Andrea Ramirez - Profile on Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Andrea Ramirez
Atmospheric Environment, Apr 1, 2010
This study quantifies the trade-offs and synergies between climate and air quality policy objecti... more This study quantifies the trade-offs and synergies between climate and air quality policy objectives for the European power and heat (P&H) sector. An overview is presented of the expected performance data of CO 2 capture systems implemented at P&H plants, and the expected emission of key air pollutants, being: SO 2 , NO X , NH 3 , volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and particulate matter (PM). The CO 2 capture systems investigated include: post-combustion, oxyfuel combustion and pre-combustion capture.
Geociencias, 2012
Endereços eletrônicos: M.A.vandenBroek@uu.nl; C.A.Ramirez@uu.nl
Geophysical Research Abstracts, May 1, 2014
Multiregional environmental comparison of fossil fuel power generation—Assessment of the contribution of fugitive emissions from conventional and unconventional fossil resources
International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, 2015
ABSTRACT In this paper we investigate the influence of fugitive methane emissions from coal, natu... more ABSTRACT In this paper we investigate the influence of fugitive methane emissions from coal, natural gas, and shale gas extraction on the greenhouse gas (GHG) impacts of fossil fuel power generation through its life cycle. A multiregional hybridized life cycle assessment (LCA) model is used to evaluate several electricity generation technologies with and without carbon dioxide capture and storage. Based on data from the UNFCCC and other literature sources, it is shown that methane emissions from fossil fuel production vary more widely than commonly acknowledged in the LCA literature. This high variability, together with regional disparity in methane emissions, points to the existence of both significant uncertainty and natural variability. The results indicate that the impact of fugitive methane emissions can be significant, ranging from 3% to 56% of total impacts depending on type of technology and region. Total GHG emissions, in CO2-eq./kWh, vary considerably according to the region of the power plant, plant type, and the choice of associated fugitive methane emissions, with values as low as 0.08 kg CO2-eq./kWh and as high as 1.52 kg CO2-eq./kWh. The variability indicates significant opportunities for controlling methane emissions from fuel chains.
Preliminary Results of a Techno-Economic Assessment of CO2 Capture-network Configurations in the Industry
Energy Procedia, 2013
ABSTRACT
Energy Procedia, 2009
The main goal of this study is to identify knowledge gaps and uncertainties in Quantitative Risk ... more The main goal of this study is to identify knowledge gaps and uncertainties in Quantitative Risk Assessments (QRA) for CO 2 pipelines and to assess to what extent those gaps and uncertainties affect the final outcome of the QRA. The impact of methodological choices and uncertain values for input parameters on the results of QRA's have been assessed through an extensive literature review and by using commercially available release, dispersion and effect models. It is made apparent that over the full life cycle of a QRA knowledge gaps and uncertainties are present that may have large scale impact on the accuracy of assessing risks of CO 2 pipelines. These encompass the invalidated release and dispersion models, the currently used failure rates, choosing the type of release to be modeled and the dose-effect relationships assumed. Also recommendations are presented for the improvement of QRA's for CO 2 pipelines.
Energy Procedia, 2013
In this article, an economic optimization tool is developed taking into account different steel g... more In this article, an economic optimization tool is developed taking into account different steel grades, inlet pressure, diameter and booster stations for point-to-point pipelines as well as for simple networks. Preliminary results show that gaseous CO 2 transport is cost effective for relatively small mass flows and short (trunk) pipelines. For instance, for a pipeline transporting 5 Mt/y over 100 km of agricultural terrain, gaseous transport would cost 10.2 (including initial compression). In terms of materials, the results indicate that higher steel grades (X70) are the most cost effective for onshore pipelines transporting liquid CO 2 while for gaseous CO f f 2 lower steel grades (X42) are more cost effective.
Energy Procedia, 2013
This study analyses the impact of technological improvements and increased operating experience o... more This study analyses the impact of technological improvements and increased operating experience on the techno-economic performance of integrated gasification facilities producing electricity and/or transportation fuels. Also, the impact of using torrefied biomass instead of coal and/or applying CCS is examined. Results indicate that current production costs of electricity and/or transportation fuels are above market prices. Future improvements, however, could reduce production costs sufficiently to make gasification facilities economical. Furthermore, although CCS can be used to reduce CO 2 emissions at relative low CO 2 avoidance costs, only the use of biomass allows the production of carbon neutral electricity and/or transportation fuels and in combination with CCS can even result in negative CO 2 emissions.
Development of a large scale CO2 infrastructure. The case of the Netherlands
IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 2009
Page 1. Development of a large scale CO2 infrastructure. The case of the Netherlands This article... more Page 1. Development of a large scale CO2 infrastructure. The case of the Netherlands This article has been downloaded from IOPscience. Please scroll down to see the full text article. 2009 IOP Conf. Ser.: Earth Environ. Sci. 6 172009 ...
Analysis of potentials and costs of CO {sub 2} storage in the Utsira aquifer in the North Sea
The influence of risk mitigation measures on the risks, costs and routing of CO 2 pipelines
ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to analyze whether, and if so, in what way risks would influen... more ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to analyze whether, and if so, in what way risks would influence the design, costs and routing of CO2 pipelines. This article assesses locational and societal risks of CO2 pipeline transport and analyses whether rerouting or implementing additional risk mitigation measures is the most cost-effective option. The models EFFECTS and RISKCURVES are used to estimate the dispersion and risk, respectively. The pipeline routes are optimized by using the least cost path function in ArcGIS. This article evaluates three case studies in the Netherlands. The results show that pipelines transporting dense phase CO2 (8–17 MPa) with a minimal amount of risk mitigation measures already meet the 10−6 locational risk required in the Netherlands. 10−6 locational risks of 135 m are calculated for intermediate pumping stations, handling 450 kg CO2/s (about 14 Mt CO2/year). In all the cases, pumping stations could be located along the pipeline route without any problem. For the cases studied transporting gaseous CO2 (1.5–3 MPa) leads to larger 10−6 locational risk distances than transporting dense phase CO2. This is caused by the large momentum behind a dense phase CO2 release, leading to smaller but higher jet and to a higher mixing rate with the surrounding air than for a gaseous CO2 release. Based on our analysis, it can be concluded that dense phase CO2 transport is safe if it is well organized. The risks are manageable and widely accepted under current legislation. In addition, risk mitigation measures, like marker tape and increased surveillance, are available which reduce the risk significantly and increase the costs only slightly. Pipeline routing for gaseous CO2 transport appears more challenging in densely populated areas, because larger safety zones are attached to it.
Analysis of potentials and costs of storage CO2 in the Utsira aquifer in the North Sea, Country report–The Netherlands
Analysis of potentials and costs of storage CO2 in the Utsira aquifer in the North Sea, WP2: Assessment and harmonization of CCS related economic and physical performance parameters of the MARKAL and TIMES models
Energy Procedia, 2013
This paper reports the development of a tool to assess the environmental performance of carbon di... more This paper reports the development of a tool to assess the environmental performance of carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) chains. The environmental assessment is done for the whole CCS chain. The tool has been designed to produce transparent and traceable results and is easy to work with. The tool is meant for a broad group of stakeholders for assessing CCS chains on their environmental performance. It provides insights into the environmental performance of CCS chains by using a learning-by-doing experience for users. It allows both knowledge sharing and stakeholder engagement so that view points of stakeholders are better understood and decision making on the deployment of CCS can be improved.
Energy Procedia, 2009
The focus of this research is to develop a first assessment of the impacts of the implementation ... more The focus of this research is to develop a first assessment of the impacts of the implementation of CO 2 capture technologies in the Dutch power sector on the transboundary air pollution (SO 2 , NO X , NH 3 , NMVOC, PM 10 and PM 2.5 ) levels in 2020. Results show that for the power sector SO 2 emissions will be very low for scenarios that include large scale implementation of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS). The annual emissions of NO x are estimated to be lower in all scenarios with greenhouse gas reductions. However, applying the post-combustion technology on existing power plants may result in higher NO x emissions per kWh. Both SO 2 and NO x emissions from the power sector are a substantial part of the current national total. Large scale implementation of the post-combustion CO 2 capture technology may result in more than 5 times higher NH 3 emissions compared to scenarios without CCS and to other capture options (i.e. pre-combustion and oxyfuel combustion). Particulate Matter (PM) emissions are lower in the scenarios with CO 2 reduction. A scenario with large scale implementation of the oxyfuel technology shows the lowest emissions of PM. In the scenarios with post-combustion capture Non Methane Volatile Organic Compounds emissions may increase due to the emission of solvents used in the capture process. The main conclusion is that climate policy and air quality policy are entwined and may result in synergies and trade-offs. Quantification of these synergies and trade-offs however encompasses inaccuracies due to data uncertainty and knowledge gaps.
Energy Procedia, 2014
Equipping power plants with carbon capture technologies increases the (cooling) water demand of t... more Equipping power plants with carbon capture technologies increases the (cooling) water demand of these plants. This study explores the potential impact of such increase in water demand on the regional water scarcity in Europe. A database with key characteristics of 458 of the largest European power plants is developed and the water use of these power plants is estimated. The water use of the power plants are spatially linked to current water stress index levels. Several prospective scenarios are developed accounting for variations in the future configuration of Europe's electricity generation and different penetration rates of carbon capture technology. Regional water stress index levels are calculated to compare the potential impact of applying carbon capture technologies on the water stress. Preliminary results indicate that the increase of water use due to carbon capture technology is partly expected to be compensated by the deployment of more efficient energy conversion methods which require less cooling water. As such, no significant increase in water stress is expected in the short term (2030), as the carbon capture penetration level in European power plants is expected to be quite low. However, on the long term (2050), large scale instalment of carbon capture technologies in power plants might significantly increase the water stress throughout Europe.
Atmospheric Environment, Apr 1, 2010
This study quantifies the trade-offs and synergies between climate and air quality policy objecti... more This study quantifies the trade-offs and synergies between climate and air quality policy objectives for the European power and heat (P&H) sector. An overview is presented of the expected performance data of CO 2 capture systems implemented at P&H plants, and the expected emission of key air pollutants, being: SO 2 , NO X , NH 3 , volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and particulate matter (PM). The CO 2 capture systems investigated include: post-combustion, oxyfuel combustion and pre-combustion capture.
Geociencias, 2012
Endereços eletrônicos: M.A.vandenBroek@uu.nl; C.A.Ramirez@uu.nl
Geophysical Research Abstracts, May 1, 2014
Multiregional environmental comparison of fossil fuel power generation—Assessment of the contribution of fugitive emissions from conventional and unconventional fossil resources
International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, 2015
ABSTRACT In this paper we investigate the influence of fugitive methane emissions from coal, natu... more ABSTRACT In this paper we investigate the influence of fugitive methane emissions from coal, natural gas, and shale gas extraction on the greenhouse gas (GHG) impacts of fossil fuel power generation through its life cycle. A multiregional hybridized life cycle assessment (LCA) model is used to evaluate several electricity generation technologies with and without carbon dioxide capture and storage. Based on data from the UNFCCC and other literature sources, it is shown that methane emissions from fossil fuel production vary more widely than commonly acknowledged in the LCA literature. This high variability, together with regional disparity in methane emissions, points to the existence of both significant uncertainty and natural variability. The results indicate that the impact of fugitive methane emissions can be significant, ranging from 3% to 56% of total impacts depending on type of technology and region. Total GHG emissions, in CO2-eq./kWh, vary considerably according to the region of the power plant, plant type, and the choice of associated fugitive methane emissions, with values as low as 0.08 kg CO2-eq./kWh and as high as 1.52 kg CO2-eq./kWh. The variability indicates significant opportunities for controlling methane emissions from fuel chains.
Preliminary Results of a Techno-Economic Assessment of CO2 Capture-network Configurations in the Industry
Energy Procedia, 2013
ABSTRACT
Energy Procedia, 2009
The main goal of this study is to identify knowledge gaps and uncertainties in Quantitative Risk ... more The main goal of this study is to identify knowledge gaps and uncertainties in Quantitative Risk Assessments (QRA) for CO 2 pipelines and to assess to what extent those gaps and uncertainties affect the final outcome of the QRA. The impact of methodological choices and uncertain values for input parameters on the results of QRA's have been assessed through an extensive literature review and by using commercially available release, dispersion and effect models. It is made apparent that over the full life cycle of a QRA knowledge gaps and uncertainties are present that may have large scale impact on the accuracy of assessing risks of CO 2 pipelines. These encompass the invalidated release and dispersion models, the currently used failure rates, choosing the type of release to be modeled and the dose-effect relationships assumed. Also recommendations are presented for the improvement of QRA's for CO 2 pipelines.
Energy Procedia, 2013
In this article, an economic optimization tool is developed taking into account different steel g... more In this article, an economic optimization tool is developed taking into account different steel grades, inlet pressure, diameter and booster stations for point-to-point pipelines as well as for simple networks. Preliminary results show that gaseous CO 2 transport is cost effective for relatively small mass flows and short (trunk) pipelines. For instance, for a pipeline transporting 5 Mt/y over 100 km of agricultural terrain, gaseous transport would cost 10.2 (including initial compression). In terms of materials, the results indicate that higher steel grades (X70) are the most cost effective for onshore pipelines transporting liquid CO 2 while for gaseous CO f f 2 lower steel grades (X42) are more cost effective.
Energy Procedia, 2013
This study analyses the impact of technological improvements and increased operating experience o... more This study analyses the impact of technological improvements and increased operating experience on the techno-economic performance of integrated gasification facilities producing electricity and/or transportation fuels. Also, the impact of using torrefied biomass instead of coal and/or applying CCS is examined. Results indicate that current production costs of electricity and/or transportation fuels are above market prices. Future improvements, however, could reduce production costs sufficiently to make gasification facilities economical. Furthermore, although CCS can be used to reduce CO 2 emissions at relative low CO 2 avoidance costs, only the use of biomass allows the production of carbon neutral electricity and/or transportation fuels and in combination with CCS can even result in negative CO 2 emissions.
Development of a large scale CO2 infrastructure. The case of the Netherlands
IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 2009
Page 1. Development of a large scale CO2 infrastructure. The case of the Netherlands This article... more Page 1. Development of a large scale CO2 infrastructure. The case of the Netherlands This article has been downloaded from IOPscience. Please scroll down to see the full text article. 2009 IOP Conf. Ser.: Earth Environ. Sci. 6 172009 ...
Analysis of potentials and costs of CO {sub 2} storage in the Utsira aquifer in the North Sea
The influence of risk mitigation measures on the risks, costs and routing of CO 2 pipelines
ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to analyze whether, and if so, in what way risks would influen... more ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to analyze whether, and if so, in what way risks would influence the design, costs and routing of CO2 pipelines. This article assesses locational and societal risks of CO2 pipeline transport and analyses whether rerouting or implementing additional risk mitigation measures is the most cost-effective option. The models EFFECTS and RISKCURVES are used to estimate the dispersion and risk, respectively. The pipeline routes are optimized by using the least cost path function in ArcGIS. This article evaluates three case studies in the Netherlands. The results show that pipelines transporting dense phase CO2 (8–17 MPa) with a minimal amount of risk mitigation measures already meet the 10−6 locational risk required in the Netherlands. 10−6 locational risks of 135 m are calculated for intermediate pumping stations, handling 450 kg CO2/s (about 14 Mt CO2/year). In all the cases, pumping stations could be located along the pipeline route without any problem. For the cases studied transporting gaseous CO2 (1.5–3 MPa) leads to larger 10−6 locational risk distances than transporting dense phase CO2. This is caused by the large momentum behind a dense phase CO2 release, leading to smaller but higher jet and to a higher mixing rate with the surrounding air than for a gaseous CO2 release. Based on our analysis, it can be concluded that dense phase CO2 transport is safe if it is well organized. The risks are manageable and widely accepted under current legislation. In addition, risk mitigation measures, like marker tape and increased surveillance, are available which reduce the risk significantly and increase the costs only slightly. Pipeline routing for gaseous CO2 transport appears more challenging in densely populated areas, because larger safety zones are attached to it.
Analysis of potentials and costs of storage CO2 in the Utsira aquifer in the North Sea, Country report–The Netherlands
Analysis of potentials and costs of storage CO2 in the Utsira aquifer in the North Sea, WP2: Assessment and harmonization of CCS related economic and physical performance parameters of the MARKAL and TIMES models
Energy Procedia, 2013
This paper reports the development of a tool to assess the environmental performance of carbon di... more This paper reports the development of a tool to assess the environmental performance of carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) chains. The environmental assessment is done for the whole CCS chain. The tool has been designed to produce transparent and traceable results and is easy to work with. The tool is meant for a broad group of stakeholders for assessing CCS chains on their environmental performance. It provides insights into the environmental performance of CCS chains by using a learning-by-doing experience for users. It allows both knowledge sharing and stakeholder engagement so that view points of stakeholders are better understood and decision making on the deployment of CCS can be improved.
Energy Procedia, 2009
The focus of this research is to develop a first assessment of the impacts of the implementation ... more The focus of this research is to develop a first assessment of the impacts of the implementation of CO 2 capture technologies in the Dutch power sector on the transboundary air pollution (SO 2 , NO X , NH 3 , NMVOC, PM 10 and PM 2.5 ) levels in 2020. Results show that for the power sector SO 2 emissions will be very low for scenarios that include large scale implementation of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS). The annual emissions of NO x are estimated to be lower in all scenarios with greenhouse gas reductions. However, applying the post-combustion technology on existing power plants may result in higher NO x emissions per kWh. Both SO 2 and NO x emissions from the power sector are a substantial part of the current national total. Large scale implementation of the post-combustion CO 2 capture technology may result in more than 5 times higher NH 3 emissions compared to scenarios without CCS and to other capture options (i.e. pre-combustion and oxyfuel combustion). Particulate Matter (PM) emissions are lower in the scenarios with CO 2 reduction. A scenario with large scale implementation of the oxyfuel technology shows the lowest emissions of PM. In the scenarios with post-combustion capture Non Methane Volatile Organic Compounds emissions may increase due to the emission of solvents used in the capture process. The main conclusion is that climate policy and air quality policy are entwined and may result in synergies and trade-offs. Quantification of these synergies and trade-offs however encompasses inaccuracies due to data uncertainty and knowledge gaps.
Energy Procedia, 2014
Equipping power plants with carbon capture technologies increases the (cooling) water demand of t... more Equipping power plants with carbon capture technologies increases the (cooling) water demand of these plants. This study explores the potential impact of such increase in water demand on the regional water scarcity in Europe. A database with key characteristics of 458 of the largest European power plants is developed and the water use of these power plants is estimated. The water use of the power plants are spatially linked to current water stress index levels. Several prospective scenarios are developed accounting for variations in the future configuration of Europe's electricity generation and different penetration rates of carbon capture technology. Regional water stress index levels are calculated to compare the potential impact of applying carbon capture technologies on the water stress. Preliminary results indicate that the increase of water use due to carbon capture technology is partly expected to be compensated by the deployment of more efficient energy conversion methods which require less cooling water. As such, no significant increase in water stress is expected in the short term (2030), as the carbon capture penetration level in European power plants is expected to be quite low. However, on the long term (2050), large scale instalment of carbon capture technologies in power plants might significantly increase the water stress throughout Europe.