Report of the Warwick Junior Commission 2011/12
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To improve energy efficiency, industries should embark on incorporating:
• Combined heat and power and district heating and cooling systems
• Energy efficient technologies
• Onshore and offshore wind farms
• Alternative materials
• Photovoltaic solar systems and solar farms
• Recycling and energy recovery
• Storage and pumped storage hydropower
• Fuel and feedstock switching
• Geothermal energy
Carbon dioxide capture and storage presents a potent low carbon technology that will be available in the future. Still a nascent technology, it is based on capturing carbon dioxide from industrial and energy generation processes and transporting it to a geological or ocean storage location for long term sequestration from the atmosphere. The commercial deployment of carbon capture and storage technology will offer a low cost greenhouse gas mitigation strategy for industrial use 77.
• Highly regulated nuclear energy
According to the IEA76, immediate action that energy intensive industries could take to save on energy use and reduce carbon emissions include; the adoption of best available technology in optimising production, building, and retrofitting in addition to good manufacturing practices. Renewable energy and efficient power generation technologies can also offer adequate amounts of cheap low carbon energy for industry use. Commercial low emission technologies suited for heavy and light industrial processes in both developing and developed economies include:
The future use of industrial flue gases with high carbon dioxide quantities but low toxic gas levels to grow microalgae cultures for commercial biofuel production presents a possible sustainable option of dealing with applicable industrial emissions2. These renewable and alternative technologies are discussed in more detail in the energy supply chapter. Policy wise, countries have taken different approaches to promote energy efficiency in industry72. Several countries have introduced fiscal incentives to promote the purchase of energy efficient equipment. A number of countries have created benchmarking tools that specify appropriate energy efficient equipment for use in public sector or company procurement. Also, many countries are increasing the promotion of energy management in industry through quality assurance, training and management certification. Governments have also funded large-scale carbon capture and storage demonstration projects. Currently, there are 77 planned and operational demonstration projects in several countries including the United States, European nations, Canada, Norway, Australia and China72.
268 projects OECD (39%) Non-OECD (61%)
1000 900 154 projects OECD (39%) Non-OECD (61%)
Captured CO2 (MtCO2/year)
800 700 600
87 projects OECD (38%) Non-OECD (62%)
500 400 300
Former Soviet Union Other developing Asia Middle East Central & South America India
29 projects OECD (66%) Non-OECD (34%)
China Africa
200
OECD Pacific
100
OECD North America OECD Europe
0 2015
2020
2025
2030
2035
2040
2045
2050
Figure 15: Projected global deployment of carbon capture and storage showing number of projects and carbon captured77. Source: Technology roadmap; Carbon Capture and Storage © IEA, 2009.