Getting Near Zero - Decarbonizing the Last 20%
The purpose of this meeting is to assess the feasibility of decarbonizing the last, and most difficult-to-eliminate, portion of energy-related carbon dioxide emissions. The meeting will focus on the technical feasibility of economically achieving near-zero emissions from the energy sector. Challenges to eliminating these last emissions include (1) exploiting and integrating intermittent electricity resources to achieve high reliability via supply- and demand-based strategies, (2) decarbonizing transportation sectors not amenable to electrification (long-distance trucking, aviation, shipping, etc.), (3) decarbonizing heavy industries such as steel or cement manufacture, (4) possible scale up of nuclear and CCS, and/or (5) carbon dioxide removal from the atmosphere.
Several studies have been published recently suggesting that substantial decarbonization of the electric sector can be achieved with existing technologies. A substantial fraction of carbon emissions from other sectors could be avoided through electrification or production of carbon-neutral gaseous or liquid fuels. Removal of carbon dioxide from the air could potentially be deployed to achieve zero net emissions overall.
The purpose of this meeting is to assess the feasibility of decarbonizing the last, and most difficult-to-eliminate, portion of energy-related carbon dioxide emissions. For the purposes of this meeting, we will assume that deep decarbonization of the electric sector is technically and economically feasible with existing or foreseeable near-zero emission technologies, and that all sectors amenable to electrification can be so converted.
The meeting will focus on the technical feasibility of economically achieving near-zero emissions from the energy sector. Barriers associated with politics, policy, and public acceptance will be noted but not addressed in detail at this meeting. Challenges to eliminating these last emissions include (1) exploiting and integrating intermittent electricity resources to achieve high reliability via supply- and demand-based strategies, (2) decarbonizing transportation sectors not amenable to electrification (long-distance trucking, aviation, shipping, etc.), (3) decarbonizing heavy industries such as steel or cement manufacture, (4) possible scale up of nuclear and CCS, and/or (5) carbon dioxide removal from the atmosphere.
Agenda
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11:00 am Part I: System Level Analyses for the First 80% and Gaps for the Last 20%
11:30 am Widespread Wind/Solar Electricity (80% Renewables for CONUS)
4:00 pm Part II: Storage — Batteries, CAES, and Pumped Hydro
4:15 pm Capacity and Technical Challenges for Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES)
9:00 am Part III: Crossover Technologies
9:30 am Conversion of Electricity into Fuels
10:40 am Part IV: Zero-Carbon Transportation
1:25 pm Part V: Alternative Fuels
3:00 pm Part VI: Decarbonizing Heavy Industry
Most of the CO2 released when we burn coal, oil or gas is eventually absorbed by the oceans, where it reacts with seawater leading to acidification. Ocean acidification has been shown to harm many marine organisms, including corals, under controlled laboratory conditions.
This talk will describe how Dr. Calderia’s team altered seawater chemistry in a natural ecosystem without any artificial confinement, for the first time ever, and measured the biological response in order to better understand ocean acidification and its impacts on corals.
Dr. Caldiera will describe the effects of ocean acidification on corals, his team’s research in the great barrier reef, and the need for energy technologies that provide for human systems while protecting the natural environment.
8:35 am Part VII: Bioenergy
9:15 am Bio-Energy with Carbon Capture Storage (BECCS)
11:00 am Part VIII: Filling Gaps by Response to Incentives
8:55 am Part IX: Compensating for Use of Fossil Energy to Fill Gaps
11:00 am Part X: Other Energy Sources that Might Fill Reliability Gaps
2:00 pm Part XI: Systems Perspectives on Getting Near Zero
Organizers
Attendees
The attendee list and participant profiles are regularly updated. For information on participant affiliation at the time of workshop, please refer to the historical roster. If you are aware of updates needed to participant or workshop records, please notify AGCI’s workshops team.