The CarbonNet Project Analysis - Case Study Example

THE CARBONNET PROJECT ANALYSIS Student’s Name Professor’s Name Course Date University Executive Summary The CarbonNet Project is a project that is currently run by the Victorian State government, Australia. It is aimed at investigating the possibility for coming up with a commercial-scale carbon capture and storage network. Some of the project’s notable features include; first, storage certainty where it is ascertained that the project is executing a rather an all-inclusive evaluation of potential storage sites; a process that would likely engage both the Australian-based and international level experts in this field to establish a viable set of locations that is deemed to be safe for the long term and secure storage of the carbon dioxide emissions as a whole. Some possible improvements for this project could include; first, the emissions of greenhouse gases can be fairly eliminated by sinking them in forests. Also, it can be improved by dissolving carbon dioxide into moderate depths to form a dilute solution or even injecting it to below 3000 meters so that it creates a carbon dioxide lake Table of Contents Executive Summary……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………2 A. Project Aim Generations & Groups Affected…..………………………………………………………………4 B. Key Strengths and Weaknesses of the Project…………………………………………………………………5 C. Possible Improvements to the Project In the Future……………………………………………………….6 References List…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..9 A. Project Aim Generations & Groups Affected This is a project that is currently run by the Victorian State government, Australia. It is aimed at investigating the possibility for coming up with a commercial-scale carbon capture and storage network (Victoria Australia, 2012). The network, in this case, will be adopted in bringing together a number of multiple level carbon dioxide capture projects in the current Victoria’s Latrobe Valley, and thereafter, ensure to transport it using a shared pipeline infrastructure prior to injecting the carbon dioxide emission into a deep underground, offshore storage sites in Gippsland (Victoria Australia, 2012). In this regards, it can be ascertained that the overall project objectives is focused on a technological change. The below diagram shows the entire stages of the CarbonNet Project and where exactly the initiative is positioned as at now; Source: (Victoria Australia, 2012) It is important to note that the CarbonNet Project was founded in 2009 by both the Australian and Victorian governments as a part of engagement to formulate solutions that have potential in the reduction of the current carbon dioxide emissions (Victoria Australia, 2012). In its entirety, the CarbonNet Project seeks to design scalable infrastructural platforms for purposes of enhancing aspects related to growth and deployment of a CCS network; it identifies and demonstrates the overall level of capacity as well as integrity resulting from carbon dioxide storage within the Gippsland Basin; attract possible private sector resource funding as well as their proper participation in the formulation of the project as a whole. It also seeks to permit government roles in the underlying CarbonNet Project and the evolution of carbon-capture and storage platform industries (Victoria Australia, 2012). The initial objective of this project is to first be able to capture, transport and store 1-5M tonnes of carbon dioxide on annual basis with a possibility of increasing this level capacity to even more tonnes in the future (Victoria Australia, 2012). The project is aimed at all polluting industries that have been unable to dispose carbon dioxide emissions in a much proper manner. In essence, the CCS network is set to provide a customised level of solution that will have the potential of mitigating greenhouse gas emissions while at the same time assist with the addressing of a climate change pact. It is further noted that with the establishment of a successful operating CCS network infrastructure, the activity of capturing, transporting and storing carbon dioxide would in fact lead to development of even more industries within the Victorian region (Victoria Australia, 2012). This will result to the positioning of Victoria as a centre for CCS thereby availing a great number of opportunities that relate to formulation of new jobs and enhance existing skill set amongst the workers within the sector. The State of Victoria, which is currently involved with the direct management of The Carbon Net Project through the Victorian Department of Primary Industries has established working connection with the national Australian government, industries and such other notable agencies like the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) as well as the Australia National Law Emissions Coal Research & Development (ANLECR&D) to conduct a holistic investigations of CCS potential within the overall Victoria state (Victoria Australia, 2012). B. Key Strengths and Weaknesses of the Project The CarbonNet Project is currently at its feasibility stage and thus, it is experiencing lots of challenges as most other CCS across the globe. Some of the project’s notable features include; first, storage certainty where it is ascertained that the project is executing a rather an all-inclusive evaluation of potential storage sites; a process that would likely engage both the Australian-based and international level experts in this field to establish a viable set of locations that is deemed to be safe for the long term and secure storage of the carbon dioxide emissions as a whole. Secondly, the project enjoys a great deal of planning for its overall strategic, large scale greenhouse gas storage capacities and thereafter conforms to the wider initiatives related to international programs. In fact, the project seeks to maintain a favourable technical integration platform that would avail possible carbon capture plants and technologies that ensure maximum injection of carbon dioxide emissions into the underground. Consequently, the project has been able to formulate and thereby implement a national-based strategy for CCS communications and engagement for purposes of coming up with a well-integrated government and industry-based initiatives for purposes of improving the overall public comprehension of the role of the carbon capture and storage in the entire Australia’s future energy goals and objectives. Some of the weaknesses of the project can be expounded as follows; first, it is noted that there is going to be an enormous challenge in meeting up with the overall regulatory requirement of the project. The regulatory issue is based on ascertaining that the formulated regulatory framework is indeed effective and the local and wider communities will perceive the project’s objectives in a positive manner. Certainly, the project has not been able to cement a viable stakeholder engagement plan especially with the existing local communities in Victoria as well as other relevant stakeholders. In addition to this, the Project has also not been certain about its formulation of an effective business model. Although the CCS is expected to be economically viable and thus, attract private sector participations and investments, the model of achieving this has still remained redundant at the infantry stage of the Project as a whole. C. Possible Improvements to the Project In the Future The current CarbonNet Project model seeks to capture, transport and store carbon dioxide emissions in deep underground. Notably, according to Pan (2011, p.991) indicates that the emissions of greenhouse gases can be fairly eliminated by sinking them in forests. It is clearly noted that deciduous forests in Europe and Russia have benefited from this sinking capacity given that forests such boreal have a consistent average sink of between 0.5 and 0.1pg C on annual basis for a period of two decades. In fact, in areas where there has been an increase in forest covers resulting from agricultural abandonment; reduced tree harvesting as well as an imminent change in forest overall age structures as can be witnessed in Australia, this model can be fairly incorporated to mitigate this level of greenhouse gas emissions. In essence, the process of carbon sinks in forests is likely to result to even a more favourable outcome like immediate improvements in stocks in forests as well as wood-related products. Considering the fact that Australia is now experiencing a young and vibrant forest cover that have a potential for absorbing lots of carbon dioxide gases in the future; the CarbonNet Project can as well as improve its injections to accommodate forest sinks in the future. In Norway, Sleipner offshore oil and natural gas field, workers engage natural rigs to inject more than 20,000 tons of carbon dioxide with each week into the pores of sandstone layer that is situated 1,000 metres below the sea-bed. This process fairly elaborates on the use geological formation to store substantial amounts of carbon dioxide gases (Herzog, Eliasson & Kaarstad, 2000). Considering the fact that The CarbonNet Project’s injection capacity is only limited to 1.5M tons per year, then it can successfully include this model in order to expand on its capacity in the future. Herzog, Eliasson, and Kaarstad,(2000) further notes that although the geologic formations have taken a centre stage in storing gases across the many sites, the largest form of potential reservoir for anthropogenic carbon dioxide can be through sinking or rather injecting the emissions into the deep oceans. It is ascertained that dissolving of greenhouse gas emissions into the waters is safe since oceans can hold up to 40,000 gigatons of carbon in comparison to only 1000 gigatons in the land. For the process of ocean sequestration to be entirely effective, then it is supposed to be injected into the sea below the thermocline, which is basically the layer of the ocean that is near 100 and 1000 metres for which water temperatures decrease in depth. The CarbonNet Project can thus go ahead to introduce carbon dioxide into seawater in order to expand on its overall capacity. This can be successfully be conducted in two notable ways that include; dissolving carbon dioxide into moderate depths to form a dilute solution or even injecting it to below 3000 meters so that it creates a carbon dioxide lake (Wilkinson, Hill & Gollan, 2001). The first strategy will seeks to reduce the level of local environment effects by way of diluting the carbon dioxide while the lake-based approach will be fundamental in maximising the length of time carbon dioxide will still be active in the ocean. The possible improvements can be fairly expounded in the table below; Possible Improvements The emissions of greenhouse gases can be fairly eliminated by sinking them in forests since forests such as boreal have a consistent average sink of between 0.5 and 0.1pg C on annual basis for a period of two decades. Certainly, more than 20,000 tons of carbon dioxide with each week into the pores of sandstone layer that is situated 1,000 metres below the sea-bed. References List Herzog, H., Eliasson, B. & Kaarstad, O., 2000. Capturing greenhouse gases. Scientific American, vol.282, no.2, pp.72-79 Pan, Y., Birdsey, R.A., Fang, J., Houghton, R., Kauppi, P.E., Kurz, W.A., Phillips, O.L., Shvidenko, A., Lewis, S.L., Canadell, J.G. & Ciais, P., 2011. A large and persistent carbon sink in the world’s forests. Science, vol.333, no.6045, pp.988-993 Victoria Australia. 2012. The CarbonNet Project. Retrieved from https://hub.globalccsinstitute.com/sites/default/files/publications/50856/carbonnet-corporate-brochure.pdf Wilkinson, A., Hill, M. & Gollan, P., 2001. The sustainability debate. International Journal of Operations & Production Management, vol.2, no.12, pp.1492-1502. Read More