Future Cleantech Architects at COP28 in Dubai
The 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) will be taking place in Dubai, UAE, from the 30th of November until the 12th of December this year. As in the past years, Future Cleantech Architects will be attending the conference and actively participating in a number of panels, events, and sessions with the goal to push cleantech innovation harder. You can find an overview of our biggest highlights and topics for this year's COP below.
We will continuously be updated this page with more information, so stay tuned!
We are preparing for COP28:
RD&D Survey with the UN Climate Change's TEC Team
Together with the Technology Executive Committee (TEC) of UN Climate Change, Future Cleantech Architects has launched a comprehensive survey on future needs in RD&D. We requested policy-makers from local and national governments, National Designated Entities (NDEs), and other planners and implementers, innovators, researchers, NGOs, and Think Tanks to complete this comprehensive survey. The full report will be published in December 2023.
A new factsheet on Long Duration Energy Storage for heat
We recently released our third edition of our series of The Basics & The Gaps focusing on Long Duration Energy Storage (LDES) for the Power System and are currently working on part two, focused on LDES for heat to be released at COP 28. The challenge to provide sufficient renewable energy to keep up with growing demand is huge and long duration energy storage (LDES), together with other energy flexibility tools, will be necessary to ensure security of supply and avoid massive waste of clean energy due to supply and demand fluctuations along daily, weekly, and seasonal time frames.
A new campaign, factsheet, and analysis on decarbonizing Aviation
To reach net zero by 2050, we require a holistic transformation of the aviation sector that takes into account both CO2 and non-CO2 effects. A new (pre)campaign, factsheet, and analysis on how to decarbonize Aviation, the fastest growing emmiter in the transport sector, is currently underway and will be soon released. The results and key takeaways will be presented at COP 28.
An analysis of solutions along the value chain for Cement
Ensuring the availability of safe, affordable housing, sustainable cities, and urban infrastructure for a growing global population and still reaching net zero all relies on the availability of emissions-free building materials. We are currently working on an infographic showcasing the cement/concrete/construction value chain. This analysis will include a mapping of the various low-carbon solutions along this value chain to provide a relatively comprehensive overview.
Why we focus on Long Duration Energy Storage, Aviation, Cement, and Hydrogen for COP 28:
Long Duration Energy Storage
Why do we need long duration energy storage?
Global electricity generation currently accounts for over 25% of global greenhouse gas emissions. The demand for global electricity generation has more than doubled in the last 30 years and is expected to double again by 2050 to meet continued population and GDP growth, as well as to cover the electrification of new sectors previously supplied with fossil fuels (such as heating, transport, and industrial processes).
Currently, flexibility is mostly provided by either burning fossil fuels (i.e. gas peaker plants) or hydropower stations. However, fossil fuels need to be phased out and hydropower is not universally available. In many cases, new low-carbon flexibility tools, such as long duration energy storage (LDES), will be required to minimize curtailment and fill in production gaps within daily, weekly, and seasonal timeframes.
Aviation
Why is the aviation sector so hard to decarbonize?
The transportation sector generates 15% of all global CO2,eq emissions and, currently, aviation accounts for around 2% every year. However, this does not give the full impact of aviation on the climate. Aviation accounts for 3.5% of global effective radiative forcing, i.e. 3.5% of global warming.
To overcome the industry's overwhelming reliance on conventional jet fuel, both alternative fuels and revolutionary aircraft designs are necessary. Additionally, to further help minimize the sector's warming impact on the planet, technological innovation should extend beyond the aircraft itself, encompass airport operations, and flight path optimization.
To reach net zero by 2050, we require a holistic transformation of the aviation sector that considers non-CO2 effects.
Cement
Why is the cement sector so relevant for reaching a net-zero 2050?
Currently, cement production is amongst the largest emitters of CO2: the cement industry alone represents about 5% of global GHG emissions (CO2 and other greenhouse gases combined). Cement is a fundamental element of concrete, and the global use of concrete is around 30 billion tons - far more than anything else except water (global use of wood is around 1 billion tons and steel is 1.6 billion). This is because concrete, and therefore cement, are essential for modern infrastructure such as buildings and bridges.
Demand for cement is projected to increase further still, which makes decarbonizing the sector even more urgent.
Hydrogen
Why does Green Hydrogen need to be prioritized for those sectors that need it the most?
Currently, hydrogen production is almost completely based on fossil fuels - less than 2% of hydrogen is green hydrogen. Since relevant technologies such as electrolyzers and CCUS are still very costly, scaling up green hydrogen production is a challenge.
Hydrogen is essential for the fertilizer and refining industry, and green hydrogen can be used as an alternative to decarbonizing sectors that need high-temperature heat, such as steel or cement production. Hence, produced green hydrogen should be prioritized for those sectors that need it the most.