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Search results for: “biogas”

  • Landfill gas: rags to riches?

    Landfill gas: rags to riches?

    Methane emissions from landfills account for 2% of global CO2e. c70% of these emissions could easily be abated for c$5/ton, simply by capturing and flaring the methane. Going further, low cost uses of landfill gas in heat and power can also make good sense. But vast subsidies for landfill gas upgrading or RNG vehicles may…

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  • Combined heat and power turbines: market sizing?

    Combined heat and power turbines: market sizing?

    The purpose of this data-file is to ballpark the ultimate potential market size for combined heat and power systems in the US (CHPs). Our build-up looks across five main categories: large power facilities, large industrial heating facilities, landfill gas, electric vehicle charging and smaller-scale commercial and multi-family usage.

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  • Global CO2 emissions breakdown?

    Global CO2 emissions breakdown?

    Global CO2 emissions rose from 32GTpa of CO2-equivalents in 1990 to 54GTpa in 2024, and are seen optimistically declining to 30GTpa by 2050, on a gross basis. This global CO2 emisisons breakdown covers 33 sources that each explain over 0.5% of global CO2e emissions, as a way of tracking emissions by source, by year, and…

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  • Sabatier process: synthetic natural gas costs?

    Sabatier process: synthetic natural gas costs?

    The Sabatier process combines CO2 and hydrogen to yield synthetic natural gas using a nickel catalyst at 300-400C. A gas price of $100/mcf is needed for a 10% IRR, energy penalties exceed 75% and CO2 abatement cost is $2,000/ton?

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  • Biofuel technologies: an overview?

    Biofuel technologies: an overview?

    Biofuels are currently displacing 3.5Mboed of oil and gas. But they are not carbon-free, and their weighted average CO2 emissions are only c50% lower. This data-file breaks down the biofuels market across seven key feedstocks, to help identify which opportunities can scale for the lowest costs and CO2, versus others that require further technical progress.

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  • Industrial gas separation: swing producers?

    Industrial gas separation: swing producers?

    Swing Adsorption separates gases, based on their differential loading onto zeolite adsorbents at varying Pressures. The first PSA plant goes back to 1966. Today, tens of thousands of PSA plants purify hydrogen, biogas, polymers, nitrogen/oxygen and possibly in the future, can capture CO2? This 16-page note explores the technology, costs, challenges, companies.

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  • MIRALON: turquoise hydrogen breakthrough?

    MIRALON: turquoise hydrogen breakthrough?

    MIRALON is an advanced material, being commercialized by Huntsman, purifying carbon nanotubes from the pyrolysis of methane and also yielding turquoise hydrogen. This data-file reviews MIRALON technology, patents, and a strong moat. Our model sees 15% IRRs if Huntsman reaches a medium-term cost target of $10/kg MIRALON and $1/kg H2.

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  • Mainspring Energy: linear generator breakthrough?

    Mainspring Energy: linear generator breakthrough?

    Linear generator technology can convert any gaseous fuel into electricity, with c45% electrical efficiency, and >80% efficiency in CHP mode. This data-file reviews Mainspring Energy’s patents. We conclude that the company has locked up the IP for piston-seal assemblies in a linear generator with air bearings, but longevity/maintenance could be a key challenge to explore.

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  • Commercial aviation: fuel economy of planes?

    Commercial aviation: fuel economy of planes?

    This data-file calculates the fuel economy of planes from first principles, using physics to calculate lift and drag, and comparing with actual data from aircraft manufacturers. The typical fuel economy of a plane is 80 passenger-mpg to carry 400 passengers, 8,000km at 900kmph, using jet fuel with 12,000 Wh/kg energy density. What sensitivities and decarbonization…

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  • Global power price volatility tracker?

    Global power price volatility tracker?

    The volatility of power grids has doubled over the past decade from 2013-2024. This data-file tracks the percentile-by-percentile distributions of power prices, each year, in seven major grid regions (Texas, California, US MidWest, Australia, the UK, Germany, and Spain), as a way of tracking increases in global power price volatility. The growing volatility of power…

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