Definition
Decarbonation refers to Carbon Dioxide (CO2) and equivalent, emissions reduction.
Typically, Decarbonation processes include electrification (AC and DC), carbon capture as recognized by the COP28, Hydrogen (blue, green, white, yellow) and all combinations or derivatives of these technologies.
Comments
Decarbonation refers to carbon dioxide (CO2) and equivalent, emissions reduction. It may use mechanical, electrical, physical, chemical technologies, or their associations to prevent or reduce CO2 emissions. This CO2 may come from direct emissions, such as fossil fuels (coal, natural gas, oil, fuels) combustion. It may also indirectly result from the emissions of other gases, such as methane, released in the atmosphere where it will produce CO2 after a couple of decades. In both cases, these emissions contribute to the green house gas (GHG) effect around the globe. In some cases, it also impacts the highly protective ozone (O) layer.
Regarding the solutions, the priority is of course given to all the solutions to consume less energies overall. This first step may not be the most mediatic, as less visible, but it is the most important as it supposes to rethink and redesign energies production, transportation, and usage for higher efficiency.
Replacing coal or oil by natural gas for power generation is part of this exercise with immediate effect on CO2 emissions. Improving buildings thermal insulation also enters this category. Electrifying processes may also come as a good solution if the electrical energy mix is already decarbonated. These examples do not modify our way of life.
The second priority is to prevent the CO2 to impact the atmosphere. That was precisely the topic the COP28 in Dubai last year decided to focus on. It begins with forbidding the methane emissions. Then, it continues with recognizing the value of the carbon capture to reduce CO2 emissions in the meantime alternative solutions could be implemented.
Carbon Usage over Carbon Storage
This carbon capture topic has been subject to intensive debates during the COP28. Everybody recognizes the positive impact to reduce CO2 emissions. Anyway, the environmental organizations consider that storing CO2 is nonsense in all aspects. In addition, they suspect this solution to slowdown the development of carbon free technologies at the source. Unfortunately, these carbon free solutions, as per example hydrogen mobility, may take decades to be developed. So, in the meantime, all experts compromised to accept the carbon capture as an acceptable solution for now.
In this context, there are some good news. Through the www.projectsmartexplorer.com projects database, we monitor most of the Decarbonation projects. In doing so, we observe since 2022 a major acceleration of the CO2 usages over the CO2 storages. Every month, an innovative company is proposing to use CO2 as a building block to produce chemicals, plastic, or all kinds of materials. Most of these solutions include a combination with hydrogen.
This fantastic evolution reflects the efforts of the energy companies to prefer CO2 usage over CO2 storage. This scenario offers a double-wins situation as it creates value, instead of storage costs, for investors and it reduces significantly CO2 emissions right now. In addition, its favors the development of the hydrogen supply chain in all colors (Blue, Green, White, Yellow).
For more details about Decarbonation projects have a look into www.projectsmartexplorer.com
