03. Electrification / Decarbonisation

“Industry accounts for 23% of direct CO2”

This story has been taken from the multimedia report Top 10 Frontier Technologies for Climate Action. Find it here.

When you hear the words ‘heavy industry’ you might think of the Industrial Revolution — large factories, pumping out plumes of black smoke.

These images speak to a dual truth about heavy industries like steel: they produce massive emissions but are vital to the global economy. Industry accounts for 23% of direct CO2. It is one of the hardest areas to decarbonise — extremely high temperatures are required to make steel, cement and petrochemicals. At the moment, virtually all of that combustion relies on fossil fuels, and there are few viable low-carbon alternatives. Another source of emissions is transportation — not just personal cars clogging the roads, but huge trucks moving slabs of cement. So far, corporates have not reduced emissions at the rate required, and they face losses from rising carbon prices and heavy taxes.

Solutions must be found. But in countries in development, this can be a particularly difficult proposition. Many have interrupted electricity supplies, and industries face intense competition for relatively low margins, making major overhaul a difficult sell. What if both problems could be solved together, with heavy industry being linked to renewable energy and the electrification of vehicles? Most research on decarbonising industry is happening in Europe — but it could be transferred to developing contexts. More research is needed, and investment in commercialising new products. Industrialists in countries in development need to be brought on side to see that despite the costs of carbon taxes, reforming their methods could be a serious opportunity. Perhaps then, the automatic linkage many of us make between economic progress and polluting factories could become a remnant of the past.

Electric Steel Production

Steel production is the single largest industrial source of CO2: it produces 1.7 billion metric tons of CO2 emissions every year. While electricity is rapidly decarbonising, steel production is not — the blast furnaces required to make steel are overwhelmingly coal-based. The ideal would be to replace coal-based blast furnaces with electrically powered alternatives that use renewable energy. One company trying to do this is Boston Metal, which is developing molten oxide electrolysis technology for alloy and steel making — reducing carbon emissions in the process. Bill Gates is an investor in Boston Metal through Breakthrough Energy Ventures, an investor-led energy innovation fund he backs.

Any technology that relies on electricity in countries in development faces the same problem: inconsistent supply of electricity. Methods being trialled in Europe need to be adjusted for use in much smaller scale or less advanced mines in the developing world. But that said, some exciting projects are in pilot phase — and they could be commercialised within the next 4–5 years.

Green Ammonia

Ammonia — one nitrogen atom bonded to three hydrogen atoms — is regularly used as fertiliser and in household cleaning products; you are probably familiar with its distinctive smell. But could it also be a carbon-free fuel? Its energy density by volume is nearly double that of hydrogen, another green alternative fuel, and it is easier to ship and distribute.

At the moment, most ammonia production uses fossil fuels — accounting for 1% of greenhouse gases, not including the emissions from transportation. But if renewable energy could be used instead, this would effectively convert wind or solar power into an energy-rich gas that could be easily cooled and squeezed into liquid fuel. This fuel could be used for transport and industry. Traditionally, ammonia production is highly centralised. Iceland-based Atmonia, mentioned earlier, is one company that is not only looking at creating carbon-free ammonia, but at producing it locally and at a small scale.

Electric Transportation

As more people around the world move to cities, reliance on fossil-fuelled cars, motorbikes and trucks is increasing. Reliable, low-emission transport would protect against the respiratory problems and lowered life expectancy associated with high pollution.

There are some exciting products already in use — battery-powered electric and hybrid electric vehicles, including e-bikes, three wheelers and electric freight trucks. Ampersand is a company currently operating in Kigali, Rwanda, providing electric motorcycles with networked battery swapping. The bikes are powered by grid electricity, but they still produce 75% lower emissions than petrol.

As low-carbon energy sources like wind, sun and water are increasingly harnessed and used, there is the potential to make such vehicles even more sustainable by charging them using renewable energy. Some electric transport providers have been stymied by the high cost of starting a business in emerging economies, as well as long supply chains — but others are already succeeding.

Want to explore the other nine Frontier Technologies for Climate Action? Click here.

Is there a technology here that captures your attention? Put your thoughts in the comments section below or get in touch at ftlenquiries@imcworldwide.com