Measuring Sustainability: Emerging Metrics

Transcription

1 Measuring Sustainability: Emerging Metrics David Allen Department of Chemical Engineering Editor-in-Chief, ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering

2 Preamble: Reminder of special journal issues associated with SNO meetings

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4 A second special issue Guest Editors are Barb Karn, Arturo Keller and Wunmi Sadik Target issue date is summer 2014 with papers published online as they are accepted

5 What do we mean by Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering (or Sustainable Nanotechnology)? From the description of the scope of the journal: The scope of the journal will include research reports in the areas of green chemistry, green engineering and the grand challenges for sustainability in chemistry and chemical engineering.

6 Principles of Green Engineering Engineer processes and products holistically, use system analysis, and integrate environmental impact assessment tools. Conserve and improve natural ecosystems while protecting human health and well being. Use life cycle thinking in all engineering activities. Ensure that all material and energy inputs and outputs are as inherently safe and benign as possible. Minimize depletion of natural resources. Strive to prevent waste. Develop and apply engineering solutions, while being cognizant of local geography, aspirations, and cultures. Create engineering solutions beyond current or dominant technologies; improve, innovate and invent (technologies) to achieve sustainability. Actively engage communities and stakeholders in development of engineering solutions.

7 Principles of Green Chemistry Twelve principles of Green Chemistry contain many similar elements Anastas, Paul T. and Zimmerman, J.B. 2003, Design Through the 12 Principles of Green Engineering, Environ. Science and Technology, 37(5), 94A-l01A.

8 Grand Challenges for Sustainability Grand challenges for a transition to sustainability in the chemical enterprise National Research Council, Sustainability in the Chemical Industry, National Academy Press, Washington, D.C., 2006

9 Green chemistry, green engineering and grand challenges for sustainability are the topics how do we measure progress? What measures do we use? Trade-offs A matter of scale

10 What does it mean to be green or sustainable? Many different potential environmental metrics (global warming, stratospheric ozone depletion, smog formation, energy use, waterway eutrophication, and many more - general categories include human health impacts, ecosystem impacts and resource utilization.) Many different potential societal metrics (life expectancy, income distribution, employment ) Many potential economic metrics (life cycle costs, economy-wide economic impacts, natural resource stocks )

11 Green chemistry, green engineering and grand challenges for sustainability are the topics how do we measure progress? What measures do we use?» No definitive answers beyond the need to incorporate multiple relevant metrics Trade-offs: A case study from chemical manufacturing illustrates the challenges A matter of scale

12 What does it mean to be green? Gaseous Waste Stream Toluene & Ethyl Acetate Vent ; % recovery of Toluene and Ethyl Acetate Vent Absorption Column Distillation Column Mixed Product Reboiler

13 What does it mean to be green? I SF Absorber Oil Flow Rate (kgmole/hr)

14 What does it mean to be green? I AR I GW Absorber Oil Flow Rate (kgmole/hr) Absorber Oil Flow Rate (kgmole/hr)

15 These types of trade-offs are the norm

16 Cloth or disposable?

17 Carbon management or land use?

18 Dematerialization vs. potential health impacts nology-harmful-or-benign/story/nanotech-health-safety/

19 Green chemistry, green engineering and grand challenges for sustainability are the topics how do we measure progress? What measures do we use?» No definitive answers beyond the need to incorporate multiple relevant metrics Trade-offs» There is a footprint for every process/activity; trade-offs are generally inevitable A matter of scale

20 Natural Gas in Texas air quality impacts of hydraulic fracturing on a regional scale Hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling Energy and emissions intensive Effect of price 2012 Projected +10% Data Special Emissions Inventory +400% % Growth Since 2010 (Texas Railroad Commission) +50% Increased production from gas wells causes increases in the release of photochemical pollutants at the well sites and in the supply chain Displacing coal based electricity generation with natural gas based generation reduces emissions at different locations Net effect? Pacsi, A.P., Alhajeri, N.S., Zavala-Araiza, D., Webster, M.D. and Allen, D.T., Regional Air Quality Impacts of Increased Natural Gas Production and Use in Texas, Environmental Science & Technology, 47, , doi: /es (2013)

21 Overall the impacts are complex and multi-faceted, but the average impact on atmospheric particulate matter is a widespread lowering of concentrations PM PM NG $ 7.74 NG $2.88 µg/m³ Average Cross State Air Pollution Rule Reduction for Texas monitors in 2014: 0.8 µg/m³ (EPA Technical Documentation) 21

22 Institute of Food Technologists

23 Green chemistry, green engineering and grand challenges for sustainability are the topics how do we measure progress? What measures do we use?» No definitive answers beyond the need to incorporate multiple relevant metrics Trade-offs» There is a footprint for every process/activity; trade-offs are generally inevitable A matter of scale» Impacts may be different depending on the scale at which they are evaluated

24 Need to incorporate conflicting attributes into our sustainability characterizations

25 What do we mean by Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering? Clearly define the contribution to sustainability in your research contribution Be quantitative to the extent possible Catalyze a discussion within the community

26 A second special issue Guest Editors are Barb Karn, Arturo Keller and Wunmi Sadik Target issue date is summer 2014 with papers published online as they are accepted Consider incorporating metrics into your contribution

27 Surprises: the unknown unknown The Parable of Thomas Midgeley