Dynamic Prospective Average and Marginal GHG Emission Factors—Scenario-Based Method for the German Power System until 2050

Seckinger, Nils; Radgen, Peter

doi:10.3390/en14092527

Cited by 14 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…Emission factors from electricity production are known to vary significantly depending on the energy mix and other conditions considered in their evaluation [83,84]. As discussed in our recent study [85], the emission factor of CO 2 can vary between close to zero values for an almost exclusively renewable energy-based mix up to 700 to 900 kg/MWh for coaland oil-fired power plants.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 86%

Energy and Environmental Assessment of Steam Management Optimization in an Ethylene Plant

Variny

Hanus²,

Blahušiak³

et al. 2021

IJERPH

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Steam crackers (ethylene plants) belong to the most complex industrial plants and offer significant potential for energy-saving translated into the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Steam export to or import from adjacent units or complexes can boost the associated financial benefit, but its energy and environmental impact are questionable. A study was carried out on a medium-capacity ethylene plant using field data to: 1. Estimate the energy savings potential achievable by optimizing internal steam management and optimizing steam export/import; 2. Quantify the associated change in air pollutant emissions; 3. Analyze the impact of the increasing carbon price on the measures adopted. Internal steam management optimization yielded steam let-down rate minimization and resulted in a 5% (87 TJ/year) reduction in steam cracker’s steam boiler fuel consumption and the associated cut of CO2 emissions by almost 4900 t/year and that of NOx emissions by more than 5 t/year. Steam import to the ethylene plant from the refinery proved to be purely economic-driven, as it increased the net fuel consumption of the ethylene plant and the refinery complex by 12 TJ/year and resulted in an increase of net emissions of nearly all considered air pollutants (more than 7000 t/year of CO2, over 15 t/year of NOx, over 18 t/year of SOx) except for CO, where the net change was almost zero. The effect of external emissions change due to the associated backpressure electricity production surplus (over 11 GWh/year) was too low to compensate for this increase unless fossil fuel-based electricity production was considered. The increase of carbon price impact on the internal steam management optimization economics was favorable, while a switch to steam export from the ethylene plant, instead of steam import, might be feasible if the carbon price increased to over 100 €/tCO2.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 86%

Energy and Environmental Assessment of Steam Management Optimization in an Ethylene Plant

Variny

Hanus²,

Blahušiak³

et al. 2021

IJERPH

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“…Several researchers use a single average country-related value while others incorporate power import and export and yet others recommend using marginal factors [103] that might vary seasonally as well as during a single day depending on the actual balance of the grid [104]. Moreover, with increasing use of renewables in the electric energy production sector [105], the corresponding emission factor values are likely to decrease in future, which should also be considered [106,107]. Therefore, it makes little sense to use a single emission factor value and two distinctive scenarios were set up: one adopting the emission factor of Slovenské elektrárne, a.s., adopted from our previous study [108]; and the other one the emission factor of a conventional coal power plant [109].…”

Section: Energetic and Environmental Evaluationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Repowering Industrial Combined Heat and Power Units: a Contribution to Cleaner Energy Production

Variny¹,

Kšiňanová²

2022

Pol. J. Environ. Stud.

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Repowering of industrial combined heat and power units allows reducing industrial greenhouse gases emissions. An existing industrial unit served as model in the gas turbines-based repowering study, aiming at fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions reduction. Following unit's model setup and verification, two conservative repowering options (hot windbox and separate gas turbine + heat recovery steam generator) were assessed from economic, energetic, and environmental point of view, including seasonal impact. Hot windbox option leads to annual power production increase by 14.3% (72.8 GWh/year), accompanied by carbon dioxide emissions reduction by 3.9 % (29.5 ktons/year) compared to the base case. The second option delivered more significant power production increase (+261.9 to +298.6 GWh/year) with CO 2 emissions, either slightly higher (+1.5 %) or modestly lower (-4.0%), than in base case depending on heat recovery efficiency from gas turbine exhaust. Both options show feasible economics with simple payback period as low as four years under favorable combination of fuel and electricity prices and CO 2 costs. External CO 2 emissions change due to the change in unit's power production further reduces the total CO 2 emissions, strongly depending on the applied power production emission factor.

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“…Carbon dioxide emissions are considered as the most relevant ones in this regard and a lively debate on the correct attitude towards calculation and evaluation of its emission factors is in progress [49,50]. It is generally agreed that marginal emission factors (MEF) should better represent the real impact of power consumption change on the related CO2 emissions [51,52]. For even more precise carbon accounting for processes with very variable power demand, daily or even hourly MEF are recommended to be applied [53].…”

Section: Greenhouse Gas Emissions Attributable To Asu Operationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Even though power production becomes gradually cleaner as advanced techniques and flue gas cleaning systems are adopted in thermal plants and old plants are ruled out of service [58], MEF values were agreed to be highly spatiotemporally specific. Thus, recent studies employing the MEF always relate them to a specific period and country [52,59], thus requiring reliable structural data about power sources and transmission system operation [60]. A recent extensive review by Hamels et al [49] evaluating over 100 related studies revealed both the absence of a unified approach to the estimation of GHG emissions related to power production and consumption and the significant variability of individual emission factors.…”

Section: Greenhouse Gas Emissions Attributable To Asu Operationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As can be seen, simple payback period values vary from 4 to 18 years, with both air pressure loss and electricity price being important. It should, however, be remembered that the price of carbon dioxide emissions increased rapidly over the last two years, currently exceeding EUR 55 t −1 [81] and it is expected to reach EUR 150 t −1 until 2050 [52], which is partly reflected in the currently growing electricity prices. Continuation of this trend significantly increases the economic feasibility of the proposed ASU performance improvement and reduces the simple payback period to 5 years even in case of a 2% air pressure loss in the heat exchangers.…”

Section: Economic Parametersmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Cutting Oxygen Production-Related Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Improved Compression Heat Management in a Cryogenic Air Separation Unit

Variny

Jediná

Rimár

et al. 2021

IJERPH

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Oxygen production in cryogenic air separation units is related to a significant carbon footprint and its supply in the medicinal sphere became critical during the recent COVID-19 crisis. An improved unit design was proposed, utilizing a part of waste heat produced during air pre-cooling and intercooling via absorption coolers, to reduce power consumption. Variable ambient air humidity impact on compressed air dryers’ regeneration was also considered. A steady-state process simulation of a model 500 t h−1 inlet cryogenic air separation unit was performed in Aspen Plus® V11. Comparison of a model without and with absorption coolers yielded an achievable reduction in power consumption for air compression and air dryer regeneration by 6 to 9% (23 to 33 GWh year−1) and a favorable simple payback period of 4 to 10 years, both depending on air pressure loss in additional heat exchangers to be installed. The resulting specific oxygen production decrease amounted to EUR 2–4.2 t−1. Emissions of major gaseous pollutants from power production were both calculated by an in-house developed thermal power plant model and adopted from literature. A power consumption cut was translated into the following annual greenhouse gas emission reduction: CO2 16 to 30 kilotons, CO 0.3 to 2.3 tons, SOx 4.7 to 187 tons and NOx 11 to 56 tons, depending on applied fossil fuel-based emission factors. Considering a more renewable energy sources-containing energy mix, annual greenhouse gas emissions decreased by 50 to over 80%, varying for individual pollutants.

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Dynamic Prospective Average and Marginal GHG Emission Factors—Scenario-Based Method for the German Power System until 2050

Cited by 14 publications

References 43 publications

Energy and Environmental Assessment of Steam Management Optimization in an Ethylene Plant

Energy and Environmental Assessment of Steam Management Optimization in an Ethylene Plant

Repowering Industrial Combined Heat and Power Units: a Contribution to Cleaner Energy Production

Cutting Oxygen Production-Related Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Improved Compression Heat Management in a Cryogenic Air Separation Unit

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