Editorial: All Hands on Deck for Net Zero

This year’s AIChE Annual Meeting was held in late October in San Diego, CA. At the meeting, I got to spend some time at the ChemE Cube competition, which focused on direct air capture (DAC). Eighteen undergraduate teams from universities around the world competed. These teams were tasked with a difficult goal: build a modular DAC plant within a 1-ft³ footprint and a $1,500 price constraint. The pavilion where the competition was held was buzzing with energy and anticipation as student teams faced off in head-to-head duels, while other teams presented their posters to judges. ExxonMobil, a key sponsor of the event, was on site to help judge the competition, and students could meet some of the process researchers who work at ExxonMobil’s DAC pilot plant, currently operating in Baytown, TX.

As evidenced by the ChemE Cube competition and many other events at the AIChE Annual Meeting, achieving the world’s net-zero goals will require many solutions — and DAC is just one possibility in an ever-expanding toolbox. Large energy companies whose portfolios consist primarily of fossil fuel products are positioning themselves for the future by investing in DAC, carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies, low-emission transportation fuels, and blue/green hydrogen solutions.

This issue of CEP is dedicated to these decarbonization solutions. The Carbon Footprint Reduction special section on pp. 19–45 showcases some of the technologies that companies are adopting on the pathway to net zero. The first article (pp. 21–25) provides insights on Shell’s energy transition goals, some of which center on decreasing Scope 1 and 2 emissions from refining processes through CCS. The article on pp. 26–31 discusses how ExxonMobil is using depleted oil and gas reservoirs as large-scale carbon storage sites, leveraging knowledge from upstream oil and gas exploration. In the article on pp. 32–37, Lummus Technology presents its design for a net-zero ethane cracker, capable of producing ethylene using plant-produced hydrogen to fuel the process. The final article of the special section (pp. 39–45) examines how the aviation sector is adopting lower-carbon aviation fuel to reduce lifecycle emissions of air travel.

“By embracing sustainable practices and cutting-edge technologies, companies not only mitigate their environmental impact but also strengthen their competitive edge and long-term resilience in a dynamic and rapidly evolving industry,” writes Daffer S. AlYami in the special section’s opening letter (p. 20).

Despite progress in decarbonization technologies, according to the Emissions Gap Report 2024 from the United Nations Environment Programme, time is running out to meet the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. Global greenhouse gas emissions must decrease by 42% by 2030 and 57% by 2035 (compared to 2019 levels) to get back on track to meet the 1.5°C goal.

Delivering on these reductions will require an all-hands-on-deck approach, in which governments commit to mitigation measures and back their pledges with investment and action. The chemical process industries — including oil and gas, ammonia, fuels, and petrochemicals production — will be at the forefront of this action amid growing urgency to course-correct and limit global temperature rise.

Emily Petruzzelli, Editor-in-Chief