Decarbonisation Technology - August 2023 Issue

assisted hundreds of global facilities to decrease their energy consumption. KBC estimates the results from those projects have removed more than 400 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions. To put this into perspective, it is equal to the annual CO₂ emissions of Australia. Energy management strategies Most energy efficiency opportunities fall into a few major categories, including:  Furnace efficiency  Heat integration (pinch analysis)  Process optimisation  Power generation system optimisation, as illustrated in Figure 2 . Energy efficiency Continuous improvements in energy efficiency often yield diminishing returns as larger benchmarking gaps close. Based on KBC’s global energy benchmarks, even the most wasteful energy users would only achieve a 20-30% reduction in their Scope 1 and 2 emissions if they became top-quartile facilities. This course of action remains the quickest and often least expensive way to start the journey toward eliminating all GHG emissions. As the past few decades have shown, cutting costs and improving margins are sound business objectives. Thus, digging into a detailed review of energy with a ‘how low can you go’ attitude is always the recommended first step. It is a classic no-regrets move. However, many refiners are setting targets beyond 30% reductions in their own Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030. Achieving these goals requires thinking beyond standard energy efficiency improvements and embracing innovative solutions. Integrating novel energy efficiency solutions Energy efficiency is an effective first step along the roadmap to eliminate Scopes 1 and 2 emissions. Refineries and petrochemical systems consume large amounts of energy for chemical reactions, resulting in substantial emissions. Put simply, energy is fundamental to producing fuels and petrochemicals. Once energy consumption is minimised through the energy efficiency benchmarking described above, the remaining challenge is to eliminate GHGs

Furnace eciency 8%

Other 18%

Heat integration 17%

O-sites 32%

Power generation 19%

Process optimisation 6%

Figure 2 Energy efficiency strategies

can be daunting. It demands a substantial investment of capital, time, and co-ordinated efforts to ensure the solution is profitable and sustainable. Most agree that the answers can be found both inside and outside the facility’s boundaries. However, the latter option offers the best chance of significant reductions. To address this rising concern, governments and regulatory bodies worldwide are responding by applying increased pressure for change. They are implementing carbon taxes and offering incentives for low-carbon product credits, among other approaches. These strategies encourage traditional refiners, who prioritise profits in competitive markets, to invest in new technologies, feedstocks, and products. This article delves into innovative techniques and technologies that go beyond the norm to decarbonise process plant emissions. In other words, operators will need to consider investing in solutions that lie beyond their usual boundaries; they must think outside the box. Standard emission reductions Since 1979, KBC has been a reliable partner for clients in the refining and petrochemical industries. The emphasis has been to help its clients improve yields and profits while cutting energy costs. As ever, these industries face constant market pressures due to fierce international competition and the demands for higher returns on capital. Historically, energy efficiency has proven to be a relatively low-risk, low-capital way to boost margins. As a fortunate side-effect, this approach also lowers energy use per unit of production to reduce GHG emissions. KBC has