Future Energy Scenario
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Today, a friend (thanks Ray) sent me an email about the future energy issue which was addressed by Jeroen Van Der Veer, Chief Executive of Royal Dutch Shell PLC. After reading the email and also the article posted in Shell website entitled - Two Energy Future, I'm now looking at the future energy in a different perspective. I never thought the future will be predicted in such way. The future environment will be cleaner than today's massively polluted air. Human have discovered and developed ways to minimized CO2 and instead utilized it to produce energy.
Few months ago, I watched discovery channel and learned various renewable energy development around the world. Dutch Shell has played vital role in utilizing and establishing wind technology to create power. From that story, the industry has done and is doing their part in research and development as well as commercialization. Are they totally responsible for the energy direction of the future? Who is actually responsible to ensure energy sustainability of the world? Is it the industry or the government (run by politicians)? Is the future world environment going to be better than today?
Read the following article which was adopted from Shell website. The article is explicitly meant for wider distribution. This article was distributed in cooperation with Project Syndicate.
TWO ENERGY FUTURES
By Jeroen van der Veer
By 2100, the world’s energy system will be radically different from today’s. Renewable energy like solar, wind, hydroelectricity, and biofuels will make up a large share of the energy mix, and nuclear energy, too, will have a place. Humans will have found ways of dealing with air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. New technologies will have reduced the amount of energy needed to power buildings and vehicles.
Indeed, the distant future looks bright, but much depends on how we get there. There are two possible routes. Let’s call the first scenario Scramble. Like an off-road rally through a mountainous desert, it promises excitement and fierce competition. However, the unintended consequence of “more haste” will often be “less speed,” and many will crash along the way.
The alternative scenario can be called Blueprints, which resembles a cautious ride, with some false starts, on a road that is still under construction. Whether we arrive safely at our destination depends on the discipline of the drivers and the ingenuity of all those involved in the construction effort. Technological innovation provides the excitement.
Regardless of which route we choose, the world’s current predicament limits our room to maneuver. We are experiencing a step-change in the growth rate of energy demand due to rising population and economic development. After 2015, easily accessible supplies of oil and gas probably will no longer keep up with demand.
As a result, we will have no choice but to add other sources of energy – renewables, yes, but also more nuclear power and unconventional fossil fuels such as oil sands. Using more energy inevitably means emitting more CO2 at a time when climate change has become a critical global issue.
In the Scramble scenario, nations rush to secure energy resources for themselves, fearing that energy security is a zero-sum game, with clear winners and losers. The use of local coal and homegrown biofuels increases fast. Taking the path of least resistance, policymakers pay little attention to curbing energy consumption – until supplies run short. Likewise, despite much rhetoric, greenhouse gas emissions are not seriously addressed until major shocks trigger political reactions. Since these responses are overdue, they are severe and lead to energy price spikes and volatility.
The Blueprints scenario is less painful, even if the start is more disorderly. Numerous coalitions emerge to take on the challenges of economic development, energy security, and environmental pollution through cross-border cooperation. Much innovation occurs at the local level, as major cities develop links with industry to reduce local emissions. National governments introduce efficiency standards, taxes, and other policy instruments to improve the environmental performance of buildings, vehicles, and transport fuels.
Moreover, as calls for harmonization increase, policies converge across the globe. Cap-and-trade mechanisms that put a price on industrial CO2 emissions gain international acceptance. Rising CO2 prices in turn accelerate innovation, spawning breakthroughs. A growing number of cars are powered by electricity and hydrogen, while industrial facilities are fitted with technology to capture CO2 and store it underground.
Against the backdrop of these two equally plausible scenarios, we will know only in a few years whether December’s Bali declaration on climate change was just rhetoric or the start of a global effort to counter it. Much will depend on how attitudes evolve in China, the European Union, India, and the United States.
Shell traditionally uses its scenarios to prepare for the future without expressing a preference for one over another. But, faced with the need to manage climate risk for our investors and our descendants, we believe the Blueprints outcomes provide the best balance between economy, energy, and environment. For a second opinion, we appealed to climate change calculations made at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. These calculations indicate that a Blueprints world with CO2 capture and storage results in the least amount of climate change, provided emissions of other major manmade greenhouse gases are similarly reduced.
But the Blueprints scenario will be realized only if policymakers agree on a global approach to emissions trading and actively promote energy efficiency and new technology in four sectors: heat and power generation, industry, transport, and buildings.
This will require hard work, and time is short. For example, Blueprints assumes CO2 is captured at 90% of all coal- and gas-fired power plants in developed countries by 2050, plus at least 50% of those in non-OECD countries. Today, none capture CO2. Because CO2 capture and storage adds costs and yields no revenues, government support is needed to make it happen quickly on a scale large enough to affect global emissions. At the least, companies should earn carbon credits for the CO2 they capture and store.
Blueprints will not be easy. But it offers the world the best chance of reaching a sustainable energy future unscathed, so we should explore this route with the same ingenuity and persistence that put humans on the moon and created the digital age.
The world faces a long voyage before it reaches a low-carbon energy system. Companies can suggest possible routes to get there, but governments are in the driver’s seat. And governments will determine whether we should prepare for bitter competition or a true team effort.
* Jeroen van der Veer, Chief Executive of Royal Dutch Shell plc, is Energy Community leader of the World Economic Forum energy industry partnership in 2007-2008 and chaired this year’s Energy Summit in Davos. He also chairs the Energy and Climate Change working group of the European Round Table of Industrialists.
Energy Production Videos - Future Energy Videos
Labels: Environmental, Learning Curve, News, Problem
posted by Kipas Repair JB @ 10:33 PM, ,
Waste to Energy Business
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
EngineerLive.com presented a very interesting news which is related to my previous post about Doxford - Volume Potable Water and Power Production. The topic "Waste-to-Energy Market is Booming" is so catchy that it attracted my attention to read the report.
If previously, waste is considered an unwanted commodity, the technology may change our perception towards it. Waste can be minimized or eliminated and at the same time produce precious energy. This is truly a wonderful opportunity for those who can innovate, introduce and make the technology commercially viable.
The following report is from EngineerLive.com:
Waste management in Europe is no longer a haulage and disposal business. The legislative shifts of the past decade have seen major moves towards the implementation of advanced technology and innovative recycling solutions.
With landfill finally being truly on the way out, there are genuine opportunities for investment in value-adding solutions. In spite of the importance of waste minimization schemes, as well as recycling and biological waste treatment, many local and regional authorities currently view waste to energy (thermal waste incineration with energy recovery) as the only viable large scale alternative to landfill.
According to Frost & Sullivan studies in this sector, the waste to energy market in Europe is growing and will continue to do so for at least 10 years. Europe’s waste to energy capacity is expected to increase by around 13 million tonnes. Almost 100 new plants will come on line by 2012.
Continue reading the full post...
p/s: If incase you cannot go to the Waste-to-Energy Market is Booming article, you may need to register first, then you are granted the access to it.
Labels: Chemical Engineering, Energy, Environmental, Equipments, Learning Curve
posted by Kipas Repair JB @ 8:56 PM, ,
Doxford Power Ltd - Volume Potable Water and Power Production
Monday, January 28, 2008
I just received an interesting email (thanks Mr. Ray for forwarding it to me) mentioning about a special "Volume Potable Water and Power Production" product. It is believed that this product will be of interest to World Vision as it provides clean potable water as a by-product of electrical power generation, both of which are core fundamentals to health issues for the developing world. I believe, a lot more parties will be interested with such a brilliant revolutionary product like this.
Doxford Power Ltd. (DPL), a company based in UK, produces a 10MWe power station equipment or power stations complete on a supply or BOO (Build, Own and Operate) basis. These power stations are significantly different to current (fossil and alternative) power stations in that their primary fuel is derived from two sources, Biomass (Jatropha Curcas, Rapeseed, Palm oil etc) or waste (household or industrial). With that, the product has no reliance on fossil fuels, the chance for a developing country to meet its current and future energy demands from domestic agribusiness and a waste management solution which can be run in parallel to the agribusiness which can utilize what is normally sent to landfill sites as EfW (energy for waste).
DPL owns and utilizes a second technology called a Powereau Unit which drives considerable efficiencies into standard heat engines (generators and gas turbines) and also the DPL power units. A by-product of this intercooler technology is water, and it produce lots of it. A 10MWe power station will require approximately 25,000 tonnes of biomass oil per month but will produce as a by-product in excess of 100,000 tonnes of water per month and more in humid conditions. This water alone justifies the fuel source.
Fuel Source
The DPL 10MWe power plant can utilize Jatropha Curcas plantations to supply 100% renewable and sustainable fuel supply. The berry crop has the oil removed via crushing and filtration with the waste being made into briquettes for domestic heating and cooking use (thus avoiding cutting further trees) One key issue here is sustainable employment. One DPL power plant will require 2000 hectares of land on average to run every year if Jatropha Curcas is the crop of choice. This provides employment at usually a higher standard than current farmers receive of one job per hectare.
The core infrastructure resources for world health are water and power. This DPL power plant provides both of these and whats more, it can commercially reduce current power production costs.
It seems that this is a superb product and the company has began the business development for it. I understand that the marketing material for this product is being processed now. Hence, what you are seeing (from the power point slide presentation) is the core management marketing pre-graphic designers and is not the final professional presentation yet. The product will only be available from April 2008 onwards.
I tried to get further in depth information from the company's website; Doxfordpower.com, however, it could not be opened. I hope the problem can be rectified and interested parties can refer to it for more information.
Check out the NEW: Energy Production VIDEOSLabels: Biology, Biotechnology, Chemical Engineering, Chemical Plant, Energy, Environmental, Equipments, Health, Learning Curve, News, Oil and Fats, Processing., Quality
posted by Kipas Repair JB @ 10:15 PM, ,
9 Great Chemical Engineering Related Ebooks
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Find EBooks (a site providing a number of free Ebooks), listed a few chemical engineering and chemistry related ebooks which can be very useful reference for students and practicing engineers. All of the ebooks are in PDF format and they are free to download. Most of them are in normal book format while some of them are from bulletin or technical paper. I selected 9 fantastic ebooks which I believe is of great value. Check it out:
1. Centrifugal Compressor
Centrifugal Compressors and Steam Turbines.
2. Media Wiley
Basic Thermodynamics.
3. UIC.edu
A Revision of the Distillation Theory (Part I).
4. CHE.WISC.edu
The Material Balance for Chemical Reactors.
5. Geo Heat
Direct-Use Temperature Requirements: A Few Rules of Thumb.
6. HAZOPS ebook
A hazard analysis and operability study (HAZOPS) is one of the essential topics in Chemical Engineering field. It holds a critical role in both design and operation of a plant or unit process. This HAZOPS ebook has nine chapters, such as introduction, overview, essential elements, methods and examples, reporting and analysis, etc.
7. Material Engineering Ebook-1;
Material Engineering Ebook-2
These ebook explain about structure of materials, property of metals, thermal shocks, brittle fracture and plant materials. The ebooks are suitable for engineering students and professionals.
8. Fungicide information ebook
Fungicide is a type of pesticide. It is intended to kill fungus. Fungicide is commonly used in industry, agriculture and home. Getting right information about fungicide will help us to reduce its adverse effects on health and environment.
These are two household chemicals that are always available in every home. They help moms to keep households clean and hygiene. But do you know that cleaners and polishers contain potential hazards to the whole family? Do you really understand about the chemicals of cleaners and polishers? If not, I think you’d better to check out this free ebook.
If you have more ebooks or other valuable references, please share it with us. If it's good, I'll post it here so that more people can read and use it. Thanks in advance... :)Labels: Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Cooling Tower, Learning Curve, Research, Review, Study
posted by Kipas Repair JB @ 11:11 PM, ,
I'm In Chemunique 2008 Magazine
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Chemunique magazine is an annual Chemical Engineering Magazine published by the Chemical and Process Engineering Department, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka. You can access the Chemical and Process Engineering Department website to download the PDF copy of the 10th volume magazine (which is the latest - just released, fresh and hot from the printer!). I'm not sure how the name originated, but I think it may be a combination from Chemical Engineering + Unique = "ChemUnique".
The editorial board have worked very hard and burnt the midnight oil in order to publish the magazine. The magazine has great contents and articles which include:
My Chemical Engineering Career - Page 4
Team Work - Page 7
CO2 Reduction - Page 12
Paper or Plastic - Page 14
Dairy Engineering - Page 22
CPE News - Page 26
Incineration and Energy Recovery - Page 40
Engineer and the Environment - Page 48
Nano Technology - Page 52
The article in page 4 - 7 is surprisingly about me! I'm so touched that they really put that article inside the magazine. Thanks to Tushara and the editorial board for the accepting the article which highlighted the journey of my chemical engineering career.
I hope my experience sharing with others would provide some ideas and informations on various angle of chemical engineering careers. I hope, my very little contribution will benefit a lot of young and junior chemical and process engineers as well as students.
NEW: Chemical Engineering Videos - Check it out...
Labels: Chemical Engineer, Chemical Engineering, Learning Curve, Magazine, News, Review
posted by Kipas Repair JB @ 10:38 PM, ,
Chemical Engineering Related Photo Sharing
Sunday, January 13, 2008
I'm going to share some interesting photos with you. I'll first let you see, observe and analyzed what those photos are. Just imagine and think what are the equipments or situations... It's better if you figure out what the photos shows before I provide you with some answers and brief informations at the end of the photos. If you are a student, you will find this a good learning curve, I hope so. If you already work in a processing or production plant, you may already know about these photos.
Answers & brief explanations.
Photo a: A plate heat exchanger is leaking.
Photo b: You can see traces of fluid leaking/pouring out from the bottom of the plate heat exchanger.
Photo c: An example of plate heat exchangers' plate where fluid may come out when the incoming hot and cold fluid are not balance. Or, if the gaskets are no longer functioning due to damage, torn, not perfectly attached or various other reasons.
Photo d: This is the ball which originated from a 4" 3 piece body ball valve. It is made of stainless steel SS316.
Photo e: This ball was taken out from a damaged 4" 3 piece body ball valve. This type of ball valve is imperative in processing plant. It is more reliable than a gate valve and butterfly valve but is more expansive. To learn more about ball valve, check the following links:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ball_valve
flow-control.globalspec.com/learnmore/flow_control_flow_transfer/valves/ball_valves
wisegeek.com/what-is-a-ball-valve.htm
Photo f: These are sight glasses. It is use to view and observe physically the flowing fluid in a pipeline or stream.
Photo g: This photo is an example on where the sight glass will be installed. By having a sight glass, it is easier to monitor and observe the condition and physical appearance of a fluid.
To learn more about sight glass and the types available in the market, check the following links:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sight_glass
visilume.co.uk/products.shtml?gclid=CNShy_rX8pACFQIsewodazLhqw
us.schott.com/special_applications/english/products/maxos.html
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Labels: Chemical Engineering, Chemical Plant, Equipments, Experience, Heat Exchanger, Leak, Learning Curve, Processing., Study
posted by Kipas Repair JB @ 2:53 PM, ,
Alternative Fuel Originates From Rubber Seeds
Sunday, January 06, 2008
I stumbled upon a very interesting finding/research carried out by a Malaysian researcher/lecturer. The article beneath is adopted from THE STAR ONLINE NEWSPAPER (Sunday January 6, 2008) entitled FUEL FROM RUBBER SEEDS by . You can also read the abstract of this research which was presented at Chemeca2007.
TRONOH: Chemical engineering lecturer Mohammad Tazli Azizan grew up playing with rubber seeds at his family home in Perlis.
So it was second nature for the Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP) lecturer to see just what the rubber seed could do. Now, he has found that he can produce biodiesel from the seed.
“I used to help my father (Azizan Saleh) on his rubber smallholding during my childhood,” said the 26-year-old lecturer in an interview here yesterday.
So it was very exciting for me when I finally came out with the in-situ transesterification process to produce biodiesel from rubber seeds,” he added.In-situ transesterification, he said, was a process that combined the extraction and production of biodiesel from the seeds, thus cutting short the process and lowering production cost.
His research findings won him the gold medal at the prestigious Innova Eureka Exhibition held in Brussels in November.
Mohammad Tazli said he resorted to using rubber seeds because the oil in those seeds was suitable for use in cold countries, unlike palm oil.
“The oil is not viscous and can be used in cold climates without much modification,” he said, adding that there was between 30% and 40% of oil in rubber seeds.
He pointed out that rubber seeds were not edible but could be found in abundance in the country, adding that there were 1.2 million ha of rubber plantation in Malaysia.
He added that using oil derived from rubber seeds instead of oil palms could easily avert the debate of a conflict between food and fuel.
Mohammad Tazli said 1kg of rubber seeds could produce between 300ml and 400ml of biodiesel fuel.
He estimates that in an area of 1ha of rubber trees, there are between 800kg and 1,200kg of rubber seeds.
However, he said the problem was collecting the rubber seeds and he was now searching for a design, possibly nets, to collect them.
He added that he was keen on ways to increase rubber seed production without compromising on the quality of latex produced by the trees.
Mohammad Tazli said his next step was to set up a pilot plant for commercial production.
“We need between RM3mil and RM4mil for the plant which we believe can produce between 10,000 and 15,000 tonnes of biodiesel a year,” he added.
He said some businessmen from Belgium had shown interest in his research findings.
Labels: Chemical Engineer, Chemical Engineering, Energy, Environmental, Equipments, Learning Curve, Research
posted by Kipas Repair JB @ 8:33 PM, ,
Upcoming Engineering and Industrial Events for 2008
Saturday, January 05, 2008
It's a new year and new beginning. There're also a lot of new technical events arranged for us this year. Following is a list of events which we, engineers can participate. The list of events are adopted from the Pipeline and Gas Technology Bi-Weekly eLetter that I received in my mailbox. All the events are up to May 2008 and most of it are held in United States except for 2 events which are held in Thailand and German. I think I should also list out the events in Asia. January 14-17 January 15-19 January 23-25 January 23-25 January 28-30 January 29-31 February 5-7 February 11-12 February 12-17 February 20-22 February 20-24 March 3-7 March 10-13 March 16-20 March 25-27 March 27-28 April 1 April 2-6 April 7-10 April 9-11 April 9-11 April 20-22 April 21-23 April 21-24 April 27-May 2
The AGA Distribution Best Practices
American Gas Association
Hyatt Mission Bay Spa & Marina Hotel
San Diego, California
www.aga.org
Utility Construction Expo
National Utility Contractors Association
Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa
Kauai, Hawaii
www.nuca.com
European Gas Conference
The Hilton Vienna Hotel
Vienna, Austria
www.theenergyexchange.co.uk
API/AGA Joint Committee on Oil and Gas Pipeline Welding Practices
American Petroleum Institute/American Gas Association
Renaissance Worthington Hotel
Ft. Worth, Texas
www.api.org
External Corrosion Direct Assessment Seminar
National Association of Corrosion Engineers
Houston Marriott Westchase
Houston, Texas
www.nace.org
Managing Natural Gas Emergencies
Southern Gas Association
Nashville, Tennessee
www.southerngas.org
Transmission Measurement Committee Winter Meeting
American Gas Association
Omni Austin Hotel Downtown
Austin, Texas
www.aga.org
Pipeline Pigging & Integrity Management
Marriott Westchase Hotel
Houston, Texas
www.clarion.org
Distribution Contractors Association 47th Convention
Renaissance Esmeralda Resort
Indian Wells, California
www.dca-online.org
Supply Chain Management Conference
Southern Gas Association
Marriott Sawgrass
Jacksonville, Florida
www.southerngas.org
PLCA Annual Meeting
Pipe Line Contractors Association
The Ritz-Carlton
Kapalua Maui, Hawaii
www.plca.org
SGA Spring Gas Conference & Expo
Southern Gas Association
Convention Center and Hilton Hotel
Charlotte, North Carolina
www.southerngas.org
GASTECH
dmg World Media
Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre
Bangkok, Thailand
www.gastech.co.uk
CORROSION 2008
National Association of Corrosion Engineers
Ernest N. Memorial Conference Center
New Orleans, Louisiana
www.nace.org
CGA Excavation Safety Conference and Expo
Common Ground Alliance
Rio Hotel
Las Vegas
www.cgaconference.com
Natural Disaster Emergency Management
Southern Gas Association
Loews Vanderbilt Hotel
Nashville, Tennessee
www.southerngas.org
Developing Unconventional Gas 2008
Hart Energy Publishing
Renaissance Worthington Hotel
Fort Worth, Texas
www.hartenergyconferences.com
NAPCA
National Association of Pipe Coating Applicators
Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Resort
Orlando, Florida
www.napca.com
API Pipeline Conference & Cybernetics Symposium
American Petroleum Institute
Orlando, Florida
www.api.org
ENTELEC 2008 Conference & Expo
ENTELEC
George R. Brown Convention Center
Houston, Texas
www.entelec.org
Offshore Gas Operations Conference and Exhibit
Southern Gas Association
Marriott Westchase
Houston, Texas
www.southerngas.org
SGA Management Conference
Southern Gas Association
Grand Hyatt
Atlanta, Georgia
www.southerngas.org
Third Annual Pipeline Technology Conference/Hannover Messe
Deutsche Messe Exhibition
and Conference Center
Hannover, Germany
www.hannovermesse.de
24th International Pump Users Symposium
Texas A&M Turbomachinery Laboratory
George R. Brown Convention Center
Houston, Texas
http://turbolab.tamu.edu/
No-Dig Show
North America Society for Trenchless Technology
Gaylord Texan Resort
Dallas,Texas
www.nodigshow.com
Labels: Exhibition, Learning Curve, Review, Seminar, Training
posted by Kipas Repair JB @ 9:11 PM, ,
The Author
I’m Zaki. I used to be a project, process and chemical engineer. Few years ago I successfully became a Chartered Engineer (IChemE) and Professional Engineer (BEM). I'm now employed as a chemical engineering educator/researcher/consultant. Hope you like reading my blog. I welcome any feedback from you. My email: zaki.yz[alias]gmail.com. TQ!