The pursuit of methodological harmonization within the holistic sustainability assessment of CCU projects: A history and critical review

Environmental sustainability assessments have been conducted around consumer goods since the 1960's, these adopted comparative approaches and followed no accepted methodology. As sustainability assessment rose to prominence, methodological standardization was universally called for. Furthermore, two additional “strands” of sustainability emerged, economic and societal; forming what has recently been termed the “triple helix”. Efforts have been made across the CCU (carbon capture and utilization) community to align, or “harmonize”, the respective assessment formats. Ultimately, targeting enhanced understanding of the interconnections and trade-offs between the three strands, and communication of findings to both industry and policymakers. This review examines key methodologies presented in the field. These were collated through targeted literature searches, focussing on standalone, CCU specific, and harmonized methodologies. Relevant guidance originates with ISO's 2007 standards and terminates in McCord et al's (2021) “triple helix framework”. Other key works reviewed include UNEP / SETAC's S-LCA (social life cycle assessment) guidelines, and GCIs (Global CO2 Initiative) integrated LCA and TEA (techno-economic assessment) guidelines. Analysis of the identified methodologies first considers each assessment strand in isolation, subsequently evaluating efforts toward their CDU specific harmonization and integration. Using the collated primary and secondary literature, a taxonomy of assessment methodologies leading to the triple helix framework is produced. Key methodological difficulties and divergent schools of thought are discussed, notably the prescription of system boundaries, impact indicators, and characterization methods. The overarching conclusion of the review is that while a robust combined LCA and TEA assessment methodology has been attained, holistic approaches incorporating social sustainability are still lacking; with substantial problems remaining unsolved. A majority of these originate from SIA's immaturity relative to LCA and TEA, causing issues around data availability and handling methods; exacerbated by the presence of qualitative data. Until a greater degree of maturity is achieved, SIA should be utilized within holistic assessments as a screening tool, determining the suitability of a process or system for more granular assessment

Great Britain's Energy Vectors and Transmission Level Energy Storage

As an example of the challenges facing many developed countries, the scale of daily energy flows through Great Britain's electrical, gas and transport systems are presented. When this data is expressed graphically it illustrates important differences in the demand characteristics of these different vectors; these include the scale of energy delivered through the networks on a daily basis, and the scale of variability in the different demands over multiple timescales (seasonal, weekly and daily). The paper discusses energy storage in general; the scale of within day stores of energy available to the gas and electrical transmission networks, and suggests Synthetic Natural Gas as an interesting energy carrier that could use existing natural gas infrastructure

Building an LCA Inventory: A Worked Example on a CO2 to Fertilizer Process

This worked example is part of a series of examples that are designed to provide practical guidance to the application of the Techno-Economic Assessment and Life Cycle Assessment Guidelines for CO2 Utilization. This worked example provides guidance on best practices and potential pitfalls in the production of a LCA inventory utilizing one or more sources of primary/secondary data. The worked example highlights the dangers of “picking and mixing” data by showing how derived results can vary significantly resulting in inconsistencies and uncertainty when considering direct comparisons for products/services and functions. The worked example considers a CO2 to nitrogen rich fertilizer pathway, with 18 inventories produced for assessment.Global CO2 InitiativeEIT Climate-KIChttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/154989/3/Building an LCA Inventory (CO2 to fertilizer example).pdfDescription of Building an LCA Inventory (CO2 to fertilizer example).pdf : Report documen

Interpretation of LCA results: A Worked Example on a CO2 to Fertilizer Process

This worked example is part of a series of examples that are designed to provide practical guidance to the application of the Techno-Economic Assessment and Life Cycle Assessment Guidelines for CO2 Utilization. In this worked example the impact of “picking and mixing” inventory data on results interpretation is explored in detail. The results of 18 LCA inventories (for a CO2 to nitrogen rich fertilizer pathway) are assessed, showing the inconsistencies in the conclusions drawn from the interpretation phase of the studies.Global CO2 InitiativeEIT Climate-KIChttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/154990/4/Interpretation of LCA results (CO2 to fertilizer example).pdfDescription of Interpretation of LCA results (CO2 to fertilizer example).pdf : Report documen

A Guide to Goal Setting in TEA: A Worked Example Considering CO2 Use in the Domestic Heating Sector

This worked example is part of a series of examples that are designed to provide practical guidance to the application of the Techno-Economic Assessment and Life Cycle Assessment Guidelines for CO2 Utilization. This worked example provides guidance on goal setting for TEA, with illustrative examples given for each of the perspectives listed in the guidelines (R&D, Corporate, Market). Multiple goals are derived following the advice of the guidelines with CO2 use in the domestic heating sector as the background. The example also provides advice on assessing the feasibility of using, either alongside a new study or in place of, with illustrative examples provided to demonstrate the impact data variance can have on the results of a study.Global CO2 InitiativeEIT Climate-KIChttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/154988/4/Guide to goal setting in TEA (Domestic heating example).pdfDescription of Guide to goal setting in TEA (Domestic heating example).pdf : Report documen

SNG Worked Example for the TEA Guidelines for CO2 Utilization

To meet the high demand for natural gas globally, synthetic natural gas (SNG) can be produced as a substitute for natural gas derived from fossil fuels. Nevertheless, the traditional SNG production process is highly carbon-intensive. In the framework of the Power-to-Gas concept, production of SNG can occur via hydrogenation of CO2, which can be captured from industrial sources. As a result, the reliance of SNG production on fossil fuels can be reduced and, subsequently, associated CO2 emissions can be controlled. The goal of the present study is to assess the technical viability and economic feasibility of producing SNG via CO2 hydrogenation. Additionally, to prepare for integrating the techno-economic analysis (TEA) with a life-cycle assessment (LCA), the challenges and pitfalls of such integration are also discussed. The TEA in this study was carried out mainly from a research & development perspective. The production cost for SNG based on carbon capture and utilization (CCU) is estimated and key cost drivers are identified. The combined indicator of CO2 abatement cost is also estimated as a quantitative indicator for assessing the TEA and LCA results. The methanation plant is assumed to be located next to an iron & steel plant in Germany, from which the CO2 feedstock for producing SNG is by means of MEA-based chemical absorption technology, while the hydrogen (which is produced via electrolysis using surplus electricity) is purchased from a production facility located 250 km away. The output capacity of the methanation plant is 148 MW. Aspen Plus software was used for process modelling and data were taken from the literature. Through discussions, it was found that setting the system boundaries was a central challenge for aligning the TEA and LCA. While LCA tends towards encompassing the full life cycle of products (cradle-to-grave or -gate), it is not necessary to include the upstream and downstream processes to conduct a TEA in the present study. The information on upstream processes is reflected in the characteristics of the input flows entering the product system. Setting identical system boundaries for TEA and LCA would require solving problems of multi-functionality, which can be very challenging for TEA when the market for the products to be analyzed is still uncertain. To align inventories, the relevant environmental parameters (e.g., CO2 emissions) should be documented in addition to the technical and economic parameters. For calculating CO2 abatement cost, system expansion can be used to account for the reduced CO2 emissions, or the CO2 feedstock can be regarded as negative emissions. The results show that the SNG production cost for the analyzed product system is 0.0748 €/MJ and the minimum selling price is 0.271 €/kWh. The production cost is more than 10 times greater than that of the benchmark product (coal-based SNG). The selling price of SNG produced by the proposed system is also significantly higher than that of natural gas in the German market. The CO2 abatement cost, as a combined indicator of TEA & LCA, was calculated as 0.75 €/kgCO2. Sensitivity analysis reveals that the hydrogen purchase price represents the most significant uncertainty for the analyzed system. At a 95% confidence interval, the estimated production cost ranges between 0.065 and 0.173 €/MJSNG. Current legislation of the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) is found to be inapplicable to the product system investigated. Thus, the analyzed CCU system cannot benefit from the emissions trading scheme. To drive CCU-based SNG forward in the future market, it is essential to reduce the production cost of hydrogen.Global CO2 InitiativeEIT Climate-KIChttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/167382/1/TEA of Synthetic Natural Gas production - worked example.pdfDescription of TEA of Synthetic Natural Gas production - worked example.pdf : Report documentSEL

Methanol Worked Examples for the TEA and LCA Guidelines for CO2 Utilization

This document contains worked examples of how to apply the accompanying “Guideline for Techno-Economic Assessment of CO2 Utilization” and “Guideline for Life Cycle Assessment of CO2 Utilization”. The Guidelines can be downloaded via http://hdl.handle.net/2027.42/145436. These worked examples are not intended to be a definitive TEA or LCA report on the process described, but are provided as supporting material to show how the TEA and LCA methodologies described in the guidelines can be specifically applied to tackle the issues surrounding CO2 utilization. This document describes techno-economic assessment and life cycle assessment for methanol production. As methanol production via hydrogenation and PEM electrolysis of water to produce hydrogen are both at high technology readiness levels (TRL7+); a CO2 capture technology currently at a lower TRL (membrane separation at TRL3 or 4) was selected to demonstrate the differences that can be observed in the interpretation phase when working on TEA and LCA studies of processes with lower TRLs. It is acknowledged that there are many unknown variables with membrane capture, and it is not within the remit of this work to draw conclusions on their application. However, it is known that organizations wish to conduct TEA and LCA studies across a range of TRLs and therefore we hope to demonstrate here how this could affect the results. This document is one of several application examples that accompany the parent document “Techno-Economic Assessment & Life-Cycle Assessment Guidelines for CO2 Utilization”.Development of standardized CO2 Life Cycle and Techno-economic Assessment Guidelines was commissioned by CO2 Sciences, Inc., with the support of 3M, EIT Climate-KIC, CO2 Value Europe, Emissions Reduction Alberta, Grantham Foundation for the Protection of the Environment, R. K. Mellon Foundation, Cynthia and George Mitchell Foundation, National Institute of Clean and Low Carbon Energy, Praxair, Inc., XPRIZE and generous individuals who are committed to action to address climate change.https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/145723/5/Global CO2 Initiative Complete Methanol Study 2018.pd

Techno-Economic Assessment & Life-Cycle Assessment Guidelines for CO2 Utilization

NOTE: Updated version 1.1 available at http://hdl.handle.net/2027.42/162573 Climate change is one of the largest challenges of our time. One of the major causes of anthropogenic climate change, carbon dioxide, also leads to ocean acidification. Left unaddressed, these two challenges will alter ecosystems and fundamentally change life, as we know it. Under the auspices of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and through the Paris Agreement, there is a commitment to keep global temperature increase to well below two degrees Celsius. This will require a variety of strategies including increased renewable power generation and broad scale electrification, increased energy efficiency, and carbon-negative technologies. We believe that Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is necessary to prove that a technology could contribute to the mitigation of environmental impacts and that Techno-Economic Assessment (TEA) will show how the technology could be competitively delivered in the market. Together the guidelines for LCA and TEA that are presented in this document are a valuable toolkit for promoting carbon capture and utilization (CCU) technology development.Development of standardized CO2 Life Cycle and Techno-economic Assessment Guidelines was commissioned by CO2 Sciences, Inc., with the support of 3M, EIT Climate-KIC, CO2 Value Europe, Emissions Reduction Alberta, Grantham Foundation for the Protection of the Environment, R. K. Mellon Foundation, Cynthia and George Mitchell Foundation, National Institute of Clean and Low Carbon Energy, Praxair, Inc., XPRIZE and generous individuals who are committed to action to address climate change.https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/145436/3/Global_CO2_Initiative_TEA_LCA_Guidelines-2018.pdf-