Coal, Energy, Oil-Sands and Transportation

Understanding the variability of GHG life cycle studies of oil sands production

Green Car Congress

JANUARY 6, 2012

In a paper published in the ACS journal Environmental Science & Technology , Stanford University assistant professor Adam Brandt reviews a number of recent life cycle assessment (LCA) studies calculating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from oil sands extraction, upgrading, and refining pathways—the results of which vary considerably.

Oil-Sands

Oil-Sands Oil Production Emissions

EIA projects world energy use to increase 53% by 2035; oil sands/bitumen and biofuels account for 70% of the increase in unconventional liquid fuels

Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 20, 2011

Worldwide energy consumption will grow by 53% between 2008 and 2035 with much of the increase driven by strong economic growth in the developing nations, especially China and India, according to the reference case in the newly released International Energy Outlook 2011 (IEO2011) from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA).

Oil-Sands

Oil-Sands Oil 2008 Oil Prices

Researchers Suggest That Although CCS and Other Technologies Could Reduce Oil Sands GHG Emissions to Near Zero, That Strategy May Not Make Sense

Green Car Congress

AUGUST 15, 2010

Examples of emerging oil sands related technologies and trade-offs. The paper is an examination of how various choices about the scale of the life cycle analysis applied to oil sands (i.e., The source material is neither oil nor tar but bitumen, but is most generally described as an example of ultraheavy oil.”.

Oil-Sands

Oil-Sands Oil Emissions Coal

ExxonMobil Outlook: 35% growth in energy demand by 2040; hybrids to account for ~50% of new vehicle sales

Green Car Congress

DECEMBER 15, 2013

Driven by increasing population, urbanization and rising living standards, the world will require some 35% more energy in 2040, according to ExxonMobil’s annual forecast report: Outlook for Energy: A View to 2040. Without the projected gains in efficiency, global energy demand could have risen by more than 100%. Transportation.

Oil-Sands

Oil-Sands Energy Hybrid Sale

ExxonMobil: global GDP up ~140% by 2040, but energy demand ~35% due to efficiency; LDV energy demand to rise only slightly despite doubling parc

Green Car Congress

DECEMBER 10, 2014

As the world population increases by the estimated 30% from 2010 to 2040, ExxonMobil sees global GDP rising by about 140%, but energy demand by only about 35% due to greater efficiency. Even as demand increases, the world will continue to become more efficient in its energy use, according to the 2015 Outlook for Energy: A View to 2040.

Energy

Energy Global 2010 Oil-Sands

BP Energy Outlook 2030 sees emerging economies leading energy growth to 2030; global CO2 emissions from energy well above IEA 450 scenario

Green Car Congress

JANUARY 19, 2011

In both the base-case and a scenario with more aggressive environmental policies, CO 2 emissions from energy use remain well above the IEA 450 scenario. Non-OECD countries are seen to rapidly increase their share of overall energy demand from just over half currently to two-thirds. Click to enlarge.

Energy

Energy Economy Global Oil-Sands

Stealth Ventures Ltd. and Clean Coal Ltd. Partner on Underground Coal Gasification Project in Nova Scotia

Green Car Congress

DECEMBER 24, 2009

has entered into an agreement with Clean Coal Ltd., an internationally based company whose technical team is based in the United Kingdom, for the development of an Underground Coal Gasification (UCG) project in Nova Scotia. Clean Coal Ltd. The United Kingdom Coal Authority has recently awarded five licences to Clean Coal Ltd.

Coal

Coal Clean Cleaning United Kingdom

Ecofys report concludes current European regulations underestimating GHG reductions

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 13, 2014

Substituting biofuels for marginal fossil-based liquid fuels results in the avoidance of significant GHG emissions that are not currently accounted for in the European Renewable Energy Directive (2009/28/EC), according to a new analysis by the consultancy Ecofys. Both effects increase the carbon footprint of conventional oil.

Oil-Sands

Oil-Sands Oil 2014 Fuel

Argonne releases latest updates to GREET life-cycle analysis models

Green Car Congress

OCTOBER 3, 2015

GREET (The Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy Use in Transportation Model) is a full life-cycle model used to evaluate and compare the environmental impacts of new transportation fuels and advanced vehicle technologies. Shale oil: developed energy and GHG emissions intensities of U.S.

Oil-Sands

Oil-Sands Li-ion Fuel Economy Waste

Argonne study finds shale gas GHG lifecycle emissions 6% lower than natural gas, 23% lower than gasoline and 33% lower than coal; upstream methane leakage a key contributor

Green Car Congress

DECEMBER 18, 2011

Gasoline section shows results for fuel derived from both conventional oil and oil sands. The development of this resource has generated interest in expanding NG usage in areas such as electricity generation and transportation. Expansion bars show the components of fuel production. Credit: ACS, Burnham et al.

Gas

Gas Coal Emissions Gasoline

Canada targets cutting GHGs 30% below 2005 levels by 2030; new regulations for oil and gas, power, petrochemicals

Green Car Congress

MAY 15, 2015

Canada will continue to take cooperative action with its continental trading partners, particularly the United States, in integrated sectors of the economy, including energy and transportation. Regulations for natural gas-fired electricity, which would build on Canada’s existing coal-fired electricity regulations.

2005

2005 Canada Oil Gas

New petroleum refining lifecycle model finds the variability in GHG emissions from refining different crudes as significant as magnitude expected in upstream operations

Green Car Congress

DECEMBER 9, 2012

PRELIM uses a more comprehensive range of crude oil quality and refinery configurations than used in earlier models and can quantify energy use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions with detail and transparency the better to inform policy analysis, the duo suggests. —Abella and Bergerson.

Oil-Sands

Oil-Sands Emissions Oil Hydrogen

New $20M XPRIZE tackles conversion of CO2 into products

Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 29, 2015

Co-sponsored by NRG and COSIA (Canada’s Oil Sands Innovation Alliance), the 4-½ year competition will include two tracks, with the new technologies tested at either a coal power plant or a natural gas facility. According to the International Energy Agency, 82% of the world’s energy supply is derived from fossil fuels.

Conversion

Conversion CO2 Production Oil-Sands

MIT/RAND Study Concludes Three Types of Alternative Jet Fuel May Be Available in Commercial Quantities Over the Next Decade

Green Car Congress

OCTOBER 25, 2009

The five different fuel groups were those derived: from conventional petroleum; from unconventional petroleum; synthetically from natural gas, coal, or combinations of coal and biomass via the FT process; renewable oils; and alcohols. million bpd. Reduced GHG impact.

MIT

MIT Oil-Sands Commercial Available

Stanford, UC Santa Cruz study explores ramifications of demand-driven peak to conventional oil

Green Car Congress

JULY 2, 2013

In contrast to arguments that peak conventional oil production is imminent due to physical resource scarcity, a team from Stanford University and UC Santa Cruz has examined the alternative possibility of reduced oil use due to improved efficiency and oil substitution. Thus, demand would fall below our model’s estimates.

Oil

Oil Oil-Sands Fuel Economy Transportation

RAND reports suggest US DoD use less petroleum fuel to deal with high prices, not count on alternatives

Green Car Congress

JUNE 20, 2012

However, the US military can play an important role in promoting stability in major oil producing regions and by helping protect the flow of energy through major transit corridors and on the high seas, the reports suggest. Earlier post.). Alternative liquid fuels do not offer DoD a way to appreciably reduce fuel costs.

Price

Price Oil-Sands Turkey Fuel

Refiners and Truckers Associations Challenge California LCFS in Federal Court

Green Car Congress

FEBRUARY 3, 2010

The California LCFS calls for at least a 10% reduction from 2006 levels in the carbon intensity (measured in gCO 2 e/MJ) of California’s transportation fuels by 2020. The California LCFS calls for at least a 10% reduction from 2006 levels in the carbon intensity (measured in gCO 2 e/MJ) of California’s transportation fuels by 2020.

California

California Oil-Sands Oil 2005

US EIA Projects World Energy Use to Grow 44% Between 2006 and 2030, CO2 Emissions Up by 39%

Green Car Congress

MAY 27, 2009

World marketed energy consumption is projected to grow by 44% between 2006 and 2030, driven by strong long-term economic growth in the developing nations of the world, according to the reference case projection from the International Energy Outlook 2009 ( IEO2009 ) released today by the US Energy Information Administration (EIA).

2006

2006 Emissions Energy Oil-Sands

Anellotech, IFPEN and Axens partner on bio-aromatics production from non-food biomass; targeting 2019 for industrial implementation

Green Car Congress

JANUARY 20, 2015

IFP Energies nouvelles (IFPEN) and its subsidiary Axens have formed a strategic alliance to develop and to commercialize a new technology for the low cost production of bio-based benzene, toluene and paraxylene using Anellotech’s process of Catalytic Fast Pyrolysis (CFP) of non-food biomass. Anellotech Inc., Earlier post.).

2019

2019 Industrial Industry Production

Researchers describe the “where” and “when” of life cycle emissions from gasoline and ethanol in the US

Green Car Congress

OCTOBER 11, 2012

On-road transportation accounts for approximately 20% of United States energy consumption. Such information is generally not relevant for long-lived GHGs or for fossil fuel depletion, which together have received overwhelming attention among extant LCAs of transportation fuels. Associated tailpipe emissions alone account for 40?60%

Gasoline

Gasoline Emissions Gasoline-Electric Pollution

University of Calgary Study Finds Large-Scale Adoption of PHEVs in Alberta Could Support Wind Power; PHEV GHG Benefits Range from 40-90% in Emissions Reduction

Green Car Congress

JULY 28, 2009

Of the installed capacity of just above 12,000 MW, approximately 49% (5,893 MW) is coal fired, 39% (4,686 MW) is gas-fired, 7% (869 MW) is hydro, and 4% (497 MW) is wind powered. More than 90% of electricity in Alberta is produced by methods that emit greenhouse gases: burning coal, oil or natural gas. Hamid Zareipour.

PHEV

PHEV Wind Universal Oil-Sands

Kinder Morgan to purchase El Paso for approximately $38B to form largest natural gas pipeline network and largest midstream energy enterprise in North America

Green Car Congress

OCTOBER 17, 2011

(KMI) and El Paso Corporation on Sunday announced a definitive agreement whereby KMI will acquire all of the outstanding shares of EP in a transaction that will create the largest midstream and the fourth-largest energy company in North America with an enterprise value of approximately $94 billion and 80,000 miles of pipelines.

El Paso

El Paso North America Gas Purchase

EIA projects world liquid fuels use to rise 38% by 2040, driven by growth in Asia and Middle East; transportation 92% of demand

Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 10, 2014

World petroleum and other liquid fuels consumption will increase 38% by 2040, spurred by increased demand in the developing Asia and Middle East, according to the Reference Case projections in International Energy Outlook 2014 ( IEO2014 ), released by the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). oil shale), and refinery gain.

Asia

Asia Transportation Oil-Sands Oil Prices

Peabody Energy and GreatPoint Energy To Partner on Coal-to-Gas and Coal-to-Hydrogen Facilities with Carbon Capture and Storage

Green Car Congress

FEBRUARY 19, 2010

Overview of the bluegas catalytic coal methanation process. Peabody took a minority position in GreatPoint Energy, Inc. By adding a catalyst to the coal gasification system, GreatPoint Energy is able to reduce the operating temperature in the gasifier, while directly promoting the reactions that yield methane, (CH 4 ).

Coal

Coal Carbon Gas Energy

ExxonMobil Outlook projects hybrids and advanced vehicles to account for nearly 50% of cars globally by 2040; fuel demand for for personal vehicles to peak and decline, while commercial transportation demand rises 70%

Green Car Congress

DECEMBER 11, 2011

Exxon Mobil Corporation’s new The Outlook for Energy: A View to 2040 , released last week, projects that global energy demand in 2040 will be about 30% higher than it was in 2010 as population grows to 9 billion and global GDP doubles. This shift will be reflected in the market for transportation fuels. Click to enlarge.

Personal

Personal Global Transportation Fuel

HEI report identifies potential health consequences from new vehicle fuels and technologies; recommended actions

Green Car Congress

MARCH 14, 2011

and Alan Lloyd (President of the International Council on Clean Transportation and former Secretary of the California EPA)—includes leading national and international experts from government, industry, academia, and the non-profit sector. Dennis Schuetzle, Renewable Energy Institute International. Tom Stricker, Toyota.

Fuel

Fuel Vehicles Emissions Oil-Sands

National Academies Report Examines Hidden Cost of Energy Production and Use in US; Estimates $120B in 2005

Green Car Congress

OCTOBER 22, 2009

Source: “Hidden Costs of Energy”. The damages the committee was able to quantify were an estimated $120 billion in the US in 2005, a number that reflects primarily health damages from air pollution associated with electricity generation and motor vehicle transportation. Source: “Hidden Costs of Energy”. Click to enlarge.

2005

2005 Cost Of Energy Coal

Car Companies Standardize Plug for Electric Vehicles : Gas 2.0

Tony Karrer Delicious EVdriven

APRIL 21, 2009

Caroline Reichert, a spokeswoman for the Germany energy company RWE , said leading automotive and energy companies have reached an agreement for a standardized plug for electric cars. Some of the automakers include in that agreement are Volkswagen, BMW, Ford, General Motors, Fiat, Toyota and Mitsubishi. About Gas 2.0 on It’s On!

Gas-Electric

Gas-Electric Standards Plug Gas

Devil in the Details: World Leaders Scramble To Salvage and Shape Copenhagens UNFCCC Climate Summit

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 29, 2009

” —British Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, summing up the historical significance of COP 15. Australia is the world’s largest exporter of coal and one of the world’s highest per-capita emitters of greenhouse gases. “ Bretton Woods plus Yalta, multiplied by Reykjavik. Canada’s 2009 GHG emissions are 48.7%

Climate

Climate Climate Change 2009 Emissions

MIT Battery Breakthrough Could Revolutionize Electric Cars : Gas 2.0

Tony Karrer Delicious EVdriven

APRIL 21, 2009

digs into the viscous world of biofuels and the fast-paced transit arena, exploring the technologies and substances that are the future of transportation. Tell us what you think: Name (required) Mail (will not be published) (required) Website Welcome to. Subscribe Subscribe via RSS What is RSS? About Gas 2.0 on It’s On! About Gas 2.0

MIT

MIT Gas-Electric Gas Electric Cars

DOE Selects 15 Projects Aimed at Secure CO2 Underground Storage

Green Car Congress

AUGUST 12, 2010

The US Department of Energy has selected 15 projects to develop technologies aimed at safely and economically storing carbon dioxide in geologic formations. Columbia University researchers will test and evaluate carbon-14 as a reactive tracer to assess CO 2 transport in a basaltic storage reservoir. Funded with $21.3

CO2

CO2 Oil-Sands Austin Universal

Cleantech Blog: Smart Grids and Electric Vehicles

Tony Karrer Delicious EVdriven

APRIL 16, 2009

Cleantech Blog Cleantechblog.com, the premier cleantech site for commentary on news and technology relating to clean tech, greentech, energy, climate change and carbon, and the environment. Renewables That Even Coal-Based Utilities Can Love. The Three Prongs of the “Green&# Energy Stimulus Pa. Here we go again.or

Grid

Grid Electric Vehicles Vehicles Oil-Sands

EV Driven

Understanding the variability of GHG life cycle studies of oil sands production

EIA projects world energy use to increase 53% by 2035; oil sands/bitumen and biofuels account for 70% of the increase in unconventional liquid fuels

Researchers Suggest That Although CCS and Other Technologies Could Reduce Oil Sands GHG Emissions to Near Zero, That Strategy May Not Make Sense

ExxonMobil Outlook: 35% growth in energy demand by 2040; hybrids to account for ~50% of new vehicle sales

ExxonMobil: global GDP up ~140% by 2040, but energy demand ~35% due to efficiency; LDV energy demand to rise only slightly despite doubling parc

BP Energy Outlook 2030 sees emerging economies leading energy growth to 2030; global CO2 emissions from energy well above IEA 450 scenario

Stealth Ventures Ltd. and Clean Coal Ltd. Partner on Underground Coal Gasification Project in Nova Scotia

Ecofys report concludes current European regulations underestimating GHG reductions

Argonne releases latest updates to GREET life-cycle analysis models

Argonne study finds shale gas GHG lifecycle emissions 6% lower than natural gas, 23% lower than gasoline and 33% lower than coal; upstream methane leakage a key contributor

Canada targets cutting GHGs 30% below 2005 levels by 2030; new regulations for oil and gas, power, petrochemicals

New petroleum refining lifecycle model finds the variability in GHG emissions from refining different crudes as significant as magnitude expected in upstream operations

New $20M XPRIZE tackles conversion of CO2 into products

MIT/RAND Study Concludes Three Types of Alternative Jet Fuel May Be Available in Commercial Quantities Over the Next Decade

Stanford, UC Santa Cruz study explores ramifications of demand-driven peak to conventional oil

RAND reports suggest US DoD use less petroleum fuel to deal with high prices, not count on alternatives

Refiners and Truckers Associations Challenge California LCFS in Federal Court

US EIA Projects World Energy Use to Grow 44% Between 2006 and 2030, CO2 Emissions Up by 39%

Anellotech, IFPEN and Axens partner on bio-aromatics production from non-food biomass; targeting 2019 for industrial implementation

Researchers describe the “where” and “when” of life cycle emissions from gasoline and ethanol in the US

University of Calgary Study Finds Large-Scale Adoption of PHEVs in Alberta Could Support Wind Power; PHEV GHG Benefits Range from 40-90% in Emissions Reduction

Kinder Morgan to purchase El Paso for approximately $38B to form largest natural gas pipeline network and largest midstream energy enterprise in North America

EIA projects world liquid fuels use to rise 38% by 2040, driven by growth in Asia and Middle East; transportation 92% of demand

Peabody Energy and GreatPoint Energy To Partner on Coal-to-Gas and Coal-to-Hydrogen Facilities with Carbon Capture and Storage

ExxonMobil Outlook projects hybrids and advanced vehicles to account for nearly 50% of cars globally by 2040; fuel demand for for personal vehicles to peak and decline, while commercial transportation demand rises 70%

HEI report identifies potential health consequences from new vehicle fuels and technologies; recommended actions

National Academies Report Examines Hidden Cost of Energy Production and Use in US; Estimates $120B in 2005

Car Companies Standardize Plug for Electric Vehicles : Gas 2.0

Devil in the Details: World Leaders Scramble To Salvage and Shape Copenhagens UNFCCC Climate Summit

MIT Battery Breakthrough Could Revolutionize Electric Cars : Gas 2.0

DOE Selects 15 Projects Aimed at Secure CO2 Underground Storage

Cleantech Blog: Smart Grids and Electric Vehicles

Stay Connected