Edd Gent in Singularity Hub:
Heavy industry is one of the most stubbornly difficult areas of the economy to decarbonize. But new research suggests emissions could be reduced by up to 85 percent globally using a mixture of tried-and-tested and upcoming technologies. While much of the climate debate focuses on areas like electricity, vehicle emissions, and aviation, a huge fraction of carbon emissions comes from hidden industrial processes. In 2022, the sector—which includes things like chemicals, iron and steel, and cement—accounted for a quarter of the world’s emissions, according to the International Energy Agency.
While they are often lumped together, these industries are very different, and the sources of their emissions can be highly varied. That means there’s no silver bullet and explains why the sector has proven to be one of the most challenging to decarbonize. This prompted researchers from the UK to carry out a comprehensive survey of technologies that could help get the sector’s emissions under control. They found that solutions like carbon capture and storage, switching to hydrogen or biomass fuels, or electrification of key industrial processes could cut out the bulk of the heavy industry carbon footprint. “Our findings represent a major step forward in helping to design industrial decarbonization strategies and that is a really encouraging prospect when it comes to the future health of the planet,” Dr. Ahmed Gailani, from Leeds University, said in a press release.
More here.