The pathway to Decarbonization

Alternative energies and technological advancements in the renewable sector may help, but they are not enough alone. Reliance on energy sources has been primarily driven by cost and convenience, with environmental consequences being neglected.

However, in the face of the worldwide climate change emergency, the mining sector must embrace the necessity of transitioning to a low-carbon future.

Carbon offsets:

Carbon offsets are a form of trade that is typically used as a decarbonization strategy when no company carbon cuts are feasible or involve significant changes to operations. Carbon offsets reduce, avoid, or sequester greenhouse gases through projects or activities.

It’s not unusual for corporations to approach the Carbon Certification Limited of the European Carbon Exchange (ECX) with proposals to reduce their carbon emissions by offsetting them with projects that will help further protect or enhance forests in suitable jurisdictions. This may include efforts to restore forests, update power stations, and improve energy and water efficiency in buildings. Projects are developed.

Carbon capture and storage:

Carbon capture technologies are being developed to collect CO2 generated by power plants and industries and prevent it from entering the atmosphere. CO2 is extracted from other gases in industrial processes and compressed before being sent via pipelines or ships to a storage location. CO2 is sometimes injected into subterranean rock formations that are hundreds or thousands of feet below the surface, such as depleted oil and gas fields or saline aquifer formations. The CO2 may also be kept underground for later use in other processes.

Energy-efficiency:

Many methods can be used to increase energy efficiency, such as lowering CO2 emissions through industrial processes that use fossil fuels. Renewable energy has attracted trillions of dollars in investment worldwide, with solar, wind, hydroelectricity, and geothermal systems providing a low-cost alternative to fossil fuels. Investing in energy efficiency may help to reduce energy consumption while also saving money. Investments in energy efficiency have the potential to result in lower power demand as well as the early decommissioning of coal and fossil fuel plants. By switching to boilers and furnaces that burn zero-carbon electricity, fossil fuel emissions released into the atmosphere for the production of heat may also be reduced.

Use of hydrogen:

Zero-carbon hydrogen can be used as an alternative to reduce emissions from the consumption of fossil fuels and emissions from various feedstocks. Hydrogen is a versatile energy carrier and can be produced from low-carbon electricity or from carbon-abated fossil fuels. The potential of hydrogen gas in the low carbon economy is based on its flexibility. It may be used for a variety of applications, making it desirable as a low-carbon fuel. Hydrogen can serve as raw material and high-temperature heat source and may also be used to generate emissions-free energy. In terms of reducing pollutants, hydrogen.

Use of biomass:

Biomass can be utilized in a variety of forms (solid, liquid, or gas) as an alternative to hydrocarbons and feedstocks, similar to hydrogen. The demand for waste will rise as biomass is used to create bioenergy, resulting in a circular economy that opens new possibilities for waste reduction via recycling. This implies that materials may be re-used and there is a move from a make-take-waste economy to one in which everything is designed to be repurposed as a raw material for new items. Biomass, like other renewable resources, has a number of economic and environmental benefits. These include energy security, improved public health (particularly for local populations), the creation of green employment, mitigation of GHGs, and air pollution.