Design Criteria for Future Fuels and Related Power Systems Addressing the Impacts of Non-CO₂ Pollutants on Human Health and Climate Change

Abstract

Concerns over the economics, supply chain, and emissions of greenhouse gases associated with the wide use of fossil fuels have led to increasing interest in developing alternative and renewable fuels for stationary power generation and transportation systems. Although there is considerable uncertainty regarding the economic and environmental impacts of alternative and renewable fuels, there is a great need for assessment of potential and emerging fuels to guide research priorities and infrastructure investment. Likewise, there is a great need to identify potential unintended adverse impacts of new fuels and related power systems before they are widely adopted. Historically, the environmental impacts of emerging fuels and power systems have largely focused on carbon dioxide emissions, often called the carbon footprint, which is used to assess impacts on climate change. Such assessments largely ignore the large impacts of emissions of other air pollutants. Given the potential changes in emissions of air pollutants associated with the large-scale use of new and emerging fuels and power systems, there is a great need to better guide efforts to develop new fuels and power systems that can avoid unexpected adverse impacts on the environment and human health. This review covers the nature of emissions, including the key components and impacts from the use of fuels, and the design criteria for future fuels and associated power systems to assure that the non-CO2 adverse impacts of stationary power generation and transportation are minimized.

From carbon-neutral to climate-neutral supply chains: a multidisciplinary review and research agenda

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Modelling of Emissions and Energy Use from Biofuel Fuelled Vehicles at Urban Scale

“…The effects of diesel/biodiesel and gasoline/bioethanol blends use on road traffic emissions have been analysed in several studies. However, such efforts are mainly conducted to assess the potential of biofuels to mitigate climate change by assessing the impacts on GHG emissions [11,12]. While GHG have global effects, the location and magnitude of other air pollutant emissions have a potentially important local effect on air quality and human health [13][14][15][16][17][18].…”

Sub-Surface Boron-Doped Copper for Methane Activation and Coupling: First-Principles Investigation of the Structure, Activity, and Selectivity of the Catalyst

“…It has huge potential to become an important feedstock for the synthesis of fuel and value-added chemicals . Especially, recent development in hydraulic fracturing technologies have significantly increased the supply of methane from shale gas, making methane conversion processes more attractive. − However, despite its tremendous potential, methane still remains hugely underutilized. , Majority of methane (>90%) is used to supply heat and electricity via burning. , These processes produce lots of CO 2 , thus, inducing global warming, climate changes, and greenhouse gas effects. − Current utilization of methane involves its conversion to syngas by catalytic partial oxidation or reforming processes and, subsequently, to hydrocarbons via Fischer–Tropsch synthesis. ,, These processes require high temperature and pressure conditions and are therefore cost demanding. , Direct conversion of methane to chemicals (via nonoxidative coupling, partial oxidation, oxidative coupling) could be more economical and has been studied for decades; however, it remains to be a commercial success and the lack of active and selective catalysts is one of the key reasons for it. − , …”