Environmental Engineering Climate Solutions

What's the best low-carbon way to power vehicles? A groundbreaking study in Joule examines the potential of green hydrogen to revolutionize transportation across ground, air, and marine sectors. While green hydrogen presents promise in the hard-to-abate areas of transportation, significant investments in infrastructure and technology are needed to realize its full potential. For passenger vehicles and most road transport, the most efficient use of power is electric vehicles, sometimes by a factor of 5-10x over other “emissions-free” methods including hydrogen! https://lnkd.in/e9GZjv3f #climate #energy #transportation #ev #renewables #emissions #innovation

⛈️ 𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐤 𝐌𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐝𝐨��𝐨𝐠𝐲 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐧-𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐓𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐬 🗺️ Over the past months, I shared lists of open-access climate and nature risk assessment tools. They sparked quite some interest. Here’s how I thought I might provide additional value: ➡️ A practical Excel methodology for assessing climate risk based on open-access geospatial tools. For every risk category required by the EU Taxonomy, the Excel links to the best assessment tool. 🔥🌡️ This initial release focuses on temperature-related physical risks like heat stress and wildfires. Updates on additional risk categories are forthcoming. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞: 🗺️ Open-access geospatial tools for assessing each temperature-related risk 📊 A conclusive methodology to assess company sites and supply chains 📝 Additional guidance for smooth assessment and reporting in line with EU Taxonomy and CSRD, including descriptions and instructions for each tool 📈 Based on the latest climate models and data by organizations like the IPCC. I hope this will save ESG teams substantial time and money in their search for adequate data and methods. 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞? Comment below, and I’ll send it your way. (Please connect so I can message you directly.)

Foxholes: The Simple, Brilliant Reforestation Method You’ve Probably Never Heard Of 🌳 In Madagascar, Ecosia and The Phoenix Conservancy are restoring forests using a method called 'foxholes' and it doesn’t involve planting saplings. It immediately reminded me of half-moon Earth bunds. Simple, effective and surprisingly powerful. Instead of raising delicate nursery saplings and hoping they survive in harsh conditions, foxholes mimic how forests regenerate naturally. Seeds are scattered into shallow basins, where they compete naturally for light, water and nutrients, just as they would in the wild. The results? ⤷ 30x more trees ⤷ 2x the plant diversity ⤷ 30% lower cost than traditional tree planting This technique rebuilds ecosystems, supports local livelihoods and creates space for endangered species like the ring-tailed lemur to return. Foxholes build on restoration techniques developed in Central and South America, especially ‘applied nucleation’, which is the practice of planting small patches of forest to kickstart natural regeneration. And while the method isn’t new, Ecosia is helping it scale, connecting partners across continents, from Madagascar to Brazil. Effective restoration doesn’t need to be high-tech or high-cost. Sometimes, all it takes is a shallow hole and a deeper understanding of nature. One rooted in the same wisdom that has guided indigenous land stewards for generations: work with nature, not against it. #NatureRestoration #Rewilding #TreePlanting #Biodiversity #Conservation 🎞️ Ecosia

Turning Waste into Energy: How Bioenergy/ Biofuel is Reshaping the Renewable Landscape 🟦 1) Biomass resources, especially cellulosic biomass and waste, have great potential to decarbonize the economy. In 2021, the U.S. bioenergy sector consumed 260 million dry metric tons of plant feedstocks, primarily corn for ethanol and mill wastes for electricity. This represented 5% of U.S. energy use and avoided 73 million metric tons of CO₂e GHG emissions. In addition to electricity, liquid fuels, and hydrogen, bioenergy with CO₂ capture and sequestration (CCS) provides carbon dioxide removal. Bioenergy is essential for decarbonising sectors lacking other options, such as sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) for aviation. 🟦 2) Bioenergy/ Biofuels Conversion Routes 1- Cellulosic Ethanol to Hydrocarbon Fuels  This process utilises a biochemical conversion pathway that converts biomass from plants into ethanol through anaerobic fermentation, then upgrades the ethanol to hydrocarbon fuels. There are two process vent streams that offer opportunities for decarbonisation through CCS. One is the fermentation off-gas vent stream, which is made up of 96.8% CO₂ (by mass), and the second is the combustion off-gas stream, which is 19% CO₂ (by mass). 2- Fischer-Tropsch Pathway  This process uses a thermochemical conversion pathway to transform woody biomass into hydrocarbon fuels by synthesising syngas and converting it to hydrocarbons through the FT catalyst oligomerization. It features two vent streams for decarbonization via CCS: the FT flue gas and gasification off-gas streams, each containing about 11% CO₂ (mass basis). 3- Biomass Gasification to Methanol Pathway  This process employs a thermochemical conversion pathway to turn woody biomass into methanol via gasification. It has two vent streams for decarbonization through CCS: the methanol synthesis flue gas, with low-purity CO₂, and a gasification off-gas stream containing 19% CO₂ (mass basis). 4- Catalytic Fast Pyrolysis Pathway  This process converts woody biomass into hydrocarbon fuels via catalytic fast pyrolysis. The flue gas stream, consisting of 62% CO₂ by mass, provides opportunities for decarbonization through CCS. 🟦 3) Key Outcome: 1- Biomass is a versatile and energy-rich feedstock that we have demonstrated can be a cost-effective pillar of the United States’ decarbonisation strategy. 2- Biofuels could be a viable option for decarbonising aviation in the near term, and efforts to meet the SAF target may focus on feedstocks and pathways with the greatest potential for scaling up. 3- Combining bioenergy with CCS has the potential to achieve net-negative GHG emissions that could offset other hard-to-decarbonise sources.  4- This analysis leverages integrated assessment models (IAMs) and bottom-up process models to address their individual limitations. Source: see post image This post is for educational purposes only. .👇 Which biomass resources are most effective for bioenergy production?

Driving the Future: Advanced Biofuels Paving the Way for Sustainable Transport Decarbonizing the transport sector is crucial for achieving global climate and energy targets due to its significant contribution to greenhouse gas emissions and reliance on fossil fuels. Advanced biofuels play a pivotal role in this transformation, offering a low-carbon solution for both immediate and long-term challenges. The IEA Bioenergy Technology Collaboration Programme has been at the forefront of this effort, establishing a comprehensive database of facilities producing advanced biofuels since 2009. This database, updated in November 2024, now includes 258 active entries, showcasing technologies like Alcohol-to-Jet, E-Fuels Biomass Hybrids, Fast Pyrolysis, Fermentation, Gasification, Hydrothermal Liquefaction, and Hydrotreatment. Feedstock availability remains a critical factor, influencing both the scalability and sustainability of biofuel production. While oil-based residues like used cooking oil and animal fats are valuable, their limited supply necessitates exploring biomass residues such as agricultural waste and forestry by-products. Developing and commercializing advanced biofuel technologies is key to unlocking this potential. Sustainability frameworks are essential to ensure robust GHG emission certification and verification. The future markets for advanced biofuels are expected to thrive in long-distance transport sectors like aviation, maritime shipping, and heavy-duty road transport. The aviation industry, in particular, is committed to reducing its carbon intensity through renewable fuels and biofuels. Emerging economies are accelerating biofuel development, driven by increasing energy demand, abundant natural resources, and the need for sustainable development. Governments are implementing policies like blending mandates and subsidies to boost biofuel production, creating economic opportunities and reducing fossil fuel reliance. Despite progress, scaling up biofuel production to meet ambitious 2030 targets remains challenging. International collaboration and knowledge exchange are vital to overcoming these hurdles and realizing the full potential of biofuels in a sustainable energy future. Reach out to Scion's Portfolio Leader for Integrated Bioenergy - Paul Bennett - to discuss opportunities in New Zealand #Decarbonization #AdvancedBiofuels #SustainableTransport #RenewableEnergy #ClimateAction #Biofuel #GreenEnergy #EnergyTransition #SustainableAviation #SAF #Feedstock #Biomass #CleanEnergy

Accelerating The Tech-Driven Bioeconomy! I. The time is Now The world is positioned better than ever before to accelerate the global transition to a bio-based economy. Digital advances have expanded the areas where biology can deliver impact, as generative biology is set to disrupt several industries II. Converging Trends 1. Evolution of Al techniques 2. Advances in synthetic biology tools and availability 3. Increased investment 4. Government attention 5. Initial ecosystem 6. Sustainability imperatives III. Use-Cases 1. Agriculture Bio-pheromones to replace pesticides; bioengineered plants to improve yield 2. Fashion and textiles Production of textile dyes; production of spider silk using engineered silkworms 3. Beauty and personal care Production of vegan collagen; production of hyaluronic acid 4. Food and beverage Alternative protein production; lab grown meat; functional beverages 5. Biopharma and healthcare RNA-based vaccines; biologics production; Car-T cell therapy; stem-cell therapy 6. Energy industry Biofuel production from algae or carbon capture; biogas production 7. Consumer goods Biodegradable packaging materials production 8. Mining Bio-mining of electronic waste for rare metals; bioleaching; bioremediation 9. Chemicals industry Production of fine and specialty chemicals using fermentation; bulk chemical production from waste 10. Waste management Enzymatic plastic degradation; anaerobic digestion of waste-water to make biogas III. Catalysing the Bioeconomy A. Driving Demand 1. Positioning bio-solutions as central to tackling global challenges moves the needle 2. Variable public perception is impacting acceptance of and demand for certain bio-solutions 3. Underestimating the value of bio-solutions must be countered 4. Raising awareness can unlock broader investment and subsequent fulfilment of demand B. Servicing Demand 1. Technology-driven bio-solutions will require collaboration across a diverse ecosystem to ensure viability 2. It will take greater investment and understanding to broaden the adoption of bio-solutions and drive the transformation of value chains 3. To activate value chain transformation, core technology transfer barriers must be addressed 4. Even with rapid scientific advancement, biology is unpredictable C. Unblocking the System 1. Regional bioeconomies vary by geographical context and approach 2. Streamlining regulation allows for broader adoption 3. Democratizing global access to technology, skill and infrastructure is an imperative Check out the report by World Economic Forum and Capgemini here: https://lnkd.in/d6Ha4Bhw #innovation #bioeconomy #syntheticbiology #sustainability #strategy #biotech #energy #agtech

Sustainability isn’t a coat of paint. It’s part of the blueprint. In digital health transformation, “green” has moved from a nice-to-have to a core part of responsible change. And lately, it’s a recurring topic in many meeting rooms. Ignoring sustainability in transformation isn’t just bad for the planet, it exposes organizations to rising energy costs, regulatory penalties, and reputational risk. Every transformation decision, from strategy to procurement, deployment to retirement, carries an environmental footprint. Treating sustainability as an afterthought leads to waste: 🔸 Systems overbuilt for prestige rather than need 🔸 Infrastructure running far below capacity 🔸 Devices replaced on schedule, not condition I’ve seen entire racks of perfectly good hardware decommissioned, not because they failed, but because refresh cycles didn’t account for reuse or repurposing. It’s a reminder that sustainability isn’t always obvious at first glance. In one study comparing two T-shirts: 🔹 The one labelled as “sustainably produced” wore out quickly, requiring multiple replacements. 🔹 The other, not marketed as green, lasted far longer, and over its full lifecycle, had a smaller environmental footprint. Digital transformation works the same way. True sustainability comes from durability, efficiency, and total lifecycle impact, not just how “green” it looks at launch. Embedding sustainability means building it into every phase of transformation: 1️⃣ Strategy & design Set sustainability goals alongside clinical and operational goals.  Select cloud providers with renewable energy commitments. 2️⃣ Build & deploy Use modular architectures to extend system life.  Prioritize energy-efficient code, devices, and configurations. 3️⃣ Operate & maintain Monitor resource usage, consolidate storage, and optimize workloads for off-peak energy demand. 4️⃣ Retire & replace Plan for secure decommissioning, refurbishment, and recycling from the outset. Before approving your next transformation initiative, run it through the "Green Lens": ✅ Can we meet the need with fewer resources? ✅ Can this run on renewable-powered infrastructure? ✅ Can we extend the life of what we already have? If the answer is “no” across the board, you don’t have a sustainable transformation plan. If you’re leading digital transformation today, are you building it for the next launch… or the next generation? 💡This post is part of 'Rethinking Digital Health Innovation' (RDHI), empowering professionals to transform digital health beyond IT and AI myths. 💡The ongoing series and additional resources are available at www•enabler•xyz 💡Repost if this message resonates with you!

LCA can significantly weaken your carbon claims. Biochar projects are often framed around a simple idea: carbon is stored, therefore carbon is removed. But carbon removal is defined by net impact, not intention. Life Cycle Assessment forces a project to account for everything from feedstock logistics to energy inputs and auxiliary systems. And when you look at the full system, the picture can change. 📌 Transport distance matters. Biomass is bulky, and long logistics chains increase fuel use and associated emissions. A project that looks strong at the reactor level can weaken at the geography level. 📌 Energy design matters even more. Pyrolysis requires heat, and drying often consumes substantial energy. If fossil sources support these steps, net removals shrink. Internal energy recovery can improve the balance — but only if properly integrated. 📌 Startup fuel is rarely highlighted. After shutdowns, reactors require reheating. If this relies on fossil inputs and occurs frequently, cumulative emissions are not negligible. 📌 Moisture content shapes everything. High-moisture feedstock increases drying demand, which directly affects both cost and lifecycle emissions. 📌 Compliance systems and auxiliary equipment also contribute. Individually small, collectively relevant. An LCA does not focus on the reactor alone. It actually measures the whole system. In carbon removal infrastructure, system design determines whether the climate story holds under scrutiny. And keep in mind that investors increasingly look at that layer! What do you think is the LCA variable most biochar projects underestimate?

Hydropower generates approximately 14-17% of the world's electricity, playing a crucial role in the renewable energy sector. However, it faces challenges such as ecosystem impacts and risks to aquatic life. A new type of hydro turbine has been developed to address these concerns. This Fish Safe Restoration Hydro Turbine (RHT) features thick, curved blades that create an "airbag" effect, reducing the likelihood of direct strikes on fish. Impressively, it maintains over 90% peak hydraulic efficiency and can be applied to both new and existing hydropower plants. Tests have shown a 100% immediate survival rate and a 48-hour survival rate for fish passage. This advancement allows for the generation of clean energy while helping to preserve river ecosystems. #interestingengineering #RenewableEnergy #Hydropower #CleanEnergy #SustainableTech #EcoFriendly #HydraulicEfficiency #GreenInnovation #RiverConservation #EcosystemProtection #AquaticLife #SustainableFuture #EnergySolutions #EnvironmentalImpact #InnovativeTechnology

I am asked by leaders frequently, what should they know about risk impacts. Let’s discuss how to address extreme weather impacts in risk assessments. Leaders need to think through how a weather event has short, medium, and long-term impacts on operations and organizational strategy achievement. This is part two of my extreme weather risk management series. Just to refresh, a risk assessment process is the same for extreme weather as for any other uncertainty. The process is: 1)  Identify 2)  Analyze 3)  Evaluate 4)  Improve 5)  Monitor What is unique? I would say it is event identification and thinking about the financial consequences of the impacts. Leaders need to think about: - Employee, Client and Stakeholder Safety - Road Conditions (Employee Commute, Logistics, etc.) - Physical Site Access - Digital Operations - Supply Chain - Hazards (Air Quality, Chemicals, allowing 1st responders to do their job, Local government emergency actions) Risk Leaders should partner with their incident response team to tailor risk identification and analysis to understand impacts to: ✅Growth/Revenue ✅Cost Containment ✅Brand/Reputation How will you enhance your 2025 risk assessment methodology to include extreme weather events? #RiskManagement #ClimateChange #Leaders Inside Edge Risk Advisors LLC