The current COVID-19 crisis is a game changer for everyone and that includes the energy sector. Moving forwards, we can never talk about business as usual; we are not going to go back to what we had six months ago, the world is a different place. The economy is different, people's perception of health is different. The virus is going to be with us for quite a while to come and people will behave differently.
This will clearly influence the pace and manner of the energy transition. All the available fuels need to reassess their position, and this provides Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) an opportunity to flourish. As a portable, low-emissions fuel it can have a big impact on both air quality and carbon emissions and is readily available at a reasonable price.
Last year witnessed a surge in climate awareness, with protests around the world reflecting the growing concern around climate change, backed up by stark warnings from scientific advisors. Across Europe, politicians are reacting with the UK and France signing historic net zero emission targets into law and other European countries and the EU itself moving in this direction. It is not just government, but city leaders reacting too, not just to greenhouse gases (GHG) but to air pollution with major cities from Madrid to Amsterdam and Paris developing low-emission zones to improve air quality.
Air quality is one of the most pressing public health concerns of the 21st century and is a significant driver of energy policy. The increased focus on air pollution seen in recent years can be attributed to heightened awareness and greater public pressure on political bodies to tackle this urgent, often fatal issue. Last year, the World Health Organization (WHO) statistics revealed that not only are over 90% of the worlds population breathing air that exceeds WHO recommended limits, but an estimated 7 million deaths a year can be attributed to that pollution. Of these deaths, around 90% occur in low- and middle-income countries.
Despite the ambition, so much of our economic activity and productivity around the globe still depends on the availability and exploitation of reasonably priced energy. Whilst moving away from fossil fuels is inevitable, the pace and direction of this change is a significant challenge for organisations operating at the sharp end of the economy. It could of course also provide opportunity.
Progressing from where we are now to where we want to be is going to be a journey, and the speed that we travel along that route will determine the fuel strategy. Whatever way you look at it, natural gas and LPG should have a contribution to the move to a low carbon world in a practical and pragmatic manner; for the energy transition must be a pragmatic one which does not leave people behind. It cannot be a strategy where if you are living in the cities, you have access to green, renewable electricity, but if you live in rural areas there is no alternative other than to use coal, kerosene, diesel or biomass. There must be an acceptance of the role for cleaner fossil fuels.
The energy transition means moving from one state to a new state and I think it is true and fair to say that whatever appliances we use, whether it is a boiler, car or a stove, they will be different to the ones we use now. How long that transition will take is not yet apparent, but it can be accelerated by switching to gas. Take a boiler. Moving from an oil-fired boiler to a gas-fired boiler will deliver lower emissions for heating. That can be achieved at a far lower cost than switching to a boiler fuelled by electricity or a heat pump system. Here there is a trade-off but, in the post COVID-19 economy, where governments will critically assess the cost benefit of the emissions reductions that they are putting in place, a pragmatic switch to LPG is an ideal option.
A quick win by moving to gas from oil is a practical step that we should be taking in the short term to improve our climate and our air quality, as part of a transition to a future world that should be zero carbon. Given the current global financial situation, the transition may take a little bit longer than we were hoping for and given the level of public debt, it must be cost effective.
There are multiple strands to LPGs contribution to the decarbonisation agenda including domestic use, transportation, process heating, industry and agriculture. Many studies show the extensive morbidity and mortality associated with poor air quality and as populations and car usage grow, this is only going to be exacerbated. The busier that towns and cities become, irrespective of infrastructural changes and road building, congestion will worsen. Whilst many countries are pursuing an electrification pathway for domestic needs and consumer vehicles, the infrastructural support required, and battery restrictions associated with EVs render them largely inappropriate for heavy and medium goods vehicles. LPG offers a lower particulate matter and GHG alternative to petrol and diesel that is well suited to such vehicle types and elicits both environmental and financial benefits.
As well as being essential to the effective decarbonisation of transportation fleets, LPG can also play a role within the domestic sphere, offering a lower carbon fuel for household heating and cooking. This is particularly true of off-grid households often in rural areas which may be reliant on costly electrical heating, highly polluting oil or biomass boilers.
Another area of opportunity lies in industry, where there is an urgent need to decarbonise. In 2017, the industrial and commercial sectors accounted for 44% of total energy consumption in the US and produced over 5000 million t of CO2 (MtC02). Tackling the emissions produced by these sectors would make substantial inroads in reducing emissions and, without a shift in the types of fuels industry and commerce are utilising, it is unlikely that any carbon or GHG reduction targets will be met.
LPG has traditionally been a co-product of the oil and gas industry and a large proportion of the product still comes from oil and gas sector with over 62% at present coming from natural gas processing and production. As we look to the future there is a third or perhaps even a fourth area of LPG production. In fact, in the future it will probably be inaccurate to call it LPG, because LPG is a petroleum product. We believe that the next generation of propane and butane, which are the gases that make up LPG, can come from renewable and bio sources, such as waste oils, animal fats or cellulose sources, such as wood.
This bioLPG will make up a large proportion of our future demand. Significant volumes of bioLPG can be produced as a by-product of fuels such as bio-kerosene or biodiesel When we look at the production forecasts of biodiesel and, in the future, bio-kerosene, we are confident that there will be a significant future supply of bioLPG.
BioLPG production has been growing rapidly over recent years. Currently the fuel is predominantly produced from hydrotreated bio-oils in refineries. However, bioLPG can be produced in several ways and through numerous processes, such as gasification and pyrolysis - which are already proven technologies, and from various feedstocks including agricultural residues and municipal waste.
The final strand of this approach which is beyond a biofuel is renewable LPG or renewable propane. An example of this would be to use green, renewable hydrogen combined with sequestered CO2 from industrial flue gas, or even directly from the air. With this we can synthesise short chain hydrocarbons including propane. This is a truly circular solution. When you burn it, you recapture the CO2 and create new sources of fuel. This is only in the R&D stage now and at present the cost of renewable green hydrogen is high, but perhaps in the future as we move towards a green hydrogen-based economy it will be increasingly viable.
As the global community intensifies its desire to combat the effects of climate change and seek ways to reduce GHG emissions, LPG can offer significant near-term solutions. LPG is not only among the most attractive options for reducing GHG emissions, it is abundantly available today in many parts of the world through existing distribution channels. In the post COVID-19 world rather than the dash back to oil, which many people foresee, we need to think about gas as an intermediate option. Switching to LPG can help to immediately improve air quality and reduce GHG emissions in many applications and parts of the world. When combined with other environmental cost, and performance advantages, LPG is an ideal clean energy for a low-carbon world.
Written by James Rockall, CEO and Managing Director, WLPGA.
Read the article online at: https://www.hydrocarbonengineering.com/special-reports/27082020/plotting-the-path-through-the-energy-transition/
More here:
Plotting the path through the energy transition - Hydrocarbon Engineering
- Power Distribution Market 2020 With Top Countries Data: Industry Trends, Share, Size, Top Key Players Analysis and Forecast Research - Cole of Duty [Last Updated On: July 2nd, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 2nd, 2020]
- Malcolm Young's five best rhythm guitar moments in AC/DC - Mixdown [Last Updated On: July 2nd, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 2nd, 2020]
- From '30 Rock' to 'Community,' Who Decides What Old TV Episodes Are Too Insensitive to Keep in Circulation? - TheWrap [Last Updated On: July 2nd, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 2nd, 2020]
- Thunderchild II on the Hoist at Crosshaven Boatyard Ahead of Record Bid? - Afloat [Last Updated On: July 2nd, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 2nd, 2020]
- We shouldn't need Ministers to develop the west - Galway Advertiser [Last Updated On: July 2nd, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 2nd, 2020]
- Author says 2400-year old coin artifact may be proof that Atlantis is real - EconoTimes [Last Updated On: July 2nd, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 2nd, 2020]
- A Decade Later, Let's Itemize the Sins of M. Night Shyamalan's The Last Airbender - Paste Magazine [Last Updated On: July 7th, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 7th, 2020]
- Your daily 6: Gambling without booze or smoking, Hong Kong crackdown and virus 'grim and getting worse by the day' - STLtoday.com [Last Updated On: July 7th, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 7th, 2020]
- The Best Metal on Bandcamp: June 2020 - bandcamp.com [Last Updated On: July 7th, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 7th, 2020]
- Front-Row Seat: Striking the chords for live musics return - MPNnow.com [Last Updated On: July 7th, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 7th, 2020]
- Color Star Technology Announces the Addition of Renowned Musician Larry Carlton to its Color World Online Education Platform - Yahoo Finance [Last Updated On: July 7th, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 7th, 2020]
- 'The Office,' '30 Rock': All the TV shows to pull blackface scenes - Los Angeles Times [Last Updated On: July 7th, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 7th, 2020]
- Pride-inspired accessories you can rock all year round - Hindustan Times [Last Updated On: July 7th, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 7th, 2020]
- The All-American Glory of Yacht Rock - National Review [Last Updated On: July 7th, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 7th, 2020]
- Brexit fishing battle: Britain and Ireland 'to clash over ownership of tiny rock' - Express.co.uk [Last Updated On: July 7th, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 7th, 2020]
- Darren Wright of Howth Puts Famous Pata Negra On to Boil in the Round Ireland Yacht Race - Afloat [Last Updated On: July 13th, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 13th, 2020]
- Shop local swimwear, whatever your style | Hot Summer Guide | Halifax, Nova Scotia - The Coast Halifax [Last Updated On: July 13th, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 13th, 2020]
- Color Star Technology Announces the Addition of Renowned Musician Larry Carlton to its Color World Online Education Platform - Salamanca Press [Last Updated On: July 13th, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 13th, 2020]
- Grooveyards self-titled album impresses - The Daily Star [Last Updated On: July 13th, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 13th, 2020]
- HBO | World Day of the Rock: 7 movies and series, remember that the rock is alive more than ever | A Star ... - Code List [Last Updated On: July 15th, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 15th, 2020]
- The CW's Lost Boys show will 'keep the essence' of the movie, says series songwriter G Tom Mac - SYFY WIRE [Last Updated On: July 15th, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 15th, 2020]
- Re-opening federal death chamber: Victim opposition, pandemic threaten first execution in 17 years - USA TODAY [Last Updated On: July 15th, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 15th, 2020]
- How to catch a glimpse of the comet NEOWISE dazzling the skies right now - The Verge [Last Updated On: July 17th, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 17th, 2020]
- Remember the Strange Way the Eagles Played Their First Gig? - Taste of Country [Last Updated On: July 18th, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 18th, 2020]
- The Brave New World of Peacock Looks a Lot Like TVs Past - PRIMETIMER [Last Updated On: July 18th, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 18th, 2020]
- US Digital Banking Market Trends, Companies, Driver, Segmentation, Forecast to 2025 - Owned [Last Updated On: July 18th, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 18th, 2020]
- Exploring Trinity Site legends (some are true!) on 75th anniversary - Las Cruces Sun-News [Last Updated On: July 20th, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 20th, 2020]
- Rasheeda Frost Switches Up Her Look And Fans Are Here For It Check Out Her Outfits And Hairdos - Celebrity Insider [Last Updated On: July 21st, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 21st, 2020]
- Kim Zolciak-Biermann Bares Her Butt in the Tiniest Thong Bikini - Bravo [Last Updated On: July 21st, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 21st, 2020]
- Comprehensive report on Internet Banking Market with Top Key players like CGI, Financial Network services, Corillian, COR Financial Solutions, I-flex... [Last Updated On: July 21st, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 21st, 2020]
- Felix The Reaper on iOS review - "Lots of love, not enough game" - Pocket Gamer [Last Updated On: July 25th, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 25th, 2020]
- From 'Hip Hop Hooray' to 'YMCA,' the untold stories of Jock Jams, 25 years later - ESPN Philippines [Last Updated On: July 25th, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 25th, 2020]
- "The follow through decides where it's going to go" - Kick it like Matty Forde - SportsJOE.ie [Last Updated On: July 25th, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 25th, 2020]
- The Outer Worlds: Perils of Gorgon Interview - Talking Storytelling, Inspiration, and Freedom with Matt Hansen & Carrie Patel - RPG Site [Last Updated On: July 26th, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 26th, 2020]
- In praise of the masked man - Winnipeg Free Press [Last Updated On: July 26th, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 26th, 2020]
- Felix The Reaper review - "Lots of love, not enough game" - Pocket Gamer [Last Updated On: July 28th, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 28th, 2020]
- Douglas County Fair and Rodeo lives on with your safety top-of-mind July 30 Aug. 2 - The Know [Last Updated On: July 28th, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 28th, 2020]
- 40 years of Back In Black: a celebration of AC/DC's hard rock opus - Mixdown [Last Updated On: July 28th, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 28th, 2020]
- There's no plaice like home: Why we should be eating British fish - The Conservative Woman [Last Updated On: July 28th, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 28th, 2020]
- Were the Rolling Stones Better in the '60s or '70s? Roundtable - Ultimate Classic Rock [Last Updated On: July 28th, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 28th, 2020]
- Meet REDSIX, the Indonesian band crafting addictive, pop-punk classics - Happy [Last Updated On: July 28th, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 28th, 2020]
- The 53 Best Things to Do in Seattle This Weekend: July 24-26, 2020 - TheStranger.com [Last Updated On: July 29th, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 29th, 2020]
- BILLECK: Hellebuyck snubbed when it comes to Hart, even if he doesn't think so - Winnipeg Sun [Last Updated On: July 29th, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 29th, 2020]
- From 'Hip Hop Hooray' to 'YMCA,' the untold stories of Jock Jams, 25 years later - ESPN [Last Updated On: July 30th, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 30th, 2020]
- Vessel detained near Rockall was allegedly involved in another confrontation off Scotland - Irish Examiner [Last Updated On: July 30th, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 30th, 2020]
- Finally Today's Tim arrives in virus-free holiday haven - Noosa News [Last Updated On: July 31st, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 31st, 2020]
- The untold truth of Castle Rock - Looper [Last Updated On: August 2nd, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 2nd, 2020]
- Tracks of the Week #113 - God Is In The TV [Last Updated On: August 2nd, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 2nd, 2020]
- Girls soccer gets ready to take the field again - Sedona Red Rock News [Last Updated On: August 2nd, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 2nd, 2020]
- Watch Skip Marley And The School Of Rock All-Stars Perform Bob Marleys Three Little Birds - uDiscover Music [Last Updated On: August 2nd, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 2nd, 2020]
- This is the day: SB19 finally drops debut album 'Get in the Zone' - Manila Bulletin [Last Updated On: August 3rd, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 3rd, 2020]
- Dingdong Dantes honors mom, wife and the Creator on his 40th b-day - Manila Bulletin [Last Updated On: August 3rd, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 3rd, 2020]
- Battered by Covid-19, the fishing industry nervously awaits Brexit outcome - Irish Examiner [Last Updated On: August 3rd, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 3rd, 2020]
- Internet Banking Market 2020 New Techniques, Research Analysis, Treatment Types, Latest Trends, Regional Demand and Forecast Outlook 2025 - Market... [Last Updated On: August 4th, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 4th, 2020]
- Online Banking Industry Global Forecast by Products, Applications, Distribution Channels, Form, Regions, Company Analysis - Market Research Posts [Last Updated On: August 4th, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 4th, 2020]
- WWE news: Who were the best Superstars in the 2000s? - GIVEMESPORT [Last Updated On: August 7th, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 7th, 2020]
- Pedestrian killed by car driven by K-pop boy band 2AM's Seulong in Seoul - Manila Bulletin [Last Updated On: August 8th, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 8th, 2020]
- Once an Outlaw to perform at Wildcat Inn Aug. 20 - Conway Daily Sun [Last Updated On: August 8th, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 8th, 2020]
- This August, TV ventures through The Swamp, Lovecraft Country, and the Lower Decks of Star Trek - The A.V. Club [Last Updated On: August 9th, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 9th, 2020]
- Bon Iver enlists Springsteen and nods to Minneapolis homeless charity on new single - Minneapolis Star Tribune [Last Updated On: August 9th, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 9th, 2020]
- PM must remember we're doing lockdown differently on Scotland visit - The National [Last Updated On: August 9th, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 9th, 2020]
- Murs and Slug Surprise Release First New Felt Album in Over 10 Years Felt 4 U - mxdwn.com [Last Updated On: August 10th, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 10th, 2020]
- How to rock all types of womens leather jackets like a pro - Business MattersBusiness Matters [Last Updated On: August 10th, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 10th, 2020]
- Here are some Scottish locations that might suit PM's taste for adventure - The National [Last Updated On: August 10th, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 10th, 2020]
- Planning Commission Very Divided on URP Proposal, but Does Barely Support Approval - The Peoples Vanguard of Davis [Last Updated On: August 31st, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 31st, 2020]
- When Katrina Kaif Went Flirty Chic in Some Bright Florals, Ruffles and a Whole Lot of Cakes! - Report Door [Last Updated On: August 31st, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 31st, 2020]
- The HoopsHype Weekly: Ranking the Top 10 players in the 2020 NBA playoffs so far - Hoops Hype [Last Updated On: September 2nd, 2020] [Originally Added On: September 2nd, 2020]
- JIMI HENDRIX And JOHN BONHAM - Two New Books Celebrate The Lives And Music Of Late Rock Legends - bravewords.com [Last Updated On: September 2nd, 2020] [Originally Added On: September 2nd, 2020]
- 'High Fidelity' Season 2 Would Have Focused on Cherise - Decider [Last Updated On: September 2nd, 2020] [Originally Added On: September 2nd, 2020]
- The 20 best rock albums of 1977 - Louder [Last Updated On: September 2nd, 2020] [Originally Added On: September 2nd, 2020]
- 4 Viral Beauty Moments Of Erica Fernandes That Broke The Internet - IWMBuzz [Last Updated On: September 2nd, 2020] [Originally Added On: September 2nd, 2020]
- Is this one better than the original? - Insights News [Last Updated On: September 2nd, 2020] [Originally Added On: September 2nd, 2020]
- Drive In Events Proving Popular in Newton Aycliffe - Durham Magazine [Last Updated On: September 2nd, 2020] [Originally Added On: September 2nd, 2020]
- Statue of Liberty-sized space rock among FIVE headed towards Earth warns NASA - RT [Last Updated On: October 4th, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 4th, 2020]
- Roman Reigns Open To Facing CM Punk: Hed Probably Need To Be Slapped Around A Few Times - Fightful [Last Updated On: October 4th, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 4th, 2020]
- Arizona Zervas / The Success Of Roxanne & Staying In His Own Lane - Flaunt Magazine [Last Updated On: October 4th, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 4th, 2020]
- Live Stream Review: Philly Music Fest Day One Featuring Japanese Breakfast, The Districts, and More - mxdwn.com [Last Updated On: October 4th, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 4th, 2020]
- Black History Month: Are these the 10 most influential black musicians of all time? - Radio X [Last Updated On: October 8th, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 8th, 2020]
- High school golfers lose federal case over virus rules that kept them from D-10 tourney - GoErie.com [Last Updated On: October 8th, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 8th, 2020]
- Baldur's Gate 3 Early Access preview: A perfect playground to push Larian's RPG to its narrative limits - GamesRadar+ [Last Updated On: October 8th, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 8th, 2020]