• Energy Research
• Open Source close
• Embargo close
• ES close
• NL close
• EU close
• IT close
• English close

This study aims to analyze and compare decarbonization strategies in refineries, which are the third-largest source of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from stationary sources. To achieve this, the study first introduces the structure and main processes of a refinery. The study then examines energy consumption in refineries, focusing on steam, fuel gas and electricity. These energy inputs are fundamental for refinery operations and their production is responsible for the majority of the GHG emissions. Understanding this energy consumption is essential for identifying effective decarbonization strategies. Following this, the concept of decarbonization is introduced. Decarbonization involves reducing or eliminating dependence on fossil fuels, the main GHG emitters, by transitioning to cleaner and renewable sources of energy. The study focuses on two primary decarbonization strategies: electrification and the adoption of biomass in steam boilers, gas turbines and combined heat and power (CHP) systems. The study conducts an economic and environmental analysis to compare the decarbonization strategies according to their abatement cost. This involves evaluating the capital expenditure (CAPEX), operational expenditure (OPEX), and environmental impact of each strategy to be able to calculate the cost of abating emissions. An Excel model has been designed to calculate these factors.

En los últimos años, el sector agrícola se ha enfrentado a grandes retos debido a la variabilidad climática. Las sequías e inundaciones están afectando gravemente a las cosechas, alterando incluso las propiedades de los campos de cultivo. El aumento de la temperatura global también tiene un impacto directo en la humedad del suelo. Por eso es tan importante hoy en día obtener de forma práctica información precisa sobre la humedad del suelo hasta la zona de las raíces. La banda P es muy adecuada para la teledetección de la humedad del suelo en la zona radicular (RZSM) gracias a su mayor profundidad de penetración, en comparación con longitudes de onda más cortas. Desgraciadamente, el espectro de la banda P está muy saturado de señales de comunicaciones, y no siempre es posible realizar mediciones con radares convencionales o mediante radiometría. Por tanto, el uso de Señales de Oportunidad (SoOp) en banda P, es decir, señales de radiofrecuencia existentes o emisiones originalmente destinadas a otros fines, como fuente de información para teledetección es la solución que este trabajo pretende explorar. Este Trabajo de Fin de Máster investiga las potenciales SoOp en banda P, evaluando su idoneidad para la teledetección de la RZSM, y demuestra experimentalmente cómo obtener información de la RZSM de un campo de cultivo con medidas de reflectometría utilizando la opción de SoOp más prometedora. Durant els darrers anys, el sector agrari s'ha enfrontat a grans reptes a causa de la variabilitat climàtica. Les sequeres i les inundacions estan afectant greument les collites, fins i tot alterant les propietats de les terres de cultiu. L'augment de la temperatura global també té un impacte directe sobre la humitat del sòl. Per això avui dia és tan important obtenir informació precisa sobre la humitat del sòl fins a la zona de les arrels d'una manera pràctica. La banda P és molt adequada per a la detecció remota de la humitat del sòl a la zona radicular (RZSM) gràcies a la millora de la profunditat de penetració, en comparació amb longituds d'ona més curtes. Malauradament, l'espectre de la banda P està molt ple de senyals de comunicacions i no sempre són possibles les mesures estàndard de radar o radiomètriques. Per tant, l'ús de Senyals d'Oportunitat (SoOp) en banda P, és a dir, senyals de radiofreqüència existents o emissions originalment destinades a altres finalitats, com a font d'informació per a la teledetecció és la solució que pretén explorar aquest treball. Aquest Treball de Fi de Màster investiga les potencials SoOp a la banda P, avaluant la seva idoneïtat per a la teledetecció de la RZSM, i demostra experimentalment com obtenir informació de la RZSM d'un camp de cultiu amb mesures de reflectometria utilitzant l'opció SoOp més prometedora. In recent years, the agricultural sector has faced major challenges due to climate variability. Droughts and floods are severely affecting harvests, even altering the properties of farmland. Rising global temperatures also have a direct impact on soil moisture. This is why it is so important today to obtain accurate information on soil moisture down to the root zone in a practical way. P-band is well suited for remote sensing of Root Zone Soil Moisture (RZSM) thanks to the improved penetration depth, as compared to shorter wavelengths. Unfortunately, the P-band spectrum is very crowded with communications signals, and standard radar or radiometric measurements are not always possible. Therefore, the use of Signals of Opportunity (SoOp) at P-band, i.e. existing radio frequency signals or emissions originally intended for other purposes, as a source of information for remote sensing is the solution that this work aims to explore. This Master Thesis investigates the potential P-band SoOp, evaluates their suitability for remote sensing of RZSM, and experimentally demonstrates how to retrieve RZSM information from a crop field with reflectometry measurements using the most promising SoOp option.

Aquest projecte analitza i redissenya l'envàs de Choco Flakes, un producte alimentari àmpliament comercialitzat, amb l’objectiu d'optimitzar tant la seva funcionalitat logística com el seu impacte ambiental. Utilitzant eines com l'anàlisi del cicle de vida (LCA), s’ha identificat oportunitats de millora en materials, reducció de residus i optimització de processos de producció i transport. El projecte ha proposat un redisseny de la caixa primària, reduint-ne la mida i mantenint-ne la capacitat protectora, alhora que s'incrementa l'eficiència en la paletització i es reutilitzen caixes secundàries ja existents. Els resultats indiquen una disminució significativa en l'ús de materials i els costos associats, al mateix temps que s’augmenta l’eficiència logística i es redueix l’impacte ambiental global, destacant la reducció d’emissions de CO₂ i residus. Aquest redisseny no només millora la sostenibilitat del producte, sinó que també ofereix un model replicable per optimitzar embalatges en altres projectes. En conclusió, el treball combina estratègies de disseny industrial i tècniques d’enginyeria ambiental per proporcionar una solució viable i sostenible que contribueix als Objectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible de l’Agenda 2030. Este proyecto analiza y rediseña el envase de Choco Flakes, un producto alimenticio ampliamente comercializado, con el objetivo de optimizar tanto su funcionalidad logística como su impacto ambiental. Utilizando herramientas como el análisis del ciclo de vida (LCA), se han identificado oportunidades de mejora en materiales, reducción de residuos y optimización de procesos de producción y transporte. El proyecto ha propuesto un rediseño de la caja primaria, reduciendo su tamaño y manteniendo su capacidad protectora, al tiempo que se incrementa la eficiencia en la paletización y se reutilizan cajas secundarias ya existentes. Los resultados indican una disminución significativa en el uso de materiales y costes asociados, al tiempo que se aumenta la eficiencia logística y se reduce el impacto ambiental global, destacando la reducción de emisiones de CO₂ y residuos. Este rediseño no sólo mejora la sostenibilidad del producto, sino que ofrece un modelo replicable para optimizar embalajes en otros proyectos. En conclusión, el trabajo combina estrategias de diseño industrial y técnicas de ingeniería ambiental para proporcionar una solución viable y sostenible que contribuye a los objetivos de desarrollo sostenible de la Agenda 2030. This project analyzes and redesigns the packaging of Choco Flakes, a widely marketed food product, with the aim of optimizing both its logistical functionality and its environmental impact. Using tools such as life cycle analysis (LCA), opportunities for improvement in materials, waste reduction, and optimization of production and transport processes have been identified. The project has proposed a redesign of the primary box, reducing its size and maintaining its protective capacity, while increasing palletizing efficiency and reusing existing secondary boxes. The results indicate a significant decrease in the use of materials and associated costs, while increasing logistical efficiency and reducing the overall environmental impact, highlighting the reduction of CO₂ emissions and waste. This redesign not only improves the sustainability of the product, but also offers a replicable model to optimize packaging in other projects. In conclusion, the work combines industrial design strategies and environmental engineering techniques to provide a viable and sustainable solution that contributes to the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda.

The use of bioethanol as a biofuel make it possible to reduce the dependence on fossil fuel and the greenhouse emissions. The advantage of bioethanol is that is obtained by fermentation of renewable resources that capture carbon dioxide during its growing providing a null net balance of carbon dioxide emissions. Applying the concept of green engineering led to total or partial substitution of fossil fuel. The main drawback is that fermentation is produced in diluted aqueous media and the recovery of ethanol is an energy intensive operation and in Europe, the maximum ethanol content in fuel allowed by legislation is 10% wt (Directive 2009/10/EC). The objective of this project is to provide a process scheme that led to dehydrate bioethanol and blend directly with gasoline and gasoline additive, tert-amyl-methyl ether (TAME). This process must to be viable in terms of energy, economics and environmental aspects. A bibliographic search is presented to determine how much energy is necessary to produce one kilogram of bioethanol. The results of the bibliographic search shown that for a diluted feed stream of ethanol, the best process scheme consist on two distillation columns and one decanter. Hence, five process schemes are presented: (1-3) with the conventional configuration (two distillation column and one decanter) and (4-5) with a novel configuration (one distillation column, with a lateral extraction, and one decanter). The residue curve maps and liquid-liquid equilibrium (RCM-LLE) with their topologies are presented. The RCM-LLE allows to illustrate the thermodynamic behavior of the entrainers used and verify the feasibility. The software used to carry out the rigorous simulations is ASPEN Plus ® v10 using the thermodynamically model NRTL. The annual production established is 18kt/year of a mixture ethanol-gasoline-TAME. The converged results of the simulations allow to compare all the process schemes in terms of energy, sizing and economic aspects, such as raw materials cost, utilities cost, equipment cost and income statement. Beyond this, WAR® is used to compare the environmental impact of each process scheme using coal, oil and natural gas as an energy source Treballs Finals de Màster d'Enginyeria Química, Facultat de Química, Universitat de Barcelona, Curs: 2018-2019, Tutors: Alexandra Bonet Ruiz, Manuel Vicente Buil

The paper covers an application to spatial economic analysis, based on a multiregional input-output model. Considering the challenges of the energy sector, this method is applied to analyse the spatial diffusion of the effect, of Spanish investment in different energy technologies covering several energy policy scenarios, in terms of added value and employment. Sector disaggregation is also analysed. Results show that renewable energy sources offer excellent opportunities for economic and employment growth at the global level. Spanish renewable energy deployment has positive spillover effects in China and Germany, but its impact on Spanish social and economic development is not significant.

This map shows all emissions of CO and CO2 in Europe in selected industrial categories that contain processes with Carbon4PUR compatible emissions according to the E-PRTR. The information contained in this document has been prepared solely for the purpose of providing information about the Carbon4PUR consortium and its project. The document reflects only the Carbon4PUR consortium’s view and the European Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 768919. This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 768919 {"references": ["https://carbonnext-eu.github.io/"]}

Outgoing