(364n) Decarbonization of Processing Systems and Value Chains through Optimal Resource Integration

Research Interests: Process Systems Engineering, Systems Design and Operation, Optimization, Energy Systems Modelling, Decarbonization, Sustainability, Circularity, Supply Chain, Life Cycle Assessment

Rising concerns about climate change have led to fierce environmental regulations to enforce the application of greenhouse gas emissions reduction pathways. The high cost of decarbonization and its drastic impacts require insightful decision-making that promotes efficient actions. This work leverages process integration, modeling, and mathematical optimization to propose a generic framework for resource management under life cycle impact conditions. The applicability of the approach is validated in different case studies on the decarbonization of integrated systems and value chains, and it has led to multiple industrial collaborations.

Integrated Resource Processing: reducing CO₂ emissions requires implementing different pathways that can either avoid producing them (e.g. transitioning to renewable energy), process the emissions produced (e.g. CO₂ capture and utilization or storage), or remove CO₂ from the atmosphere. The decisions on which pathways to implement to achieve the required environmental targets are highly interconnected due to the resources produced, consumed, and shared by the different processing units. This work proposes a generic approach for synthesizing processing clusters by allowing a flexible representation of resources, processes, and footprints to minimize the cost of the integrated system under life cycle impact considerations.

Optimal Design and Operation: energy transition is a critical step towards ensuring energy security and reducing emissions. Due to the intermittency of renewable energy and the variability of energy demand, integrating renewable energy with other decarbonization pathways should ensure that the system is operating coherently. The system’s operation would have a direct impact on the design and, consequently, the cost and emissions level. Hence, the design and operation of the resource integration system are optimized simultaneously, considering the dynamic changes in resource supply, demand, footprint, and price. The generic approach allows the representation of the economy of scale, the modular operation of the processing units, and the dynamic data characterizing the variabilities. Case studies include energy systems decarbonization, the electrification of LNG production, and carbon-neutral fuels production.

Optimal Value Chains: the impact of decarbonization decisions would propagate at the global level due to the connectivity between regions and systems. The scope of resource integration is expanded to include the integration within and across processing systems for optimal design of low-emissions value chains. This allows full economic accounting by tracking all costs and revenue streams and environmental accounting by incorporating life cycle impact assessment. The global decarbonization example is demonstrated by investigating the environmental and economic impact of low-emissions energy value chains, considering long-distance shipping.