Innovations in energy transition

The month of March this year was recorded as the warmest month in 122 years, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). All socioeconomic categories are being negatively impacted by the extreme heat waves caused by this sudden surge in temperature across the nation. Temperatures in major Indian cities like Delhi have risen to an unsettling 50°C this year.

The Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect can substantially harm human and animal health due to different heat-related illnesses, as well as have a detrimental effect on flora and fauna. By 2030, parts of many large Indian cities may easily surpass the wet-bulb temperature of 34°C- 35°C, according to a McKinsey report.

At the United Nations Climate Change Conference 2021 (COP26) in Glasgow, Prime Minister Narendra Modi outlined a five-point plan for India to contribute to the global effort to tackle climate change. He asserted that India would achieve net-zero carbon dioxide (Co2) emissions by 2070, 500 gigawatts of non-fossil energy capacity by 2030 and 50 per cent of energy requirements from renewable sources by 2030.

The nation vowed to adhere to the ‘One Sun, One World, One Grid’ (OSOWOG) initiative at the conference, which aims to capture solar energy wherever the sun shines and guarantee that electricity is available to everyone.

A comprehensive decarbonisation strategy should be the primary goal to prioritise and promote sustainable activities in sectors where energy consumption may be significantly decreased.

Increasing contribution of thermal renewable fuel-based solutions: Over the last few decades, in the industrial sector in particular, manufacturers and solution providers have been working towards bringing down the carbon emission and GHG footprint globally by supporting end user industries, and promoting thermal, renewable fuel-based solutions which are utilised for power generation along with heating and cooling applications.

For instance, the Waste Heat Recovery (WHR) based powerplants installed in cement processing units use heat to generate steam through rotary kiln preheaters (PH) and After Quenching Coolers (AQC) for power generation. Similarly, in steel processing units, heat is generated through Coke Dry Quenching (CDQ) and sintering for power generation. In the recent past, these have further expanded to other thermal renewable fuels such as commercial, industrial and municipal waste which have led to more power and heat generation projects.

In the area of cooling as well, with environmental regulations in North America and Europe, governments are globally pushing for reduction in Hydrofluorocarbons (HFC)-based cooling systems. Thus, there is increased focus on developing cooling solutions to address these needs globally. 

Leading companies and academic institutions are working on the development of CO2 based thermal cycles and power block equipment. This involves development of turbomachinery, such as CO2 gas expander, compressor and high-pressure heaters, as well as control systems to manage quick transients. R&D in this futuristic energy area will help companies to be future-ready for the upcoming energy transition scenario.

Innovations to continue to shape the energy transition: With the backdrop of decarbonisation and ambitious targets on the same, companies are addressing the need for sustainable businesses by reorienting their approach and prioritising the need for energy efficiency which will lower carbon emissions across a wide range of sectors.

Investments in research and development (R&D) are expected to facilitate innovations in technology, business models and processes as we witness rising energy demand across the globe. However, innovations need to go beyond R&D with policy makers focusing on long-term incentives and broader frameworks to promote renewables and energy efficiency.

The transition to a sustainable era sparked by Industry 4.0: The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals emphasise that sustainability is constitutional for business strategies of the future. They involve supporting initiatives like smart manufacturing, energy-efficient construction and low-impact industrialisation.

Industry 4.0 offers real-time decision-making, improved efficiency, flexibility and agility. With the help of innovation, technology and ideas, the private sector has the potential to significantly contribute to the sustainability mission.

Industry 4.0 is transforming how businesses produce, enhance and distribute their goods. The IoT, cloud computing, analytics, AI and machine learning are among the cutting-edge technologies that manufacturers are incorporating into their manufacturing processes.

All industrial companies, including discrete and process manufacturing, as well as oil and gas, mining, and other industrial divisions, can use Industry 4.0 concepts and technologies. Industry 4.0 is also becoming the norm in the smart factory of the future as more businesses reorient their manufacturing processes to be more environmentally friendly or compliant with state regulations.