The world has been in the grip of the COVID-19 pandemic for more than six months so far. As it stands, no vaccine is available and no one knows when the pandemic will end. The effects have been dramatic and widespread, affecting almost all sectors of society. Companies have had to close, temporarily or permanently. Unemployment rates have skyrocketed and people have been forced to stay at home – some working from home, others on leave, and others completely unemployed.
The economy appears to be heading into a massive global recession that will have repercussions that could last for decades. However, a positive result of the global lockdown is that carbon emission rates have dropped significantly, as travel has been severely limited. As lockdown measures begin to ease, these emissions are steadily increasing again.
Duncan Clark, director of business development at Renovare Fuels, is part of an industry calling for action to keep carbon emissions low as the world comes out of lockdown.
Decrease in annual emissions
Even with a gradual increase in carbon emissions, the decline during the lockdown led the International Energy Agency to forecast an 8% annual decline throughout 2020. Many countries have seen a decrease in carbon emissions by nearly 25% at the height of the lockdown, which occurred throughout March 2020.
In the UK, emissions levels fell by 31%, down almost a third. However, in June, as measures were relaxed and more people returned to commuting and using transport, emissions were only 5% lower than in the same month in 2019.
Many industry experts are now calling for the introduction of new green technologies to keep emission levels low and reduce them further, even as transportation becomes more of a necessity.
A decisive moment in the fight against climate change
The Climate Change Commission has declared the COVID-19 outbreak as a watershed moment in the fight against climate change, urging UK ministers to implement strategies to kick start a green recovery.
The current situation has been described as a unique opportunity to tackle climate change and make the transition to a low carbon economy globally. The priorities outlined in CCC’s report to Parliament include the development of sustainable and future-proof buildings, and the implementation of low-carbon retrofits wherever possible.
Investments in green infrastructure, peatland restoration and tree planting are essential for a low-carbon future, as are strengthening energy networks to support the electrification of heating and transportation. Infrastructure must be designed to promote green modes of transport, including walking and cycling to work, and a circular economy must be pursued.
Presentation of new technologies
There are several new technologies available which – if properly implemented – will play a key role in creating a greener and more carbon neutral future. CCS, or carbon capture and storage, can help prevent carbon emissions from being released into the atmosphere by capturing carbon dioxide and compressing it into liquid form. This can then be used to fill gas and oil tanks that have been depleted or used in various industrial processes.
EfW, or Energy from Waste, refers to many technologies that have been introduced to the market that can recover waste from biodegradable sources and transform it into new sources of energy, primarily heat and electricity. Renovare Fuels has developed a patented system to convert biogas from organic waste from homes and industry into gasoline, diesel or jet fuel. The fuel produced does not require any modification to the engine and has the potential to significantly reduce the environmental impact of transportation.
About Renovare fuels
Matthew Stone, President of Renovare Fuels, is a cleantech expert. Stone has direct experience in the commercialization and integration of technologies on an international scale, working with a highly experienced team to design, manufacture and commercialize new technologies for the creation of liquid fuels for vehicles from biogas.
Renovare Fuels has the technology to produce biogas from a variety of waste sources including sewage treatment facilities, anaerobic digesters and landfills.
