How decarbonization is reducing dependency on fossil fuels
Decarbonization is the drive to remove fossil raw materials and fossil fuels such as natural gas, crude oil, and coal from as many sectors of the economy and areas of the energy system as possible. Climate-friendly alternatives are replacing energy sources that contain carbon. Here is an overview.
Lowering CO₂ emissions through decarbonization
Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is the biggest contributor to the greenhouse effect worldwide. In 2022, it accounted for 64 percent of all environmentally harmful emissions. So, what can be done about that?
Reducing CO₂ emissions is crucial to effective climate protection. One of the ways to reduce the volume of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is to stop burning fossil fuels and instead adopt sustainable energy systems that utilize renewable energy sources. Over recent years, the share of renewables used to generate electricity has grown, primarily through the use of wind power, solar energy and hydropower. Energy generated in these ways is more environmentally friendly and results in lower carbon dioxide emissions compared with using fossil fuels.
Reducing greenhouse gases across all sectors
The United Nations Paris Agreement, which was signed in 2015, aims to keep global warming well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. Efforts to tackle climate change are focused on preventing global warming from exceeding 1.5 degrees Celsius. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a UN institution with 195 member states, believes it is possible to reduce the greenhouse effect by half by 2030 if urgent action is taken.
What if reducing CO₂ emissions is not enough?
Experts do not believe it will be possible to achieve the globally agreed climate targets purely by lowering emissions of greenhouse gases. Solutions are therefore being developed to remove CO₂ from the atmosphere.
Direct Air Capture
Direct Air Capture (DAC): Carbon can be captured directly from the atmosphere both organically and technically. In nature, plants live from absorbing CO₂, incorporating the carbon in their organism, and releasing O₂ (oxygen) into the atmosphere. Reforestation and renaturation therefore offer organic approaches of removing CO₂.
CO₂ capture from ambient air
The technical alternative – DAC – is to install separating technology that removes a proportion of CO₂ from the air. The CO₂ captured in this way can then be used for various purposes, for instance as a raw material in the chemicals industry or as the basis for e-fuels.
Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage
Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS): Many energy-intensive industrial processes generate large volumes of CO₂ and have a large carbon footprint. CCUS processes separate off this CO₂ directly at the source. The CO₂ can then be used for chemical processes. One such process that holds promise is methanation, during which carbon dioxide reacts with hydrogen to produce methane. When in the form of methane, hydrogen can be transported more easily over long distances. Since more carbon is usually captured than can be processed, excess CO₂ can be stored safely and for the long term in underground reservoirs. This storage leads to “negative CO₂ emissions”, when more climate gas is removed from the atmosphere than is emitted into it.
Decarbonization strategies for all key sectors
The energy sector is increasingly using zero-emissions forms of energy such as electricity generated using wind power, solar power, and hydropower.
Besides supplying power, climate neutral electricity can also be utilized in PEM electrolysis, a process that generates another alternative energy source – green hydrogen. Technologies for saving energy and boosting energy efficiency also offer huge potential for decarbonization.
Industrial processes are responsible for more than a quarter of global emissions.
Completely eliminating CO2 emissions from industry is challenging, because electrification is not always an option in industry – for high-temperature processes, for example. Nonetheless, there are many links in the industrial value chain that can be decarbonized by replacing fossil fuels with electricity. In industries that have a high energy demand, hydrogen offers a better alternative to fossil fuels. Green hydrogen, which is generated from water using PEM electrolysis powered by renewable electricity, is a low-carbon energy source. Green hydrogen also plays a part in reducing CO2 emissions when used as a raw material in industry. Other approaches that can help lower industrial CO2 emissions include using energy and resources more efficiently and adopting reuse and recycling strategies.
Decarbonization technologies are available for developing all typical forms of mobility in a climate-friendly way.
When it comes to transport decarbonization, the most efficient solution for passenger vehicles today is the use of battery electric drives – as long as the electrical energy they use comes from renewable or at least low-emission sources. In the case of commercial vehicles, there are two competing solutions - battery electric drives and hydrogen as a driving energy source. For battery electric drives to work, further progress has to be made in terms of range and high-performance charging points. Fuel cell drives, which convert hydrogen into electrical drive energy, have advantages in terms of range, but their market success depends on the establishment of a hydrogen gas infrastructure. A further technical option are internal-combustion engines that use hydrogen instead of oil products as a fuel. Shipping and aviation are more difficult to decarbonize due to their higher energy requirements. Synthetic fuels manufactured using renewable electricity offer a potential solution.
The vast majority of populated land area worldwide is used for agricultural purposes. The agrarian sector offers huge potential for reducing CO2 emissions.
Agriculture can play its part in decarbonization through the electrification and digitalization of machinery and the use of low-emissions fuels. Changing the way land is used also offers a natural solution for storing and binding CO2, for example through reforestation, reestablishing wetlands, and land renaturation. This would help to prevent greenhouse gases from being emitted into the atmosphere. Lifestyle changes can also influence the climate emissions associated with agriculture. Reducing the number of livestock being reared will reduce the amount of methane being emitted into the atmosphere. Another opportunity for decarbonization in the agricultural sector relates to what we do with the food that is produced. Reducing food waste is one way to avoid unnecessary CO2 emissions that doesn’t require any additional outlay.
The key to decarbonizing this sector is to electrify heating systems and replace oil and gas-fired heating with electric, energy-saving heat pumps.
Buildings, building complexes, and urban quarters also have the potential to actively capture and trap CO2 from the atmosphere if they are turned into green areas and renaturalized. Land use planning can help to reduce CO2 emissions as well, for instance by locating workplaces and housing closer together, or by expanding public transport systems.
Frequently asked questions about decarbonization
Decarbonization means avoiding the use of fossil raw materials and fossil fuels such as natural gas, crude oil, and coal in the economy and energy systems wherever it is possible and feasible to do so.
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the biggest contributor to the greenhouse effect worldwide. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is crucial to effective climate protection.
One way to decarbonization is to replace fossil fuels such as natural gas, crude oil, and coal with sustainable systems that utilize renewable energy sources.
The United Nations Paris Agreement, which was signed in 2015, aims to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. Many states have signed up to the goal of limiting global warming to a maximum of 1.5 degrees Celsius. These targets can only be achieved if urgent changes are made, for instance building up the hydrogen economy as an alternative to fossil fuels.
The key sectors for decarbonization strategies are energy production, industry, traffic and transportation, agriculture and land use, buildings and lifestyle.
Decarbonization
Avoiding fossil fuels is the basis for a climate-friendly economy. Even energy-intensive industries can be supplied with climate-friendly energy. Electrification and a hydrogen economy are the keys for decarbonization in all relevant sectors.
