Energy and carbon dioxide intensity of Thailand's steel industry and greenhouse gas emission projection toward the year 2050

Low-carbon production of iron and steel: Technology options, economic assessment, and policy

Phasing out the blast furnace to meet global climate targets

A bottom-up analysis of China’s iron and steel industrial energy consumption and CO2 emissions

Koh Mak Island was promoted as the low carbon destination in Thailand. Transportation represents the main contributor of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions which is linked to climate change. These GHG emission from surface transport is quite complicated as data is scarce on the distances travelled for tourism purposes. The aim of this study is to estimate the amount of CO2 emission from energy consumption by tourist transportation in Koh Mak Island, Trat province, Thailand. The methodology of a bottom up approach was observed by using questionnaire surveys. Firstly, the questionnaire design ensured the validity of the questionnaire by calculating the Item-Objective Congruence (IOC) index which was found to be 0.96 which is acceptable. Secondly, CO2 emission from energy consumption by transportation was calculated by the 2006 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) criteria. The CO2 emission of local transportation was estimated by using the 465 copies of questionnaire that were distributed to the tourists. The tourism demographic information of male and female in Koh Mak Island were 42 % and 58 %. Most of the tourist age was 26-35 years old. The average local transport between beginning of the journey in Thailand and Koh Mak destination was 468 ± 139 km person-1. The total consumption of gasoline and diesel for road transportation of the 465 tourists were 7,954.01 and 15,199.80 L. Gasoline used in boat transportation was 1,357.80 L. The total CO2 emissions in transportation due to consumption of gasoline and diesel were 20,389.14 and 23,715.83 kg CO2-eq. The average CO2 emission was 23.83 kg CO2 person-1. The alternative to reduce CO2 emission in transportation by low carbon tourism is to ride bicycles on the island as the distance between landmarks are quite short and there is very good scenery between the roads.

Scenarios used by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) are central to climate science and policy. Recent studies find that observed trends and International Energy Agency (IEA) projections of global CO2 emissions have diverged from emission scenario outlooks widely employed in climate research. Here, we quantify the bases for this divergence, focusing on Kaya Identity factors: population, per-capita gross domestic product (GDP), energy intensity (energy consumption/GDP), and carbon intensity (CO2 emissions/energy consumption). We compare 2005–2017 observations and IEA projections to 2040 of these variables, to ‘baseline’ scenario projections from the IPCC’s Fifth Assessment Report (AR5), and from the shared socioeconomic pathways (SSPs) used in the upcoming Sixth Assessment Report (AR6). We find that the historical divergence of observed CO2 emissions from baseline scenario projections can be explained largely by slower-than-projected per-capita GDP growth—predating the COVID-19 crisis. We also find carbon intensity divergence from baselines in IEA’s projections to 2040. IEA projects less coal energy expansion than the baseline scenarios, with divergence expected to continue to 2100. Future economic growth is uncertain, but we show that past divergence from observations makes it unlikely that per-capita GDP growth will catch up to baselines before mid-century. Some experts hypothesize high enough economic growth rates to allow per-capita GDP growth to catch up to or exceed baseline scenarios by 2100. However, we argue that this magnitude of catch-up may be unlikely, in light of: headwinds such as aging and debt, the likelihood of unanticipated economic crises, the fact that past economic forecasts have tended to over-project, the aftermath of the current pandemic, and economic impacts of climate change unaccounted-for in the baseline scenarios. Our analyses inform the rapidly evolving discussions on climate and development futures, and on uses of scenarios in climate science and policy.

Net-zero emissions chemical industry in a world of limited resources

Pemanasan global telah menyita perhatian dunia bahkan akan semakin bertambah besar dimasa yang akan datang mengingat akibat yang ditimbulkannya UNO, melalui program lingkungan UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme) dan Organisasi Meteorologi Dunia (World Meteorological Organization, WMO) membentuk The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) pada 1988 untuk meneliti dan menganalisa isu-isu ilmu pengetahuan yang muncul. Makalah ini akan membahas tentang emisi GRK dari empat industri yaitu baja, aluminium, semen dan kimia.Guna mengantisipasi meningkatnya emisi GRK maka keempat industri ini perlu melakukan kerjasama. Model kerjasama apa yang paling tepat juga akan dibahas pada makalah ini.Selanjutnya alternatif solusi yang bisa. Ada beberapa emisi GRK dari sektor industri, mulai dari industri kimia, baja, semen dan alumunium. Dalam Protocol Kyoto, tersedia tiga mekanisme fleksibel dalam upaya pencapaian target penurunan emisi GRK, yaitu Emissions Trading (ET) atau perdagangan emisi antar negara maju, Joint Implementation (JI) atau pelaksanaan penurunan emisi secara bersama sama antar negara maju, dan Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) atau kerjasama antara negara maju dan negara berkembang. Studi ini menyimpulkan bahwa salah satu cara yang strategis untuk melindungi atmosfir adalah dengan cara mengontrol penggunaan sumber daya alam melalui emisi GRK.

Municipal solid waste (MSW) is one of the major environmental problems throughout the world including in Lao PDR. In Vientiane, due to the lack of a collection service, open burning and illegal dumping are commonly practised. This study aims to estimate the greenhouse gas (GHG) emission from the current situation of MSW management (MSWM) in Vientiane and proposes an alternative solution to reduce the GHG emission and environmental impacts. The 2006 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories (IPCC 2006 model) are used for the estimation of GHG emission from landfill and composting. For the estimation of GHG emission from open burning, the Atmospheric Brown Clouds Emission Inventory Manual (ABC EIM) is used. In Vientiane, a total of 232, 505 tonnes year(-1) of MSW was generated in 2011. Waste generation in Vientiane is 0.69 kg per capita per day, and about 31% of the total MSW generated was directly sent to landfill (71,162 tonnes year(-1)). The total potential GHG emission from the baseline scenario in 2011 was 110,182 tonnes year(-1) CO2-eq, which is 0.15 tonne year(-1) CO2-eq per capita. From the three MSWM scenarios proposed, scenario S3, which includes recycling, composting and landfilling, seems to be an effective solution for dealing with MSW in Vientiane with less air pollution, and is environmentally friendly. The total GHG emission in scenario S3 is reduced to 91,920 tonnes year(-1) CO2-eq (47% reduction), compared with the S1 scenario where all uncollected waste is diverted to landfill.

The 2018 IPCC (The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s) report defined the goal to limit global warming to 1.5 °C by 2050. This will require “rapid and far-reaching transitions in land, energy, industry, buildings, transport, and cities”. The challenge falls on all sectors, especially energy production and industry. In this regard, the recent progress and future challenges of greenhouse gas emissions and energy supply are first briefly introduced. Then, the current situation of the steel industry is presented. Steel production is predicted to grow by 25–30% by 2050. The dominant iron-making route, blast furnace (BF), especially, is an energy-intensive process based on fossil fuel consumption; the steel sector is thus responsible for about 7% of all anthropogenic CO2 emissions. In order to take up the 2050 challenge, emissions should see significant cuts. Correspondingly, specific emissions (t CO2/t steel) should be radically decreased. Several large research programs in big steelmaking countries and the EU have been carried out over the last 10–15 years or are ongoing. All plausible measures to decrease CO2 emissions were explored here based on the published literature. The essential results are discussed and concluded. The specific emissions of “world steel” are currently at 1.8 t CO2/t steel. Improved energy efficiency by modernizing plants and adopting best available technologies in all process stages could decrease the emissions by 15–20%. Further reductions towards 1.0 t CO2/t steel level are achievable via novel technologies like top gas recycling in BF, oxygen BF, and maximal replacement of coke by biomass. These processes are, however, waiting for substantive industrialization. Generally, substituting hydrogen for carbon in reductants and fuels like natural gas and coke gas can decrease CO2 emissions remarkably. The same holds for direct reduction processes (DR), which have spread recently, exceeding 100 Mt annual capacity. More radical cut is possible via CO2 capture and storage (CCS). The technology is well-known in the oil industry; and potential applications in other sectors, including the steel industry, are being explored. While this might be a real solution in propitious circumstances, it is hardly universally applicable in the long run. More auspicious is the concept that aims at utilizing captured carbon in the production of chemicals, food, or fuels e.g., methanol (CCU, CCUS). The basic idea is smart, but in the early phase of its application, the high energy-consumption and costs are disincentives. The potential of hydrogen as a fuel and reductant is well-known, but it has a supporting role in iron metallurgy. In the current fight against climate warming, H2 has come into the “limelight” as a reductant, fuel, and energy storage. The hydrogen economy concept contains both production, storage, distribution, and uses. In ironmaking, several research programs have been launched for hydrogen production and reduction of iron oxides. Another global trend is the transfer from fossil fuel to electricity. “Green” electricity generation and hydrogen will be firmly linked together. The electrification of steel production is emphasized upon in this paper as the recycled scrap is estimated to grow from the 30% level to 50% by 2050. Finally, in this review, all means to reduce specific CO2 emissions have been summarized. By thorough modernization of production facilities and energy systems and by adopting new pioneering methods, “world steel” could reach the level of 0.4–0.5 t CO2/t steel and thus reduce two-thirds of current annual emissions.

Counting the Carbon: Assessing Qatar's Carbon Dioxide Emissions

High CO2 emissions and energy consumption have greatly restricted the development of China’s iron and steel industry. Two alternative ironmaking processes, top gas recycling-oxygen blast furnace (TGR-OBF) and COREX®, can reduce CO2 emissions and coking coal consumption in the steel industry when compared with a conventional blast furnace (BF). To obtain parameters on the material flow of these processes, two static process models for TGR-OBF and COREX were established. Combining the operating data from the Jingtang steel plant with established static process models, this research presents a detailed analysis of the material flows, metallurgical gas generation and consumption, electricity consumption and generation, comprehensive energy consumption, and CO2 emissions of three integrated steel plants (ISP) equipped with the BF, TGR-OBF, and COREX, respectively. The results indicated that the energy consumption of an ISP with the TGR-OBF was 16% and 16.5% lower than that of a conventional ISP and an ISP with the COREX. Compared with a conventional ISP, the coking coal consumption in an ISP with the TGR-OBF and an ISP with the COREX were reduced by 39.7% and 100% respectively. With the International Energy Agency factor, the ISP with the TGR-OBF had the lowest net CO2 emissions, which were 10.8% and 35.0% lower than that of a conventional ISP and an ISP with the COREX. With the China Grid factor, the conventional ISP had the lowest net CO2 emissions—2.8% and 24.1% lower than that of an ISP with the TGR-OBF and an ISP with the COREX, respectively.

The master plan of energy management for Thailand iron and steel industry has been proposed by Iron and Steel Institute of Thailand (ISIT). Three plausible scenarios in the master plan were S1: without integrated steel plant (baseline scenario), S2: with a traditional integrated BF–BOF and S3: with an alternative integrated DR-EAF. This study investigated the potential of energy reduction and CO2 emission reduction in 2030 under two reduction target scenarios which were scenario A: to achieve ISIT'S plan and scenario B: maximum energy reduction. Moreover, the CO2 abatement cost curve and the sensitivity analysis of the abatement cost with different interest rates were studied. By following the baseline scenario (S1), the potential of energy reduction and CO2 reduction was 12.74 million GJ and 1.28 million tCOeq. The traditional integrated BF–BOF route (S2) exhibited the highest energy saving and CO2 reduction potential, followed by S3 (DR-EAF) and S1 (baseline). The maximum energy reduction and CO2 reduction could be increased 11.8% and 17.9% from the ISIT’s plan. The sensitivity analysis indicated that the change of interest rates (3.27, 4.27 and 5.27%) affected the abatement cost ranged from − 21 to + 24% when compared with the long-term interest rate of 4.27%.

Mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions from beef production in western Canada – Evaluation using farm-based life cycle assessment

Better information on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and mitigation potential in the agricultural sector is necessary to manage these emissions and identify responses that are consistent with the food security and economic development priorities of countries. Critical activity data (what crops or livestock are managed in what way) are poor or lacking for many agricultural systems, especially in developing countries. In addition, the currently available methods for quantifying emissions and mitigation are often too expensive or complex or not sufficiently user friendly for widespread use.The purpose of this focus issue is to capture the state of the art in quantifying greenhouse gases from agricultural systems, with the goal of better understanding our current capabilities and near-term potential for improvement, with particular attention to quantification issues relevant to smallholders in developing countries. This work is timely in light of international discussions and negotiations around how agriculture should be included in efforts to reduce and adapt to climate change impacts, and considering that significant climate financing to developing countries in post-2012 agreements may be linked to their increased ability to identify and report GHG emissions (Murphy et al 2010, CCAFS 2011, FAO 2011).

Counting the Carbon: Assessing Qatar>s Carbon Dioxide Emissions