News | Headlines CO2 emissions at ‘highest level in history’ - IEA


Worldwide Emissions abatement Global energy-related carbon dioxide emissions rose 6% in 2021 by over 2 billion tonnes to 36.3 billion tonnes, the highest ever level, as the world economy rebounded strongly from the COVID-19 crisis and relied heavily on coal to power that growth, according to a new International Energy Agency analysis ‘Global Energy Analysis: CO2


emissions in 2021’.


It was also the largest ever annual rise in absolute terms, more than offsetting the previous year’s pandemic-induced decline. The recovery of energy demand in 2021 was compounded by adverse weather and energy market conditions – notably the spikes in natural gas prices – which led to more coal being burned despite renewable power generation registering its largest ever growth.


These energy statistics are based on the IEA’s detailed region-by-region and fuel-by-fuel analysis, drawing on the latest official national data and publicly available energy, economic and weather data. Combined with the methane emissions estimates that the IEA published in February and estimates of nitrous oxide and flaring-related CO2


emissions, the new analysis


shows that overall greenhouse gas emissions from energy rose to their highest ever level in 2021.


The numbers make clear that the global economic recovery from the COVID-19 crisis has not been the sustainable recovery that IEA executive director Dr Fatih Birol called for during the early stages of the pandemic in 2020. The world must now ensure that the global rebound in emissions in 2021 was a one-off –


and that an accelerated energy transition contributes to global energy security and lower energy prices for consumers, said the IEA. According to the analysis coal accounted for more than 40% of the overall growth in global CO2


emissions from natural gas rebounded well above their 2019 levels to 7.5 billion tonnes. At 10.7 billion tonnes, CO2


emissions in 2021, reaching an all-time high of 15.3 billion tonnes. CO2


emissions


from oil remained significantly below pre-pandemic levels because of the limited recovery in global transport activity in 2021, mainly in the aviation sector.


Despite the rebound in coal use, renewable energy sources and nuclear power provided a higher share of global electricity generation than coal in 2021.


Siemens Gamesa steps up WTG manufacturing


Siemens Gamesa has started manufacture of its patented offshore direct drive wind turbine nacelles and patented integral blades at its new factory in Le Havre, France. It is reputedly the largest industrial renewable energy project in the country, and the first facility anywhere to encompass both offshore wind turbine nacelle and blade manufacturing under one roof. A dedicated installation hub is also under finalisation on the same site. Filippo Cimitan, MD of Siemens Gamesa


France , commented: “The first nacelles and blades headed for the Bay of Saint Brieuc and Fecamp projects are tangible proof of the power of commitment to renewable energy in France. The French Offshore Sector Deal recently signed by the French


‘World first’ plasma electrolyser project


UK Hydrogen economy Scientists at the University of Aberdeen are embarking on a £250 000 research project that aims to achieve a world first by using a plasma electrolyser to convert carbon dioxide into hydrocarbons for energy use.


The project – Electrocatalysis in non-thermal plasma for energy storage – is funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). It is one of ten projects just announced by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) that are designed to support the development of ground-breaking ideas for new materials, devices, fuels and technologies in support of the UK’s ambition to achieve a net zero society by 2050.


8 | April 2022 | www.modernpowersystems.com


Led by professor Angel Cuesta Ciscar from Edinburgh university’s School of Natural and Computing Sciences, and Dr Panagiotis Kechagiopoulos from the School of Engineering, the project will explore how carbon dioxide could be converted into hydrocarbons for energy use through plasma electrocatalysis.


They will aim to create an electrochemical reaction by applying a voltage between two electrodes in a weakly ionised gas, resulting in the reduction of CO2


and the oxidation of hydrogen.


This combination of plasma-catalysis and electrocatalysis could allow the use of renewable electricity generated by renewable sources to


power a plasma electrolyser, in an entirely new process that would efficiently convert CO2


to hydrocarbons, reducing CO2 of a circular economy model.


back emissions as part


The team’s aim is to build a prototype device that could be used for efficient energy storage, or to decarbonise important industrial processes that produce a large amounts of CO2


such as cement or steel production. Professor Angel Cuesta Ciscar commented: “Despite the wide research interest in plasma-catalysis this approach has never been attempted … while challenging, there is the exciting potential to develop a device that could play a crucial role in the creation of a circular fuel economy.”


government commits to 18 GW to be installed by 2035 and for awards growing from 2 GW per year from 2025 onwards. The growth path is crystal clear”. Siemens Gamesa has approximately 2.5 GW of capacity currently in its French pipeline, including firm orders for the 496 MW Bay of Saint Brieuc project, the 497 MW Fecamp project, the 448 MW Calvados


(formerly Courseulles-sur-Mer) project, and the 24 MW Provence Grand Large floating offshore wind power project. Preferred supplier agreements include 496 MW Yeu Noirmoutier and Dieppe le Tréport, also 496 MW. These arrays will have Siemens Gamesa 7 MW and 8 MW offshore direct drive WTGs installed, and employ 75 m B75 blades and 81 m B81 blades.


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