Lead PI Warren Mabee

KINGSTON, ON, May 2013 – Researchers at Queen’s Institute for Energy and Environmental Policy are working with Lafarge to test using low carbon fuels including construction and demolition waste, asphalt shingles, utility poles and railway ties, to help power cement plants.

Canada’s cement industry is responsible for up to 3% of the country’s carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions and about 30-40% of those emissions are due to burning coal and petcoke. But there has been some reluctance to introducing mixed biomass waste as low carbon fuel in cement plants, says Dr. Warren Mabee, the lead investigator on the joint project with Lafarge.

“There has been concern about using some waste streams, partly because of a lack of good science to quantify emission reductions, and partly because people are worried that combustion of these materials might lead to other kinds of pollution,” he says. “This project is designed to explore these issues. We will be able to verify the practicality and safety of using these feedstocks in a real industrial process. Work to date indicates that they are safe and highly suitable.”

Carbon Management Canada (CMC) a national network that supports game-changing research to reduce CO₂ emissions in the fossil energy industry as well as from other large stationary emitters, is providing Mabee and his team (including Dr. Andrew Pollard, also at Queen’s) $400,000 over three years.

Mabee’s CMC-funded research feeds into a larger project undertaken by Lafarge and Natural Resources Canada. Together, all partners have contributed more than $8 million to develop innovative solutions to power Lafarge Canada’s cement plant in Bath, Ontario, by re-using local surplus materials as low carbon fuels.

Mabee’s project will also produce the first science to include comparative life cycle assessments, full emission comparisons, evaluation of water use, and burner optimization.

The low carbon fuels will include debris from construction and demolition sites, materials that can’t be recycled and railway ties. Cement plants combust burn fuel at a high enough temperature to achieve complete combustion which eliminates harmful emissions and converts non-combustible components into cement.

“These burners are already set up to handle coal – a very dirty feedstock – and therefore it’s easy for us to manage any negative emissions associated with burning cleaner, lower carbon alternatives,” says Mabee. “We will be measuring the impact of low carbon fuels in a real in a real plant making real cement. This will give us a very good sense of how these fuels will perform in the real world.”

In its most recent round of funding, CMC is awarding $3.75 million to Canadian researchers working on eight different projects. The awards were made after a rigorous, international, peer-reviewed process.

For printable PDF:

W. Mabee – Low carbon fuels

Lead PI Warren Mabee

Dr. Warren Mabee’s Round 3 CMC project – Low carbon fuel demonstration project for the cement industry – is part of the following initiative.

BATH, ON, May 3, 2013 – Lafarge Canada Inc, Natural Resources Canada, the Queen’s Institute for Energy and Environmental Policy and Carbon Management Canada announced today that they are joining forces and investing more than $8 million to develop innovative solutions to power Lafarge Canada’s cement plant in Bath, Ontario, by re-using local surplus materials as low carbon fuels.

This multi-partner initiative intends to produce low emission, low carbon fuels from local supplies such as construction and demolition site debris (wood based), railway ties, and other energy containing materials that aren’t presently recycled. The results of this full-scale demonstration program will enable the Canadian cement industry to adopt low carbon fuels faster, making the industry more competitive while providing better local value to local communities and, importantly, reducing carbon emissions.

“Our commitment is to build better cities and communities. Being a responsible neighbour and sustainable partner in the community where we live, work and raise our families is part our core values,” said Bob Cartmel, President and Chief Executive Officer in Eastern Canada for Lafarge Canada Inc. “We are delighted to bring this world class demonstration initiative to the Canadian cement industry. We believe that this project is exactly in line with our mission of building better cities by lowering our carbon footprint, making use of local fuel supplies, and creating local sustainable jobs.

In meeting Canada’s extensive infrastructure needs, the Canadian cement industry currently emits about 3.8% of the country’s carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions and about 30-40% of those emissions are due to fossil fuel use. With the help of its partners, Lafarge Canada’s project will enable the Bath cement plant to use renewable, low carbon fuels that can be found locally, reducing its own greenhouse gas emissions, making use of materials that our cities and towns don’t currently reuse, and offer a sustainable alternative to the industry at large.

Carbon Management Canada (CMC), a network of Centres of Excellence that supports research to reduce CO₂ emissions, is funding Dr. Mabee, Dr. Pollard, and their team’s low carbon fuel research with a $400,000 grant over three years. Queen’s University will evaluate the life cycle benefits of low carbon fuels in the cement industry as well as in-depth validation of expected emission reductions.

“We will be measuring the impact of low carbon fuels in a real kiln, in a real plant, making real cement, said Dr. Warren Mabee, director of Queen’s University Institute for Energy and Environmental Policy and lead investigator on the joint project with Lafarge Canada. “This project will give us a very good sense of how these fuels will perform in the real world.”

Natural Resources Canada is awarding $2.68 million to Lafarge Canada to construct this full-scale demonstration plant.

“Through the ecoENERGY Innovation Initiative, our Government is investing in innovative clean energy technologies that create jobs, generate new economic opportunities and protect the environment,” said the Honourable Joe Oliver, Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources. “This program demonstrates our tangible support for energy projects that drive energy innovation.”

Other project partners include Pollution Probe, WWF Canada, Queen’s University, the Cement Association of Canada, Mesa Bioenergy, Scott Environmental, and Rail Link, a Metis company.

To learn more about Dr. Mabee’s project:

Click here

Or access printable PDF

W. Mabee – Low carbon fuels

Prof. Nigel Bankes

Author: Prof. Nigel Bankes, Faculty of Law, University of Calgary

The attached post draws attention to a recent decision of the Energy Resources Conservation Board in Alberta dealing with a CO2-EOR miscible flood project. The decision points to an important gap in the property and regulatory framework for CO2-EOR projects in Alberta because of the absence of compulsory unitization provisions in Alberta’s oil and gas conservation legislation. In this particular case the project operator, Glencoe Resources, was unable to persuade one party to join the unitization. That party is now free-riding on Glencoe’s project. In the context of carbon management it is important to note that the free rider is also venting the CO2 which is produced in association with its oil. Had the pool in question been fully unitized the free rider’s producing well would have been integrated in Glencoe’s operations and any CO2 produced from that well captured and re-injected into the reservoir.

Click here to read complete blog

Or view PDF:
Blog_NB_Butte_Energy_May20131

Dr. Guy Mercier

What: Webinar on using hard rock mine waste to accelerate carbon mineralization
Who: Dr. Guy Mercier, INRS, Dr. Greg Dipple, UBC
When: Tuesday, May 14, 2013, 1 pm MT

To Register

CMC is hosting a webinar focusing on two carbon sequestration methods that involve waste rock from mines.

Featured speakers for the May 14 webinar are Dr. Greg Dipple, Department Head for Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences at the University of British Columbia, and Dr. Guy Mercier, of the Institut national de la recherche scientifique in Quebec. Both researchers are working on enhancing carbonation processes and both are using waste rock from mines, albeit using very different processes.

The webinar is one of a series CMC is developing to take research to a wider audience that includes industry stakeholders as well as other researchers in Canada and abroad.

“Our investigators are working on processes and technologies that we believe are of interest to industry stakeholders and to other researchers. The processes on which Dr. Mercier and Dr. Dipple are working will help reduce carbon emissions in industry and have the added benefit of saving costs for those industries,” said Richard Adamson, CMC Managing Director.

Crushed rock in flue gas streams

Mercier is working with an international team of researchers to develop a process that would see steel, coal and cement plants as well as oil and gas facilities remove most of the carbon dioxide (CO₂) from their emissions through chemical reactions with various types of crushed rocks in the stacks. Waste materials, such as rock, concrete or mine tailings, are crushed into a powder form and then released into a plant’s flue gas stream. The resulting chemical reaction removes about 80% of the CO₂. The resulting carbonate byproducts can be sold to a variety of industries for use as a refractory material or an alkaline agent in wastewater treatment.

“This will allow companies to profit while sequestering CO₂, says Mercier.

Accelerated mineralization with mine tailings

Dipple and his colleagues are also using mine waste material to sequester CO₂ but they are working with mine tailings in ponds. One area of investigation involves increasing the concentration of CO₂ supplied to a slurry similar in chemical composition to tailing process water. Results show a 200-fold rate of increase over atmospheric weathering just by increasing the concentration of CO₂ in the air passed through the slurry to 10%.

In a second approach Dipple’s team is using an enzyme, carbonic anhydrase, to catalyse the hydration of aqueous CO₂ to a form that can be mineralized. Ultimately, the team plans to combine both methods – higher concentrations of CO₂ will be used with the enzyme – for a vastly accelerated mineralization process.

Dipple points out that in mine waste rock and tailings that are rich in magnesium silicate minerals, carbon fixation capacity is much larger than total greenhouse gas production from mine operations. Some large mines could therefore operate as net carbon sinks, turning their mine waste into a resource by absorbing the carbon dioxide emissions of other industries.

The webinar begins at 1 pm MT on May 14, 2013. To register for this free event go to:
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5239318391439478272

Dr. Anita Arduini in Beijing

Dr. Anita Arduini, Program Director for CMC, recently attended the 6th International Petroleum Technology Conference in Beijing, China co-hosted by the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) and ExxonMobil. She wrote this blog about her experience.

The 6th International Petroleum Technology Conference attracted over 3500 delegates from 60 countries with its theme of “Challenging Technology and Economic Limits to Meet the Global Energy Demand”.

The conference started with a CEO plenary session with comments from executives of CNPC, Royal Dutch Shell, Saudi Aramco, Baker Hughes and Woodside Energy Ltd. It was stated that traditional fossil fuels will continue to play a dominant role in the world’s energy mix, but new sources of energy will play an increasing role particularly unconventional oil and gas. Many of these new sources of energy will be found in challenging areas such as deep water and the Arctic. The cost of developing these resources is increasing.

Collaboration is necessary

All executives stressed that collaborations and partnerships are necessary for the development of the energy industry. No one company can do it alone anymore because the scale and cost of the projects are so large. Zhou Jiping, President of CNPC, stated that “We need international technological cooperation in an innovative manner to achieve mutual benefits and win-win outcomes”.

An example of an area for co-operation is in the development of China’s shale gas resources. While it was stated that by 2020, the portion of non-fossil energy is expected to reach 15% of China’s primary energy mix, there was no further discussion of alternative energy systems. The focus of the conference was definitely fossil fuel.

Social license to operate important

Questions from the delegates to the participants in the plenary session were focused around environmental impacts and interactions with communities. There was recognition that the “social license to operate” depended on continually improving the industry’s environmental performance along with effective communication with all partners. Industry needs to form partnerships with groups that it hasn’t been well connected with in the past.

The technical program of the conference consisted of over 600 papers presented in both technical sessions and in “ePoster” presentations. The “ePoster” format is being tried for the first time at this conference. The posters are displayed on 40 screens set up in the corridors of the conference centre. At specific times, authors of the posters are present to give mini-presentations. As well, delegates are able to access the ePosters at the stations thoughout the conference. The advantage of this system is that more information can be offered than is normally placed on a paper poster.

Richard Adamson, Managing Director

As many of you know CMC management, the Research Management Executive, and the Board have been working hard since last June to develop a new high-impact, sustainable business model. The objective is to put together a structure that:

1. Increases impact on real carbon emissions from large stationary sources;
2. Enables a balance between funding grant-based research programs and supporting strategic and contract research;
3. Expands the collaborative research network within and beyond the academic community, within Canada and internationally;
4. Increases access to resources (facilities and skills) to accelerate the maturation of promising academic research results; and
5. Enables long-term facilities and programs development.

In late March, CMC had an off-site Board retreat to walk through a straw-man proposal for ‘CMC2.0’ and received tremendous feedback and strong directional support. Now begins the hard work of putting together a much more detailed business plan in time for the June 2013 Annual Conference in Calgary.

We have already had informal discussions with many from industry, government and the research network as we develop these concepts and we will continue to reach out as this plan is developed. Thanks to all who have contributed their thoughts, concerns, insights and opinions and thanks in advance to those who will do so over the next few months.

Prior to the Board retreat the question came up – What role does and should CCS play in our thinking going forward?

While we have not definitively answered this question, it seems clear that CCS is still likely to be part of the long-term transition to a low-carbon future. Given the strong influence of decisions in the U.S. on domestic policy and funding priorities, we thought the following article from GCCSI on the prospective new Energy Secretary, Ernest Moniz was useful.

Another thought provoking report came in last week from the desk of Ralph Torrie, Managing Director of the Trottier Energy Futures Network.  They have just released An Inventory of Low-Carbon Energy for Canada , looking at the potential availability of carbon-free energy sources that might be harvested domestically by 2050.

Let us know what your thinking is on these important topics (and others) as we continue to develop our plan for CMC2.0.

Richard Adamson, CMC Managing Director, says the agreement smoothes the way for increased collaboration between researchers and will foster opportunities for graduate students.

Working together for mutual benefit

“This agreement builds and strengthens CMC’s existing relationships with international researchers and with organizations whose aims are similar to ours.,” says Adamson. “CMC and the Stanford Centre have shared interests that relate to the use, storage or sequestration of carbon and we recognized it would be mutually beneficial to work together to advance these interests. We’ll also be exploring additional opportunities for collaboration.”

In late March, an agreement between CMC and the Stanford Centre for Carbon Storage (SCCS) was executed which recognizes there are opportunities for the two organizations to share skills, facilities and experience.  The SCCS was established in 2011 to investigate questions and develop technologies related to the geological sequestration and storage of CO2. It is housed within the School of Earth Sciences at Stanford University.

As a first collaborative venture, CMC and SCCS have initiated a student exchange program (click here for details). Adamson notes that CMC’s planned Geosciences Field Research Station might also open opportunities for collaborative research ventures.

Anna Harrison and Dr. Greg Dipple

Four Carbon Management Canada graduate students from across the country have been accepted to attend the UK Energy Research Centre’s (UKERC) ninth annual Energy Summer School at the University of Warwick and will receive travel reimbursement from CMC.

The interdisciplinary summer school program has been specifically designed to give second year PhD students an opportunity to look beyond their own research and develop an understanding of energy systems as a whole and pathways to low-carbon and resilient energy systems. There are no tuitions fees for the school and the UKERC provides accommodation, meals and materials. CMC offered travel reimbursement of up to $2,000 for a limited number of students working on CMC-funded projects.

Travelling to the July summer school in the UK will be Paul Addo and Amir Bahman Radnejad, both from the University of Calgary, Anna Harrison from the University of British Columbia, and Abedeh Gholdoust, University of Alberta.

Paul Addo, a 2^nd year PhD Chemistry student studying with Dr. Viola Birss at the University of Calgary, is excited about the opportunity to attend the school and values the interdisciplinary nature of the program.

“­­­I believe this summer school will give me the opportunity to augment my knowledge in the various technologies currently being employed to mitigate CO₂ emissions. Also as a chemistry student I would like to broaden my knowledge and perspective on the geopolitical policies and challenges negating the rapid transition to carbon neutral based systems,” says Addo.

Addo’s research involves the development of reversible solid oxide fuel cell (RSOFC) based on a perovskite catalyst for the co-electrolysis of water and carbon dioxide to syngas. Reversible solid oxide fuel cells can run in both the electrolysis mode (SOEC) to electrolyze H₂O to H₂ or co-electrolyze CO₂/H₂O to syngas, when excess renewable energy is available and then run in fuel cell mode (SOFC) to convert H₂, natural gas or syngas to electricity and heat.

Anna Harrison, a 2^nd year PhD student in Geology, is hoping to gain a broader understanding of energy systems. Harrison recognizes the benefits of collaborating with other researchers and is looking forward to meeting colleagues from other disciplines and countries.

“The school will help provide context as to how scientific research regarding CO₂ sequestration fits into the global issue of developing a sustainable energy future, and offer guidance as to the introduction of these technologies into the global marketplace. In particular, I would like to learn more about the political and economic challenges related to the development of a low-carbon global energy system,” says Harrison.

Through her work with supervisor Dr. Greg Dipple, Harrison is investigating the potential to accelerate carbon mineralization reactions in Mg-rich mine tailings to offset the greenhouse gas emissions of mining operations. Sequestration of atmospheric carbon dioxide occurs passively under normal mining conditions at certain mine sites. If these passive rates are accelerated, large mines have the potential to more than offset their CO₂ emissions.  She is using experiments and reactive transport modeling to investigate methods to exploit the inherent sequestration capacity of mine tailings.

CMC International Exchange Subsidy Program for travel between  July 1, 2013 – June 30, 2014

CMC graduate students and postdocs have until May 27 to apply  for CMC’s International Exchange Subsidy Program.

Travel that must be taken between July 1, 2013 and June 30, 2014. The support is for no more than 10 CMC HQP who have been accepted to work with an external research team at one of the following three partner organizations:

• The UK Carbon Capture and Storage Research Centre (UKCCSRC). Canadian HQP and academic investigators are asked to contact the Research Area Champions who lead the 18 research themes of the UKCCSRC to find an appropriate research group.

• The Australian Cooperative Research Centre for Greenhouse Gas Technologies (CO2CRC). Canadian HQP and academic investigators are asked to contact the Australian researchers listed in the compilation of the research projects in the Annual Report of CO2CRC.

•  The Stanford Center for Carbon Storage (SCCS). Canadian HQP and academic investigators are asked to contact Faculty listed under the SCCS’s Research page.

As part of the exchange agreement, CMC will also fund Canadian academics to accept HQP (10 in total) from one of the three organizations listed above into their research team for a period of time of up to one month.

The funding support to cover travel costs, meals, accommodation and direct research costs will be covered by both CMC and the partner organizations up to a maximum contribution by CMC of $5000CDN per student for the UK, $6000CDN for Australia and $4000CDN for the US.

Eligibility for CMC-Funded HQP:

• A member of the research team of a CMC-funded research project.
• A graduate student or postdoc or research associate (i.e. HQP) supervised by a CMC-funded investigator.
• Must be able to take and complete the proposed trip abroad no later than June 30, 2014
• Must remain part of the research team during the proposed trip abroad.
• The host supervisor must be a member of one of the three international research organizations identified above.

Eligibility for HQP from the partner organizations:

• HQP of a research team affiliated with one of the three international research organizations identified above.
• Must be able to take and complete the proposed trip abroad no later than June 30, 2014.
• Must remain part of the research team during the proposed trip abroad.
• The host supervisor in Canada must be funded by CMC.

For more information, queries and application submission please contact Joan Smart at  joan.smart@cmc-nce.ca. Further details and application form are below.

CMC International Exchange Program 2013

CMC International Exchange Application Form

Applications are invited from accomplished research leaders and directors for the Chair and Director of Energy Lancaster. Applications are welcomed from individuals with research experience in an area complementary to the research foci of Energy Lancaster, and in particular on security of supply, mass energy storage and natural resource storage and management. While these might be in Chemical, Control, Electrical or Nuclear disciplines, a research focus that resonates with the current research strengths in the University would be desirable. Other areas, such as natural science disciplines important for (but not limited to) oil, gas and coal would also
be relevant.

The individual will have an international profile and demonstrate significant experience including an established philosophy and a strategic approach that is inclusive across policy, generation, demand, economics and the environment. Demonstrable experience relevant to leading and developing a multi-disciplinary research centre, evidenced by strong group leadership, networking, and national and international levels of impact and policy engagement is highly important. A strong ambition and strategic imagination to grow and develop
Energy Lancaster to meet the research needs of the global energy crisis is also necessary.

The post will formally be held within the Department of Engineering or Lancaster Environment Centre and the post-holder will report to the appropriate Head of Department as well as to the Faculty Policy and Resources Committee.Applications are welcomed from individuals with research experience in an area complementary to the research foci of Energy Lancaster, and in particular on security of supply, mass energy storage and natural resource storage and management. While these might be in Chemical, Control, Electrical or Nuclear disciplines, a research focus that resonates with the current research strengths in the University would be desirable. Other areas, such as natural science disciplines important for (but not limited to) oil, gas and coal would also
be relevant.
The individual will have an international profile and demonstrate significant experience including an established philosophy and a strategic approach that is inclusive across policy, generation, demand, economics and the environment. Demonstrable experience relevant to leading and developing a multi-disciplinary research centre, evidenced by strong group leadership, networking, and national and international levels of impact and policy engagement is highly important. A strong ambition and strategic imagination to grow and develop Energy Lancaster to meet the research needs of the global energy crisis is also necessary. The post will formally be held within the Department of Engineering or Lancaster Environment Centre and the post-holder will report to the appropriate Head of Department as well as to the Faculty Policy and Resources Committee.

For more information see PDF

Chair and Director of Energy Lancaster Appointment Details