Conversion of carbon dioxide to valuable petrochemicals:An approach to clean development mechanism

The increase of atmospheric carbon dioxide and the global warming due to its greenhouse effect resulted in worldwide concerns. On the other hand, carbon dioxide might be considered as a valuable and renewable carbon source. One approach to reduce carbon dioxide emissions could be its capture and recycle via transformation into chemicals using the technologies in C1 chemistry. Despite its great interest, there are difficulties in CO2 separation on the one hand, and thermodynamic stability of carbon dioxide molecule rendering its chemical activity low on the other hand. Carbon dioxide has been already used in petrochemical industries for production of limited chemicals such as urea. The utilization of carbon dioxide does not necessarily involve development of new processes, and in certain processes such as methanol synthesis and methane steam reforming, addition of CO2 into the feed results in its utilization and increases carbon efficiency. In other cases, modifications in catalyst and/or processes, or even new catalysts and processes, are necessary. In either case, catalysis plays a crucial role in carbon dioxide conversion and effective catalysts are required for commercial realization of the related processes. Technologies for CO2 utilization are emerging after many years of research and development efforts.

The Clean Development Mechanism and Sustainable Development in China's Electricity Sector

The Clean Development Mechanism,a flexibility mechanism contained in the KyotoProtocol, offers China an important tool to attractinvestment in clean energy technology and processesinto its electricity sector. The Chinese electricitysector places centrally in the country’s economy andenvironment, being a significant contributor to theacid rain and air pollution problems that plague manyof China’s cities and regions, and therefore a focusof many related energy and environmental policies.China’s electricity sector has also been the subjectof a number of economic analyses that have showedthat it contains the highest potential for clean energyinvestment through the Clean DevelopmentMechanism of any economic sector in China. Thismechanism, through the active participation frominvestors in more industrialized countries, can helpalleviate the environmental problems attributable toelectricity generation in China through advancingsuch technology as wind electricity generation, cleancoal technology, high efficient natural gas electricitygeneration, or utilization of coal mine methane. Inthis context, the Clean Development Mechanismalso compliments a range of environmental and energypolicies which are strategizing to encourage thesustainable development of China’s economy.

Outcomes of the Clean Development Mechanism in Argentina

This paper summarizes the results of the implementation of the CDM in Argentina during the first period of commitment of the Kyoto Protocol. From a total of sixty- five projects ideas, forty-four achieved registration under the CDM EB while the rest remained approved at national level (12), under evaluation (2), suspended (5) or rejected (2). Most of the projects focused on the generation of electricity from renewable energy, mainly wind energy and the use of landfill gas and methane for energy. Emissions reductions achieved 33.4% of the expected CERs up to 2012 with strong differences among sectors. Results demonstrated that under the current Argentina’s energy policy framework, the income by the selling of CERs covered less than 6% of the incremental costs for renewable energy projects. A sensitivity analysis to evaluate the impact of CDM in the coverage of incremental costs for renewable energy based on the prices of both the energy in the local market and the CER demonstrated that the best conditions would only cover 15% of those costs. The contribution of CDM to technology transfer in Argentina was minor considering that 45% of the projects qualified as type III where technological learning and capacity building were limited at the level of operation and maintenance of a foreign technology. Domestic and external barriers that prevented a better performance of CDM projects in terms of GHG mitigation, technology transfer and the contribution to a sustainable development were also analyzed.

Implementation of a greenhouse gas reduction roadmap for steel producing companies

This paper shall show an economic feasible approach to implement greenhouse gas(GHG) reduction measures into steel companies. The goal to improve energy consumption is directly linked to the reduction of GHG emissions and therefore directly in correlation with the economic viability. A baseline scenario of the considered reference system and of the respective reference year has to be defined, mapped and analysed. In a second step an analysis of the same operation using available and prospected best available technology (BAT) processes is carried out to generate a basis for a benchmark system. The identified reduction potentials are reported and the GHG emission reductions are put into relation to the investment cost of the new process technologies/process adaption to be implemented.This economic feasibility calculation is necessary to realise a cost efficient GHG reduction roadmap implementation into the company's business operations. The GHG reduction roadmap is developed using the abatement curve concept to get an indication of ' low hanging fruits' and for establishing a sequence for implementing carbon emission reductions measures. The scope of that approach can be extended by including further important environmental parameters like NOx, SO_2,CO,dust,heavy metal emissions in air as well as production residues.That gives in the end a broader picture and more starting points to improve the overall environmental performance of steel producing companies beyond the GHG emissions and energy consumption.

Emission Baselines for Clean Development Mechanism Projects: Residential Heating Case in Beijing

To explore emission baseline, technically the most difficult issue for Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) project development, as well as to examine whether CDM is a possible way to help Beijing restructure its heating energy consumption, this paper conducts a CDM baseline case study on residential heating in Beijing. Based on investigation, energy consumption forecast and economic analysis of future technology options, the technology benchmark and site specific baselines for both retrofit projects and new heating projects have been discussed. The results indicate that fuel switching from coal to natural gas can meet the additionality criteria in many cases and will be the main type of CDM project. In addition, it also proves that the technology benchmark and the case by case baseline setting approach are applicable for future CDM cooperation projects on heating in Beijing.

Role of China in Global Carbon Market

The use of market-based mechanisms is a cost-effective way to reduce carbon emissions. The present paper reviews the global carbon market, focusing mainly on its structure and price features, and analyzes the role of China in the global carbon market. China is playing a leading role in the pursuit of sustainable development, which can account for its lagging behind in the Clean Development Mechanism. The paper discusses the opportunities and challenges for China undertaking the Clean Development Mechanism project in the future.

Project Boundary Setting and Leakage Treatment in CDM Project

Project boundary setting and leakage treatment are two important issues to be considered when a clean development mechanism (CDM) project is being designed. There are still many uncertainties con- cerning these two issues. This paper reviews the concepts of project boundary setting and leakage in CDM projects, cites the types and sources of leakage, discusses the principles for determining leakage, and gives some proposed methods for dealing with leakage. A case study, using several steps to solve the boundary and leakage problems,shows how the analyzed principles and treatments can be implemented in a real project. Based on the result of the case study, the methods discussed are shown to be appropriate for set- tling leakage issues.