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CO 2 utilization is increasingly considered a greenhouse gas abatement strategy alternatively to CO 2 storage. Existing indicators that assess the performance of CO 2 utilization options often provide an incomplete perspective and are unsuitable to compare different utilization options with different functionality (e.g. plastics and fuels). This study introduces a new performance indicator for CO 2 utilization options: Specific Primary Energy Consumption per unit of Fossil feedstock Replaced (SPECFER). This indicator, expressed in MJ/MJ, provides a proxy for the energy efficiency of which CO 2 conversion options can replace fossil feedstock required in conventional processes. Three CO 2 utilization case studies (CO 2 based methanol, polyols and dimethyl ether) are used to show the application and effectiveness of the SPECFER indicator. Among the case studies, only CO 2 conversion into polyol appears particularly efficient (SPECFER of 0.05 MJ/MJ), while the other options are not (SPECFER of > 1 MJ/MJ). The paper shows that the SPECFER indicator adds key insights compared to conventional indicators to the effectiveness of CO 2 utilization options and is a promising indicator complementary to CO 2 emissions reduction or life cycle greenhouse gas reduction potential. The SPECFER thus improves the understanding of the performance of CO 2 utilization and enables the possibility to distinctly compare different CO 2 converting utilization technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calcium looping CO 2 capture is a promising technology to reduce CO 2 emissions from cement production. Coal is generally considered the fuel used to drive the calcium looping process as coal is already used as feedstock for cement production. This study assesses the impact of different fuels (coal, natural gas and woody biomass) on the technological and environmental performance of post-combustion calcium looping at a cement plant in North-western Europe. Process modelling is used to determine the impact of the different fuels on the mass and energy balance of the process. Life cycle assessment is carried out to evaluate the environmental performance of the different systems. Results indicate that firing natural gas or biomass instead of coal in an add-on calcium looping process can improve the efficiency of the process, as it decreases the fuel, limestone and electricity consumption. Consequently, while coal fired calcium looping can reduce life cycle climate change potential by 92%, the use of natural gas or biomass can make the process carbon neutral (reduction of 100%) or negative (-169%), respectively. Further research is required to complete the environmental perspective of using alternative fuels, but these results already illustrate a potential low-hanging fruit to improve the environmental performance of post combustion calcium looping in the cement industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research presents a preliminary techno-economic evaluation of CO 2 capture integrated with a cement plant. Two capture technologies are evaluated, monoethanolamine (MEA) post-combustion CO 2 capture and oxy-fuel combustion. Both are considered potential technologies that could contribute to reduction of CO 2 emissions in the cement industry. The study compares these two technologies in terms of technical performance, investment costs, and operational costs. The case study is applied to the one of the largest cement plants in Portugal, Alhandra. The results show that the amount of CO 2 avoided using the post-combustion MEA technology is lower due to additional emissions from reboiler steam production. Moreover, the total capital investment of the post-combustion CO 2 capture system is estimated at 260 M€ 2014 and the annual operation and maintenance costs of around 43 M€ 2014 ; whereas the oxy-fuel combustion CO 2 capture requires a capital investment of about 217 M€ 2014 and 37 M€ 2014 annually for operation and maintenance. This indicates that the oxy-fuel CO 2 capture technology may be a better choice in terms of costs. However, this technology implies higher technical uncertainties concerning integration with the cement plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CO 2 utilization is gaining attention as a greenhouse gas abatement strategy complementary to CO 2 storage. This study explores the techno-environmental performance of CO 2 utilization trough dry reforming of methane into syngas for the production of dimethyl ether (DME). The CO 2 source is a hydrogen production unit at a refinery, where solvent based CO 2 capture is applied. Aspen+ modelling and hybrid life cycle assessment (LCA) is used to assess the techno-environmental performance of this utilization option compared to a reference case without CO 2 capture and a case with CO 2 capture and storage. Results of the technical assessment show that although 94% of the captured CO 2 can be utilised for DME production, only 9% of CO 2 is avoided in the entire process as a result of direct CO 2 formation during DME synthesis and the combustion of syngas to provide the heat demanded by the dry reforming process. Besides, a substantial amount of electricity is required for syngas compression. Consequently, the LCA results indicate that climate change potential (CCP) is reduced by 8% while it is 37% higher than CCP when CO 2 is stored and DME is produced conventionally. Sensitivity analyses are performed on various process conditions. Overall, this study indicates that this utilization route lowers the CCP although the reduction is limited compared to CCS. While the techno-environmental analysis is a useful tool to gain better insights in the performance of CO 2 utilization options, the complex environmental trade-offs make it difficult to draw robust conclusions on the performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Equipping power plants with carbon capture technology can affect cooling demand and water use. This study has explored the potential impact of large scale deployment of power plants with carbon capture technologies on future regional water stress in Europe. A database including 458 of European largest power plants with data on location, technology, age, fuel type, amount of electricity generation and cooling method has been developed. This data has been combined with literature data on water use rates and developed scenarios to calculate corresponding water use of these European power plants for 2030 and 2050 under different conditions, such as the penetration level of carbon capture technologies and installed technologies. Water stress methodology based on water withdrawal has been used to explore the impact of carbon capture and storage on future water stress levels. Our findings indicate that by 2030, no considerable increase in water stress is expected due to the instalment of carbon capture technologies. However, when assuming a high penetration level of carbon capture technologies, water stress in 2050 might substantially increase in many regions in Europe. The extent of the increase in water stress strongly depends on penetration level of carbon capture, installed power plant and cooling technologies and applied water stress methodology. When using water consumption to estimate water stress, the results do not indicate significant changes in water stress for the scenarios with carbon capture. Nevertheless, as water stress based on water withdrawal is currently the common method, the results of this study provide reasons for concern regarding the potential impact of carbon capture on future European water stress levels and indicate the need for future research to monitor and possibly prevent potential water stress increases from the instalment of carbon capture technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Equipping power plants with carbon capture technologies increases the (cooling) water demand of these plants. This study explores the potential impact of such increase in water demand on the regional water scarcity in Europe. A database with key characteristics of 458 of the largest European power plants is developed and the water use of these power plants is estimated. The water use of the power plants are spatially linked to current water stress index levels. Several prospective scenarios are developed accounting for variations in the future configuration of Europe's electricity generation and different penetration rates of carbon capture technology. Regional water stress index levels are calculated to compare the potential impact of applying carbon capture technologies on the water stress. Preliminary results indicate that the increase of water use due to carbon capture technology is partly expected to be compensated by the deployment of more efficient energy conversion methods which require less cooling water. As such, no significant increase in water stress is expected in the short term (2030), as the carbon capture penetration level in European power plants is expected to be quite low. However, on the long term (2050), large scale instalment of carbon capture technologies in power plants might significantly increase the water stress throughout Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents an overview of an environmental due diligence framework developed as part of the EDDiCCUT project, and presents analysis and results from the first test case – MEA based CO 2 capture process. The framework draws upon well-established technical, economic and environmental assessment methods and integrates technical performance, uncertainties, cost estimation and life cycle inventory data to ensure consistency and enhance quality. Results show that for the modelled coal power plant of about 800 MW gross power output, the CO 2 capture system lowers the net efficiency by 10.4% efficiency points and results in a 68% increase in the cost of electricity. Environmental performance evaluated on a broad range of 24 impacts and emission categories indicates a 68% reduction in climate change warming potential with 20-90% increase in other impacts. By comparing the quality of the inventory data used for environmental assessment with the state-of-art data in available life cycle assessment literature, it is found that the due diligence analysis brings significant improvement in the quality of data for certain processes in the value chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper shows the results of a sustainability assessment of deploying carbon capture and storage in European coal power plants in 2030, versus a scenario without CCS. The assessment examines potential impacts in five categories: impacts on human health, impacts on the natural environment, impacts on exhaustive resources, impacts on prosperity and impacts on social well-being. The analysis is undertaken in a prospective framework for the year 2030 under the economic scenarios which are based on the Blue map scenario of the IEA Energy Technology Perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The loop-gas approach to statistical physics provides an alternative, geometrical description of phase transitions in terms of line-like objects. The resulting statistical random-graph ensemble composed of loops and (open) chains can be e_ciently generated by Monte Carlo simulations using the so-called “worm” update algorithm. Concepts from percolation theory and the theory of self-avoiding random walks are used to derive estimators of physical observables that utilize the nature of the worm algorithm. The fractal structure of random loops and chains as well as their scaling properties encode the critical behavior of the statistical system. The general approach is illustrated for the hightemperature series expansion of the Ising model, or O(1) loop model, on a honeycomb lattice, with its known exact results as valuable benchmarks. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Botulinum neurotoxin is produced by the bacterium, Clostridium botulinum. The neurotoxin inhibits acetylcholine at the neuromuscular junction, thus interfering with overall muscular contraction. Botulinum neurotoxin is commonly used for the following medical conditions: cervical dystonia, upper limb spasticity, blepharospasm, strabismus, and hyperhydrosis. However, the use of botulinum neurotoxin was recently approved for the prophylaxis of headaches in adults with chronic migraines. The proposed mechanism of botulinum neurotoxin is no longer solely limited to the inhibition of acetylcholine. There are new mechanisms emerging that involve inhibition of proinflammatory agents and neuropeptides involved in chronic pain. Consequently, there is a disruption of the overall sensory feedback loop involved in chronic pain, thus decreasing peripheral and central sensitization. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]