Benchmarking ESSQ Management Systems

This study addresses current status of ESSQ management and integration in steel production organisation. The idea is to benchmark maturity levels with the leading Finnish international companies. The examination has been done in compliance with applied maturity model developed by the target corporation. When examining the benchmarked companies through the ESSQ framework, we found that a similar framework cannot be found in any other company as such; instead, operations are distributed under different organisations. Although many sources criticise system-based development, the results of this study indicate that it is nevertheless an efficient way to develop operations.

Tackling boundaries of CCS in market deployment of second-generation oxy-fuel technology

This article discusses the market potential estimation results at different stages of second-generation oxy-fuel technology for carbon capture and storage,where oxygen content is increased in order to increase efficiency and product life cycle.The article highlights the challenges to commercializing an energy technology with long development lead times.Challenges related to external market environment,regulations and market price for carbon dioxide(CO_(2))also need to be resolved.The study is based on a second-generation oxy-CFB technology evaluation,SWOT analysis and product life-cycle estimation.The commercialization of second-generation oxy-fuel technology,estimated as a basis of oxy-CFB technology,is largely found to be dependent on technical,sociological and economical aspects related to the energy market environment.The CO_(2) price in European Union(EU)emissions trading is currently below 10€/ton,which does not favour investment in CCS.CO_(2) storage also faces public opposition and EU directive limitations.The CO_(2) price needs to be in the range of 30€/ton by 2030,the estimated time of commercialization.Technological development or subsidies would also be required for the second-generation oxy-CFB power production concept to become viable.This is one of the critical factors in market deployment as the price development is influenced by several external factors,including the EU’s environmental policy,politics and public acceptance.