Chapter 3: National GHGs Mitigation Policies Industrial Processes
National Climate Change Project Chapter 3: National GHGs Mitigation Policies Industrial Processes By: Saeed Minapour September 2015 2
Table of Contents 1. Introduction 1.1. Framework of Study, Tools and Softwares 1.2. Definition of Scenarios and Assumption 2. GHGs Emission Trends in Baseline Scenarios for Industrial Process Sector 2.1 Chemical Industry 2.2 Mineral Industry 2.3 Metal Industry 3. GHGs Emission Trend in Mitigation Scenario 3.1. GHGs emission by sub-sector 3.2. Overall GHGs emission in industrial process sector 3.3. Cost analysis for mitigation options 4. National Abatement Plan Figures Figure 1 BAU emissions projection by sub-sector for industrial processes Figure 2 the overall emission from industrial process sector Figure 3 the CSC Indicator versus Total Emission Reduction Tables Table1. Production and emission projection of chemical industry subsectors Table2. The projected ability of subsectors on GHGs emission (Gg) 3
1. Introduction Greenhouse gas emissions are produced as a by-product of various non-energy-related industrial activities. That is, these emissions are produced from an industrial process itself and are not directly a result of energy consumed during the process. For example, raw materials can be chemically transformed from one state to another. This transformation can result in the release of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), methane (CH 4 ), or nitrous oxide (N 2 O). 1.1. Framework of Study, Tools and Softwares Greenhouse gas emissions are produced from a wide variety of industrial activities. The main emission sources are releases from industrial processes that chemically or physically transform materials. During these processes, many different greenhouse gases, including CO 2, CH 4, N 2 O and perfluorocarbons (PFCs), can be produced. Almost all the following categorized industrial processes exist in Iran: a) Mineral Industry (Cement Production, Lime Production, Limestone Use, etc.) b) Metal Industry (Iron and Steel Production, Aluminum Production, etc.) c) Chemical Industry (Nitric Acid Production, Ethylene Production, etc.) d) Other Industrial Processes (Pulp and Paper Production, Food and Drink Products, etc.) The results of inventory group studies (Greenhouse Gas Emission Inventory report for Industrial Process sector in 2010, August 2014) shows that 93 percent of GHGs emissions of mineral industry subsector, 97 percent of GHGs emissions of metal industry subsector and 98 percent of GHGs emissions of chemical industry subsector are emitted from cement, iron and steel (50% of metal subsector), aluminum (47% of metal subsector), ethylene (50% of chemical subsector), ammonia (31% of chemical subsector), methanol (11% of chemical subsector) and nitric acid (6% of chemical subsector) productions, respectively. Furthermore, these special industries are given priority to consider the various aspects of the task. At first, the reliable information of production plan was tried to be gathered. This long procedure was done with reference to imperfect (and sometimes contradictory) information which is accessible at the following centers: Iranian Mines & Mining Industries Development & Renovation Organization (IMIDRO) Ministry of Industries and Mines President Deputy Strategic Planning and Control Statistical Center of Iran Cement technology magazine (http://www.cementechnology.ir/) Also, the Third National Communication, GHG Emission Inventory, Industrial Process and Product use, Fatemeh Lotfi, August 2014 was used to gather the information of 2010. 1
The GHGs emission amount was calculated according to above mentioned extracted information between 2010 and 2015. There are no national emission factors for industrial processes in Iran, therefore the default methods proposed by IPCC was used to estimate emissions and depending upon the process type and quality of product, the emission factors was selected. Iran fourth and fifth development plan and Iran 20-years outlook were used to foresee the production between 2015 and 2035 and the estimated GHGs emissions was calculated accordingly. These estimated calculations are based on two scenarios which are defined in next section. 1.2. Definition of Scenarios and Assumption On the basis of the historical consumption and emission levels of greenhouse gases in Iran from 2010 to 2015, emissions forecasts until 2035 are elaborated for each individual application sector, with and without additional abatement measures during the following scenarios: Business as Usual (BAU): The business-as-usual scenario was developed to show the effects of Iran s official development plans which are codified in Iran fourth and fifth development plan and Iran 20-years outlook on the emission of industrial process sector. To develop this scenario, the mentioned plans were examined and probable effects were considered in emissions calculations. Emission Reduction Scenario: The emission reduction scenario assumes that existing technology potentials for abating or substituting emissions are exploited in each individual emission sector. To develop the reduction scenario, all related registered projects and approved methodologies registered in UNFCCC website were contemplated. The appropriate ones for each subsector were chosen according to Iran s industries and their projected effects were implemented in the emissions calculations. To facilitate the definition of Iran s priorities to prepare the national abatement plan, the CSC indicator (cost of saved carbon) were specified as follow: Cost Of Saved Carbon = CSC [ tc $ ] = NPV i NPV = Total Investment (Net Present value) NPE = Total Emission Reduction [$] NPE j[tc] 2
2. GHGs Emission Trends in Baseline Scenarios for Industrial Process Sector Business-As-Usual emissions from the industrial processes sector in 2035 are projected to be 190 Mt CO 2 -e. This represents more than 300 percent increase over the 2010 level and is due to the following factors. - Chemical Industry The majority of GHG in this sector is emitted from the production of four chemicals which are projected in table1. Table1. Production and emission projection of chemical industry subsectors 2010 2025 2030 production Emission production Emission production Emission 1000 tone Gg 1000 tone Gg 1000 tone Gg Ethylene 3922 6185 17888 26885 18768 28211 Ammonia 3200 3001 13157 13121 13353 13307 Methanol 3100 1406 41922 19012 44294 20087 Nitric Acid (100%) 203 544 259 695 259 695 It is seen that the increasing of the chemicals production capacities is one of the Iran's priorities. There is high attention to development the petrochemical plants in Iran fourth, fifth and sixth development plan and Iran 20-years outlook. So, the emission from this sector is projected to increase from 11350 Gg in 2010 to about 66200 Gg in 2035. - Mineral Industry The Cement sub-sector is one of the major sources of emissions in the industrial processes sector. As a result of domestic economic expansion and the essentiality of cement production in infrastructure development, and according to the Iran fifth development plan, the cement production capacity are projected to grow from 66.87 million ton in 2010 to 90 million ton in 2015. It is planned to reach to the production capacity of 110 million ton in 2025 based on the Iran 20-years outlook. Historical data shows that the "real production" to "production capacity" ratio is 90.18%. considering this amount, the cement production are projected to grow 3
from 61.65 million ton in 2010 to 110 million ton in 2035, and BAU emissions from this sub-sector are projected to grow by 175 percent between 2010 and 2035. The selected emission factor for this subsector is 0.4985 ton CO 2 /ton produced cement according to the 2006 IPCC revised guideline. - Metal Industry Iran government has high attention to iron and steel production because of its importance on infrastructure development. It is projected to produce about 45 million ton at the end of 5th development plan (according to economic council ratification). Steel production capacity shall be reached to 55 million ton in 2025 as it is mentioned in 20-year outlook document. So, the steel production is projected to grow from 12.72 million ton in 2010 to about 58 million ton in 2035. GHG emissions from process-related sources at iron and steel facilities will vary, depending on the type of facility and the different production processes used at the facility. About 30 percent of produced steel in Iran until 2015 has been produced during indirect reduction (blast furnace) procedure and oxygen converting. The remainder 70 percent has been produced during direct reduction manner and using electric arc furnace. The same ratio is considered for projection of steel production until 2035. The used emission factor for mentioned procedures are 1.46 and 0.78 (ton CO 2 /ton steel product) respectively. It shall be considered that about 20 percent of electric arc furnace volume is filled with recycled steel scrap (with emission factor equal to 0.08 ton pet tone steel product) that is combined with pig iron. The emissions from the aluminum sub-sector were 1517 Gg CO 2 -e in 2010. This rises to more than 7700 Gg CO 2 -e in 2035, an increase of 500 percent. This large growth is due to high annual growth rates in the manufacturing of aluminum. The aluminum production in 2010 was 303,000 ton and it is projected to grow to more than 1,500,000 ton in 2035. The emission factor that was considered for emission calculations is 1.6 ton CO 2, 0.4 Kg CF 4 and 0.04 Kg C 2 F 6 per ton produced aluminum. The majority of produced PFC is CF4 with a GWP equal to 7300. Figure 1 shows the historic and projected BAU emissions time series for the industrial processes sub-sectors. 4
Gg صنایع معدنی صنایع فلزی صنایع شیمیایی سایر صنایع year Figure1. BAU emissions projection by sub-sector for industrial processes It is shown that the total emission from industrial processes section increases from 59,700 Gg in 2010 to about 190,000 Gg in 2035. 5
3. GHGs Emission Trend in Mitigation Scenario 3.1. GHGs emission by sub-sector Cement Sector: CO 2 is formed by calcining which can be expressed by the following equation: CaCO 3 -> CaO + CO 2 So, the production of clinker causes large emissions of CO 2. In pozzolanic (blended) cement, a portion of the clinker is replaced with industrial by-products such as blast furnace slag (a residue from iron making), or other pozzolanic materials (e.g. volcanic material). These products are blended with clinker to produce a homogenous product; blended cement. The future potential for application of blended cements depends on the current application level, on the availability of blending materials, and on standards and legislative requirements. The suitable amount of iron-furnace slag in cement ingredients is 20 percent and it can be increased by 30 percent according to the slag production procedure. Also, it is assumed that 30 percent of total annually produced cement in Iran will be produced as blended cement. Iron and Steel Sector: As mentioned before, the emission factors for different steel production procedures are different. It is 1.6 ton CO 2 per ton produced steel for indirect reduction manner (blast furnace) and 0.705 ton CO 2 per ton produced steel for direct reduction procedure. So, the effective method to emission reduction is the change of production process from blast furnace to direct reduction and using the recycled steel scrap in electric arc furnace (with emission factor equal to 0.08 ton pet tone produced steel). Therefore, although Iran government has high attention to iron and steel production, there is no procedure to reduce the GHGs emission from this sector, because all development programs in this sector are based on direct reduction method and using 20 percent of steel scrap. Aluminum Sector: PFCs are formed as intermittent byproducts during the occurrence of anode effects (AEs). When the alumina ore content of the electrolytic bath falls below critical levels optimal for the aluminum-generation chemical reactions to take place, rapid voltage increases occur. These AEs reduce the efficiency of the aluminum production process, in addition to generating PFCs. The frequency and duration of AEs depend primarily on the cell technology and operating procedures. Emissions of PFCs, therefore, vary from one aluminum smelter to the next, depending on these parameters. As a result, to reduce PFC emission each smelter must develop a strategy, which may include some or all of the following measures. 6
Improving Alumina Feeding Techniques by installing point feeders and regulating feed with computer control. Point feeding consists of adding small amounts of alumina-about one kilogram-at various short intervals, usually less than one minute. This is the best alumina feeding method at present, and point feeding is now an important feature in all new cells, as well as in modernization or retrofitting projects for older cell lines. Using Improved Computer Controls to optimize cell performance. These systems monitor the different parameters that contribute to the built-up of AEs. System operators would be alerted before an AE can take place, thus reducing the AE frequency. Improved computer controls can also work in conjunction with point feeders. Training Cell Operators on methods and practices to minimize frequency and duration of AEs. Also, operators can be trained to maintain strict control over alumina properties and cell operating parameters, and to provide timely and appropriate mechanical maintenance. Using these manners can reduce the emission factor from 0.4 to 0.04 kg CF 4, and from 0.04 to 0.004 kg C 2 F 6 per ton produced aluminum. Because of the high GWP of PFCs, 7000 for CF 4 and 12200 for C 2 F 6, the CO 2 equivalent emission reductions are relatively high. The projected CO 2 equivalent emission reduction from this sector is about 4700 Gg in 2035 and about 68000 Gg until 2035 in comparison with BAU. Ethylene sector: The fundamental chemical equation for ethylene production is as follows: Ethane Dehydrogenation to Ethylene C2H6 C2H4 + H2 The types and mix of feedstock used in steam cracking for ethylene production varies by region, and include ethane, propane, butane, naphtha, gas oil, and other petrochemical feedstocks. In Iran, most ethylene (about 70%) is produced from steam cracking of ethane. The rest ethylene (about 30%) is produced from naphtha. Iran has enough gas reservoirs to produce all ethylene from ethane, therefore, piecemeal changing the ethylene production feed from naphtha to ethane is rational and leads to GHG emission reduction. Using of these method can reduce the emission factors from 1.73 to 0.95 (ton CO 2 / ton produced ethylene) and from 6 to 3 (Kg CH4/ton produced ethylene) in average. So, the projected CO 2 equivalent emission reduction from this sector is about 2300 Gg in 2035 and about 35500 Gg until 2035 in comparison with BAU. 7
Nitric Acid Sector: Nitric acid is produced through catalytic oxidation of ammonia at high temperatures, which creates N 2 O as a reactionary by-product released from reactor vents into the atmosphere. Nitric acid production represents the majority of N 2 O emissions from industrial process. N 2 O abatement option has several variations developed by different companies, all involving the decomposition of N 2 O into nitrogen and oxygen using various catalysts. The average estimated reduction efficiency is approximately 90 percent. Using of these methods can reduce the emission factor from 9 to 2 (Kg N 2 O/ton produced acid) in average. So, the projected CO 2 equivalent emission reduction from this sector is about 550 ton annually in comparison with BAU. Methanol and Ammonia Sector: At present, there is no any effective method to reduce the process-wise GHG emission reduction from these subsectors. 3.2. Overall GHGs emission in industrial process sector Table 2 shows the effect of different subsectors on GHGs emission. Table2. The projected ability of subsectors on GHGs emission (Gg) year 2020 2025 2030 2035 Mineral 3853 4508 4736 4964 Chemical 2069 2651 2758 2865 Metal 2872 3543 4132 4720 It illustrates that the mineral and chemical sub-sectors have the maximum and minimum effect on GHGs emission reduction respectively. On the other hand, since the iron and steel sector has no effect on global GHGs emission reduction, the majority of accessible emission reduction is related to cement and aluminum subsector. Figure 3.2 shows the overall GHGs emission from industrial process sector. 8
Gg BAU MIT year Figure2. The overall emission from industrial process sector The total potential effect of industrial process sector on GHGs emission is more than 12,500 Gg CO 2 -equivalent in 2035 and about 200,000 Gg CO 2 -equivalent until 2035 as shown in figure 3.2. 3.3. Cost analysis for mitigation options Cost of saved carbon (CSC) is an indicator for reporting and comparing costs of GHG mitigations options. Cost Of Saved Carbon = CSC [ tc $ ] = NPV i [$] NPE j[tc] NPV: Net Present value of option at discount rate i. NPE: Net Present value or discounted sum of emissions (E) at discount rate j. Figure 3.3 compares the CSC indicators of various industrial process sub-sectors. Obviously the mentioned method for GHGs emission reduction in ethylene sub-sector is the most economical. It can be seen that execution of suggested projects for nitric acid, cement and aluminum sub-sectors need positive investment and the carbon market based studies shall be done for them. 9
CSC ($/T co2) CEMENT 30% NITRIC ACID ALUMINUM ETHYLENE total reduction (1000Gg) Figure3. The CSC Indicator versus Total Emission Reduction 4. National Abatement Plan Since there is one main reduction method in each industrial process sub-sector, finding out the priorities of the methods is not useful. It would be helpful if execution conditions for all sub-sectors were the same. In this condition, the arrangement of projects will be as follows: 1- Piecemeal changing the ethylene production feed from naphtha to natural gas. 2- Replacing a portion of the clinker with industrial by-products such as blast furnace slag in cement industry. 3- Improving Alumina feeding techniques and using improved computer controls in aluminum sector. 4- N 2 O abatement during a catalytic process in Nitric acid sub-sector. 10