ahead and seize this challenge as an opportunity to become more efficient in energy production and energy consumption, thus increasing their competitiveness, or they can refuse to see ahead and pay the consequences for lagging behind a few decades from now.

These two currents are already emerging. As the USA and Canada walk away from the legally binding compromise to lower GHGs emissions under the Kyoto Protocol, China is stepping in for the second commitment period negotiations. Today, a Chinese State-owned company (China Three Gorges Corporation) signed an agreement to become the largest stakeholder of the Portuguese energy-utility EDP. EDP's subsidiary “EDP renewables” is a world leader in renewable energy, being the third largest wind energy operator in the world.

I for one am very curious to know what the future will bring us. For this coming year, my whish is that government and corporate leaders worldwide will have the vision and wisdom to embrace the efforts towards an economy of lower carbon-intensity. 

Happy New Year everyone!

Sources:
- UNFCCC (http://unfccc.int/);
- A Roadmap for moving to a competitive low carbon economy in 2050, European Commission, 2011;
- RTP1.