Research

Emerging Sustainable
Technologies
Report from 2020 Technology Watch© Adobe Stock / Freepik

Authors: Elodie Le Cadre Loret, Jan Mertens, Jean-Pierre Keustermans, Monique Créach
Based upon discussions with ENGIE LABS experts
Laurent Baraton, Koenraad De Bauw, Emmanuel Girasa, Jim Gripekoven, Han Ngoc Huynh Thi, Maxime Hervy, Yilmaz Kara, Nouaamane Kezibri, Hélène
Lepaumier, Camel Makhloufi, Jos Menting, Lionel Nadau, Ana Novak-Zdravkovic, Célestin PietteEmerging Sustainable Technologies

We must act now to accelerate our goal of a carbon neutral energy transition. The International Energy Agency
published in September 2020, their Energy Technology Perspectives stating that to reach our net-zero carbon
emission ambition by 2050, we will need lots of technologies that are today not mature yet. It is estimated that about
75 % of the emission reduction effort will have to come from these non-mature technologies. This does not mean, thatthey must be invented from scratch; but rather a fast upscaling from existing technologies in laboratories up to pilots,
up to demos and finally into the market is crucial and the energy sector is not the only one concerned.
It is extremely hard to predict next technology breakthroughs but, in this document, we present topical areas that we
think will offer non-trivial benefits and impacts on this transition. ENGIE is not only keeping a close eye on theirdevelopment but has the ambition to help bringing these technologies to the market in an increased pace; throughpiloting and demonstrating.
There is not one technology that has the potential to overcome the challenge alone so working on a variety oftechnologies related to energy production, transport, storage and use is crucial. The challenge is also too large toovercome alone as a person/company/sector, we must collaborate. The document has little pretention apart frominspiring its readers and it is in the context of this spirit of collaboration that this document is written and published.
Dr. Jan Mertens, Chief Science Officer @ENGIE, Visiting Professor @Ugent
Dr. Elodie Le Cadre Loret, Lead Science Advisor @ENGIE
2

Emerging Sustainable Technologies

EnergyIn thefutureObjective of this document

Present a selection of emerging
technologies that:
Impact energy today
Very likely will impact energy in future

May impact energy directly or indirectly eventhough today they seem far away from ourcurrent and ‘planned’ future activities…

Emerging
technologies
EnergyToday

So where possible link is made with
our activities but not always
straightforward TODAY…

3

Green energy is the key
enabler for solving the top
10 issues that we face

© AdobeStock© AdobeStock© AdobeStock

Emerging Sustainable Technologies

Only 25 % of the required
CO2 emissions to meetcarbon neutrality can beachieved using maturetechnologies

4

CO2 as a resource will bepart of the portfolio oftechnologies required tomeet carbon neutrality

Emerging Sustainable Technologies

Introduction

1986 Nobel Prize-winning chemist, Professor Richard Smalley identified
what he felt were the top 10 issues facing the world and their link withenergy:EnergyWater

Food
Environment“Clean water is a great example ofsomething that depends on energy. And
if you solve the water problem, you
solve the food problem.”Poverty
Terrorism & Wars

Covid-19

We need to adress the first three structural challenges toensure having the means to fight the other ones!

DiseaseR. Smalley, 2005

Education
Democracy
Population
Source [1]5Emerging Sustainable Technologies

Introduction

Water
Food: Water is the keystone for theentire agro-food supply chain.
Food
Energy: Energy is an essential input
throughout the entire agro-food supply chain,from pumping water to processing, transporting
and refrigerating food.
EnergyWater : While water plays a key rolein energy production, energy is required toprocess and distribute water, to treat wastewater,
to pump groundwater and to desalinate
seawater.

Source [2]6Emerging Sustainable Technologies

Introduction

We need to speed up R&D and Innovation!
Cumulative emissions reductions to baseline trends by technology maturity

Net-zero emissions by 2070

Net-zero emissions by 2050

Heavy industry& long-distancetransport

MatureEarly adoption
Demonstration
Large prototype
Small prototype/lab“CCUS, batteries and H2 are today where PV was 10 years ago.
Governments need to support their development now.”
Fatih Birol, IEA, 2020

7

Source [3]Emerging Sustainable Technologies

Introduction

We will need also green molecules (gases/liquids) for industry, building and transport
Global CO2 emissions redutions in the Sustainable Development Scenario, relative to baseline trends

Source [3]8Emerging Sustainable Technologies

Introduction

BUT “Due to efficiency losses
in capturing and converting
atmospheric CO2, theproduction of renewablemolecules will increase theoverall demand for renewableenergy drastically.”
Mertens, Belmans and Webber, 2020

Modified from Source [4]Sources [4], [5]9Emerging Sustainable Technologies© Adobe Stock

Emerging Sustainable Technologies

Direct Air Capture forcircular carbon
economyPumped Hydro
Compressed Air

Small Modular Nuclear

Power-to-proteins

Hydrothermal
gasification of biomass
and waste

Pyrogasification ofwaste (Solid Recovered
Fuel)© DNVL

Cybersecurity andbiomimicry© Paul Box

10

Sustainable catalysts asenergy transition
enablers

Multi-purpose offshore
platforms

Green ammonia andgreen fertilizer

Emerging Sustainable Technologies© AdobeStock

Direct Air
Capture forcircular carbon
economyEmerging Sustainable Technologies

Direct Air Capture for circular carbon economy

CO2 capture from the air: myth or reality?
Technology wise, a reality
Carbon dioxide can be removed from ambient air through chemical processes basedon acid-base reactions. Direct Air Capture (DAC) is comparable to the respiratory
system or the photosynthesis.

PROCESSThe process releases captured
gases from the material
Photosynthesis

MATERIALS
Where the chemistry happens:
capacity and selectivity
Chlorophyll

SYSTEM
Fans are processing air
through large contactor arrays

PROCESS
Cyclic process: absorption onmaterials and desorption by heat

MATERIALS
Contactor: solvent or
solid sorbent

Non-amine

SYSTEM
The system moves the
air to the process
Tree

Solid adsorbent
and regeneration
at low T°C(80-100 °C)

Amine based

Liquid adsorbent
and regeneration
at high T°C(900°C)

Sources [6], [7]Modified from Source [6]12Emerging Sustainable Technologies

Direct Air Capture for circular carbon economy

Why capture from the air when there are so many
concentrated CO2 sources?
Advantages
DAC can capture the CO2 emitted by decentralized
sources (e.g. transport)
It can be decentralized towards sites that offer acheap source of renewable electricity and heat
Deployed closed to CO2 storage sites, DAC becomes a
Negative Emission Technology (NET)Its modular construction means many of them can bebuilt which can drive down cost

Challenges
CO2 in the atmosphere is highly
diluted (~400 ppm):

Large energy footprint

These challenges can beovercome by:Contactor development

Low carbon energy, such aswaste heat in the case of low
temperature DAC

Cost
Large land footprint

200 m

Capturethe sameamount of
CO2 as this6m

14 unitsof these
Petra Nova – 1.4 Mt CO2/year
115 m tall, 20 m large absorber

DAC with storage can be a NET, next to bio-CCS, carbon soiling, reforestation

Modified from Source [9]13Sources [8], [9]Emerging Sustainable Technologies

Direct Air Capture for circular carbon economy

CO2 capture from the air: myth or reality?
Next 5-10 years a major milestone to go from myth to reality

Roadmap

Tons/year
Proof< 2015

2015- 2020

2025

2030

Prototype

Pilot

Demo

Commercial

1

1000

10,000> 1,000,000

Material

Technology

Economics

Profit & Impact© climeworks.com

The leading DAC technology developers are all striving for the first large scale demonstration where the economics and technology
performances will be proven in an integrated business model (Enhanced Oil Recovery,e-fuels). 2025 will be a major milestone for DAC.

Source [7]14Emerging Sustainable Technologies© DR

Pumped Hydro
Compressed Air

Emerging Sustainable Technologies

Pumped Hydro Compressed Air

Hybridization of a mechanical solution (CAES) with a thermodynamic cycle offers a novel energy storage
Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES)

Hydrostor technology

Pumped Hydroelectric Storage (PHS)

Industrial development (Adiabatic CAES):• Compressed air stored in reservoir (old mines, salt
cavern, reservoir)• Heat from compressed air stored in Thermal Energy
Storage
R&D development (Isothermal CAES):• Water sprayed during compression & expansion to
avoid heating and cooling of compressed air• Thermal storage = a water tank
• Hydraulic piston used to improve CAES efficiency

Industrial development:• An upper and lower reservoir are needed• Searching for the highest possible elevation
to reduce soil footprint
R&D development (PHCA):
Cliff PHS in Okinawa island• Replacing the elevation by compressed air
cavity (or other pressurised fluid)• Lower reservoir can be a water reservoir, a lake,a river, a sea or a low compressed air cavity

A concept ofunderground Adiabatic
CAES developped by
ENGIE

Hydraulic Piston based on new
Pelton design to replace air
expander used by CAES or to
downsize PHS

Charging Mode

Discharging Mode

Hydraulic Piston or Pumped Hydro Compressed Air (PHCA)
16

Sources [10], [11], [12], [13]

Emerging Sustainable Technologies

Pumped Hydro Compressed Air

Merging CAES and PHS: newopportunities for both systems

Trigeneration storage can be expected:
heat, cold and power can be managed
separately
Containerised and scalable
No geographical restriction (opportunity
to use abandoned mines, tunnels,…)
and limited water consumption
Large-scale energy storage for offshore
marketBenefits from PHS and CAES
demonstrations around the world which
are cost-effective and reliable

CHALLENGES:
Optimisation of the pump-turbine design forincreasing the cavern depth of discharge andfor addressing high pressure
Thermal management of the process totackle different objectives:• Maximizing electrical power requires a gasthat does not heat up too much or very fastheat exchanges to approach isothermal
compression.
• Conversely, a thermally oriented system
will seek to heat and cool while limitingexchanges with the water
Cost

17

Example of abandoned cavern

THESE CHALLENGES CANBE OVERCOME BY:
Combining different kind of turbines
or using multi-stage turbines
Including heat exchangers into thecavern to recover or to bring energy© AdobeStockADVANTAGES:

Emerging Sustainable Technologies

Pumped Hydro Compressed Air

Towards the commercialisation of the offshore
Hydro-Pneumatic Energy Storage (HPES) concept
Energy storage device (ocean CAES) can be integrated directly into a floating offshore platform. Thus energy is stored using a HydroPneumatic Liquid Piston, driven by a reversible pump-turbine. Electrical power efficiency could be greater than 70%.

Floating solar panels

Floating wind turbine

The first FLASC prototype was deployed in 2017 in the Grand Harbour of the Maltese
Islands
Sources [14], [15]18

Emerging Sustainable Technologies

Pumped Hydro Compressed Air

An emerging topic with projects already developing
commercial facilities
Power grid storage & Wind or PV farm integration

Ground Level
Integrated Diverse
Energy Storage(GLIDES) prototype
since 2019. Efficiency
from 70% to 82%

Concept/prototype

FLASC
pilot since
2017

Pilot

Remora demonstrator
patented by SegulaTechnologies underconstruction (2019-2023)
15MW-90MWh

Demonstrator

Commercial(>2025)

Industry & District Heat and Cooling network
PackGy concept
2019 – trigeneration storage
for agro-food industry
CAES to produce and to store heat and cold for DHC network
Pumped Hydro Storage to produce and to store heat for DHC
network

Sources [12], [14], [16], [17]19Emerging Sustainable Technologies© AdobeStock

Small Modular
ReactorEmerging Sustainable Technologies

Small Modular Reactor

Small modular reactors (SMRs) are commonly defined as
nuclear reactors of 300MWe equivalent or less, designedwith modular factory fabrication
Water pool

Reactor building

Provide an ultimate heat sink that
passively cool-down the reactor isbrought back when normal operation
conditions are not met.

Prevent the release of radioactive material into theenvironment in adverse conditions. Protect thereactors from external interactions (natural
disaster, industrial hazards…)

Steam line
Transport the steam toward it’s desired
applications: turbine for electric generation orheat network for co-generation applications
Containment Vessel
Prevent the release of radioactive materials
and protect from external interaction
Reactor Pressure Vessel
Ensure the integrity of the primary circuit

Warm coolant rising channel
Guide the natural circulation of the
expanding cooling water through the heatexchanger to produce steam. Concepts use
alternative coolants (molten-salt, helium...)NuScale Power Modules
Supply steam independently from the other power modules
Various images, text, or other works included in this material are copyright © 2007 or later by NuScale Power, LLC. All rights reserved. The works owned by NuScale Power, LLC
may not be copied or used to create derivative works without NuScale’s express permission.

21

Nuclear Core
Contain the uranium assemblies within which
nuclear reactions occur liberating a large
amount of heat

Source [18]

Emerging Sustainable Technologies

Small Modular Reactor

SMRs bring sensible
answers to crucial
questions relative tonuclear economy

Turning waste into
watts
Reduce nuclear waste by
extracting more energy fromsame quantity of uranium

Provide an alternative route forthe radioactive waste produced inour current fleet
Cut down lifetime of nuclear
waste by burning long-lived
radioisotopes in advanced fastneutron reactors

Inherently safer

Investment-grade newbuild projects

Reduce significantly the riskof severe accident by making
them unlikely

Reduce the financial burden ofultra-large infrastructure projects
thanks to smaller projects

Passively cool down the reactor
thanks to natural phenomena

Mass production ofstandardized and simplified
design in a factory (rather thancustom-built on site) which candrive down cost

Reach safe state without humanintervention

Evacuation of population is notneeded in case of accident

Streamline delivery process
22

Enabler of neutralcarbon transition
Better size compatibility withmarket demand for non-electric
usage: district heating, hydrogenproduction, desalination…
Flexibility of operation foster the
penetration of intermittent
renewables
Alternative coolant & higher
temperature to enable farreaching application: industrial
heat & GWh-scale energy
storageEmerging Sustainable Technologies

Small Modular Reactor

SMR is already in development globally with 2
demonstration plants already built
IMSR (Terrestrial) TRL 4
Thermal molten salt reactor.
Under licensing forconstruction in Canada & US

SSR-W (Moltex) TRL 3
Fast molten salt reactor. Under design for construction
at NBP Point Lepreau site in Canada
KLT-40S (Rosatom) TRL 8First floating nuclear power
plant using mature icebreaker technology

NuScale (Fluor)
TRL 6Multi-module
Pressurized Water
Reactor. Underlicensing by US-NRC
for demonstration at
Idaho National Lab
site by 2029
Various images, text, or other works included in this material are copyright © 2007 or later by
NuScale Power, LLC. All rights reserved. The works owned by NuScale Power, LLC may not be
copied or used to create derivative works without NuScale’s express permission.

HTR-PM (CGN) TRL 7First high temperature gas cooled
reactor (Gen IV). Demonstrator built
and full-scale now undercommissioning

BWX-300 (GE-Hitachi) –TRL 6
SMR version of the large scale
ESBWR, already licensed by
the US-NRC
23

CaptionDeveloper
Expression of interest
Demonstrator built

Emerging Sustainable Technologies

Small Modular Reactor

The known challenges from this high technology requires
qualified and experimented human ressources
1. International Licensing strategy

2. Improved value chain

Multi-lateral harmonisation

Built-in design lessons learned from recent projects

Country of origin approach: passport-like certification

Advanced manufacturing techniques for major
component price crunchPre-licensing for early regulator feedback & overall
process de-risking

New delivery process for site decongestion

3. New stakeholder organisation

4. Technological readiness

Multi-national allianceNew materials qualification (alloy 617…)

New financing models: user-owned, crowdfunding &wealthy backers“Cook & look” approach with test loops: physicalchemical behaviour mapping, I&C hardware
development…

Canada as the world SMR hub

Growing government funding for National and Private
Research Labs

Fermi (Estonia): the European test bench

Challenge transversal to all SMR technologies
Challenge specific to Advanced (non-water) Reactor technologies
24

Emerging Sustainable Technologies© AdobeStock

Cybersecurity
and biomimicryfor society
resilience

Emerging Sustainable Technologies

Cybersecurity and biomimicry for society resilience

How to keep systems cyber-secure while enlarging thedigital footprint?
Resilience is needed

Cyber Attack on digital equipment
VirusesTargeted and non-targeted attacks
Disgruntled people…

Lost ofConfidentiality
Avalability
Integrity

26
26

Impacted IoT
Loss of production & revenues
Damage of equipment
Harm people
Reputational damage
Non-complianceEmerging Sustainable Technologies

Cybersecurity and biomimicry for society resilience

We can learn from nature on how to equip IoT devices witha mechanism to self-repair after being cyber-attacked

NATURE

Self-healing
Starfish has thecapability toregenerate limps
after being crippled

TECHNOLOGY

StarfishEquip the IoT with abiomimicry based ‘selfrepair’ mechanism

Self-healing
The self-repair
mechanism ensures
the automatic
recovery of thedeviceThe IoT automaticallyre-starts to operate

Cyber attack

27

Emerging Sustainable Technologies

Cybersecurity and biomimicry for society resilience

The biomimicry eight steps loop method

3 Transposition
to biology

4 Identification of
biological models

8 Tests and implementations

7 Transposition
to technology© AdobeStock - Pixabay - Freepik

2 Technical problem
abstraction

6 Biologicalstrategies
abstraction
Examples of
biomimicry
inspiredsolutions

1 Analysis of
the problem

5 Selection of therelevant one
Source [19]28Emerging Sustainable Technologies

Cybersecurity and biomimicry for society resilience

Comparison of different biomimicry projects
available around the world
Human Immune
Human Immune
System– for immune
response

0

Eusocial bahaviours
in ant colonies
Self-healing

2

1

SMART GRIDIMMUNE SYSTEM
Bio-inspired security
architecture for Smart
Grids

DIGITALANTSTM

Ant-based Cyber
Bio-inspired IoT system Defense
self-restortion• USA, Pacific Northwest• Belgium, ENGIE
Laborelec• 2020National Laboratory• 2011

System4

3

SWARM
INTELLIGENCE
Wireless Sensor
Network (WSN)
Cybersecurity• India, Sri Venkateswara
College of Enginnering• 201756

8

7

FUZZBUSTER
Towards Adaptive
Immunity from Cyber
Threats• USA, Smart Information
Flow Technologies (SIFT)• 20119CYBERIMMUNITY:DARK TRACEEnterprise Immune
System• United Kingdom
Darktrace• 2017

X© AdobeStock• Bangladesh, International
Islamic Universty
Chittagong• 2016ENGIE STARFISH

Bio-phenomena:
Ant colony

Human Immune
System-Antibodies

TRL:Technology
Readiness Level

Sources [20], [21], [22], [23], [24], [25], [26], [27]29Emerging Sustainable Technologies© AdobeStock

Sustainablecatalysts asenergy transition
enablers

Emerging Sustainable Technologies

Sustainable catalysts as energy transition enablers

Catalysis is a key enabling technology for energy transition
Both energy (heat, electrons, photons) andcatalyst are required to convert
thermodynamically stable molecules, i.e. H2O
and CO2, into value-added products.
Catalysts are chemical substances increasing
the reaction rate without being consumed toreach the chemical equilibrium at a suitabletemperature.They do not change thethermodynamics and can be used cyclically.

Its performance is driven by:• Its composition (nature of the metal,
enzyme…)• Structure / morphology / microstructure• Type and nature of support• Immobilization method
A catalyst is specific for each final product,
reaction conditions and type of process:

Thermocatalytic conversion
Metallic Cu catalyst

Water electrolysis

Metallic Ni supported on YSZ ceramic

H2

H2O

H2O

Production of syngas by Solid Oxide
Electrolysis (SOEC) at High
Temperature

Biocatalytic conversion

Pt/IrO2 catalyst
O2

CO2 hydrogenation intomethanolComparison of activation energy with(green) and without (red) a catalyst

H2 production from waterelectrolysis
Sources [28], [29], [30], [31]31Emerging Sustainable Technologies

Sustainable catalysts as energy transition enablers

Platinum group metal (PGM) catalysts dominate today’s
applications
CHALLENGES
Even at high production volumes, the PGM catalyst is expected to represent a significant part of the fuel cell cost.
The wide development of electrochemical processes, that bridge the molecule-based economy with a green electricity
production should avoid the intensive use of PGM materials. As such, a large scientific effort is devoted to the development of lowPGM and PGM-free catalysts.
Developments of new catalytic materials with improved performance are focused on composition and microstructure.
2018 PEMFC Stack Cost Breakdown

Illustration of the microstructure of a low PGM catalyst

Platinum group metal

Ru

Rh

Pd

Ruthenium

Rhodium
102.91

Palladium

101.07

Os

Ir

Pt

OsmiumIridium
192.22

Platinum190.23106.42

195.08Sources [32], [33]32Emerging Sustainable Technologies

Sustainable catalysts as energy transition enablers

Conventional catalysts
Fossil fuel feedstock
Harsh reaction conditions
Low process flexibility
Low catalyst activity
Abundant and cheap materials

H2
+
N2
H2
+
CO
H2
+
CO

300-600°C
150-250 bar

FeIron
55.845NH3

400-600°C
5-20 bar

Ni
Nickel58.693CH4

250-300°C
50-100 bar

Cu
Copper
63.546

CH3OH

Alternative catalysts
Renewable feedstock
Mild reaction conditions
Higher process flexibility
Higher catalyst activity
Rare and expensive materials

H2
+
N2
H2
+
CO2
H2
+
CO2

<400°C<20 bar

Ru
Ruthenium

NH3

101.07

Tomorrow’s catalysts
Renewable feedstock
Mild reaction conditions
High process flexibility
High catalyst activity
Non-transition metals

H2
+
N2

250°C
10 barLi
Lithium

NH3

6.941

125°C
2 bar

Rh
Rhodium
102.91

CH4

Pd
106.42Cs

Potassium

Cesium132.9139.098Na<250°C<30 bar

PalladiumK

Sodium
22.989…

CH3OH
Sources [34], [35]33Emerging Sustainable Technologies

Sustainable catalysts as energy transition enablers

Future catalyst will have to be based on earth-abundantmaterials and will require to work at moderate pressure
and temperature ultimately
The biocatalytic approach could allow the convergence of both approaches
ADVANTAGES
Mimicking the reactions taking place inliving organisms, biocatalysis has many
attractive features in the context ofgreen and sustainable chemistry:
Mild reaction conditions: ambient
temperature and pressure
High flexibility
EfficientHighly selective

CHALLENGES
Recycling biocatalysts
Development of more stablebiocatalysts according to two different
approaches:- Keep wild type organisms / enzymes andselect organisms that livein extreme environments as these will
be naturally more stable.
- Engineer it using genetic tools

Sustainable : biodegradable catalyst(enzyme)Over the last few years, an increasing number of pilot anddemonstration emerges.
North-C-Methanol
MethanolThermocatalytichydrogenation
45 000 t/yPower-to-Methanol
MethanolThermocatalytichydrogenation
8 000 t/yPower-to-gas
Hycaunais

Formate dehydrogenase
with focus on the active
site of Mo for the CO2
reduction into formate

E- methane
Demonstration
Bioconversion
H2 electrolyser @ 1MWe

Source [36]34Emerging Sustainable Technologies© AdobeStockPower-to-proteinsEmerging Sustainable Technologies

Power-to-proteins

Power-to-proteins approach consists in the production of aprotein-rich material by bacterial cultures using electrolytic
H2 as energy source
Commonly used microorganisms are hydrogenotrophs like Cupravidius necator, Rhodococcus opacus or Hydrogenobacter
thermophiles. These bacteria oxidize hydrogen in anaerobic conditions to power their metabolism and accumulate proteic
biomass at high rates (kg/m³.h scale)Power-to-protein concept for food/feed production: a process that decompartmentalize energy, biology and agriculture sectors.

Haber Bosch
NitrogenThe cells are processed for separationof the aqueous medium throughcentrifugation/mechanical press/heatdrying and/or a combination of those.

Reactive Nitrogen

Human food as meat
replacement

H2
Renewable
EnergyCarbon capture andutilization from industrial
point sources

Waterelectrolysis

O2
In-reactor microbial
based biomass
production
Protein supplement forlivestock andaquaculture

CO2

Source [37]36Emerging Sustainable Technologies

Power-to-proteins

This no-brainer protein production pathway remains
to be demonstrated economically at scale andsocially accepted
Parameter

Animal based

Vegetable based

Microbial

High and only
arableMedium and only arable

Low and can bebarrenWater use

High

High

Low

Greenhouse gases
footprint

High

MediumLow

Production timeDays to years,
non seasonal

Months, seasonalDays, nonseasonal

Proteic efficiency

Low

Low

High

Large, linked tovegetal feed
needs

Large, through N
emissions when
fertilisers are applied

Close to 0

Land footprint

Nutrients
environment
spillover
Resilience towards
climate change

Low due to ecosystems change

Pesticide andantibiotics use
Sterileenvironment

Yes
NoHigh as it isdecoupled fromthe environment
No

No

Yes

Food for astronauts?
The“Close loop”
carbon cycle

Food cargo is a large expenditure when it
comes to space exploration. Producing it
autonomously is thus a huge opportunity.
Power-to-proteins was actually initiallydeveloped for that application by NASA andstill viewed as a long-distance space
exploration enabler.

CHALLENGES:
Foremost challenge is to make it renewable and economical ashydrogen is the main costSocial acceptance of eating a microbe or eating meat produced on
microbes.

Comparison of animal, vegetable and bioconversion protein production pathways.
Sources [38], [39]37Emerging Sustainable Technologies

Power-to-proteins

A dynamic portfolio of start-ups developing the subject atdifferent stages and with different focuses. Oil and gas aswell as electricity utilities are partnering
Start-ups

In partnerships with38

Emerging Sustainable Technologies

Power-to-proteins

The steadily growing biotech economy is experiencing
an ever growing momentum pulled by key enabling
technologies to harness biology without wasting resources
Cost per Human Genome Sequenced

Currently, an even stronger development of thesector is observed due to several factors:
Dropping DNA sequencing costs to accessmassive information
Oct 2014
Artificial intelligence (especially machinelearning) developments to manage the massive
amount of data
Nobel Price in
Chemistry
CRISPR/Cas9 development, a genetic editing tool
2020:
to screen large number of precisely edited
Emmanuelle
Charpentiermutants
and Jennifer
Laboratory increasing automatization capacity
Doudna.

Similarities with theinformatics wave?
Actors in the field sometimes compare thisevolution to the computer and IT revolutionthat occurred the past decades as both show
impressive growth and several similar
concepts

Jul 2019“Blank” chassis© Alexander Heinel/Picture Alliance/DPA

Biotechnologies have been ever rising since a
couple of decades through 3 main different sectors:
Industrial, pharmaceutical and agricultural
applications. Today, pharma sector is leading but
the grow is cross sectorial.

“Evolutionary” based
chassisConstructed by modules (parts)
Behavior code based
Non self replicative
Self coding and self
replicative
Possible contamination by external code
Similarities with IT exists but fundamental differences
Sources [40], [41], [42]39Emerging Sustainable Technologies© AdobeStock

Hydrothermal
gasification of
biomass andwaste

Emerging Sustainable Technologies

Hydrothermal gasification of biomass and waste

Digestates fromanaerobic digestion© Olivier Jorba

What is a liquidorganic waste?

© Dominique VERNIER

Hydrothermal Gasification converts liquid organic waste
into green gases in contrast to pyrogasification processes
which valorize dry organic waste

Biomass or waste having a dry
matter range of 5-50 wt%

Sewage sludge from industrial
or municipal wastewater
treatment plant

Liquid industry, effluents41© Lionel Le Saux / SIPA

Inputs=Waste or residues
difficult to valorize© Lionel Le Saux / SIPA

Food industry
residues andby-products© CSC Scientific Blog

Liquid organic waste must be
pumpable to reach high pressure
required by the process© Lionel Le Saux / SIPA

Organic fraction in the dry matter ishigher than 50 wt%
Macro andmicro-algae

Liquid and solid
farming waste

Emerging Sustainable Technologies

Hydrothermal gasification of biomass and waste

Hydrothermal Gasification is gasification in hot compressedwater which uses water in a supercritical state© Lionel Le Saux / SIPA

Hydrothermal reactor
Syngas above thewater supercriticalpoint (221 bar, 374°C)
Non-catalytic
600-700°C© Olivier Jorba

260-300 bar

Liquid organic waste

SyngasSalt
separation

Pump

Heat
Exchanger

H2
Purification

Catalytic
380-420°C

P, K, Ca, metals
recovery

Water and NH4+

CO2

CH4

Production of syngas, CH4, H2, or chemicals
Raw syngas can be valorized either directly for heat and/or electricity production, or purified to clean CH4 or H2, or converted into chemicals.
CH4 content reaches 50-60% in catalytic conversion, and up to 90% when H2 is co-injected in the gasifierH2 concentration can achieve 50-75% in syngas
Sources [43], [44], [45]42Emerging Sustainable Technologies

Hydrothermal gasification of biomass and waste

ADVANTAGES© etagautier.com

Hydrothermal Gasification is either a complementary orcompetitive alternative pathway for green gas production
from organic waste
CHALLENGES

Complementary to pyrogasification process which valorizes
dry organic waste and to anaerobic digestion (AD) byvalorizing liquid digestates in saturated spreading zones

Operating with high pressure and high temperature
Optimisation of minerals separation to avoid plugging of
the gasification reactor

Efficient production of CH4 or H2 depending on the operating
conditions and process chain (CH4 production is doubled
compared to AD)

Preventing from catalysts deactivation by poisoning (sulfur
compounds) and plugging (minerals precipitation)
Scaling-up and simplifying the installation operation

Fast conversion (<10min) ➔ compact units (10 times morecompact than AD)

Potentially in competition with anaerobic digestion since both
sectors valorize liquid organic fuels

Co-production of minerals (P, K, Ca) and NH4+ possibly
valorized as fertilizer ➔ extra-revenues

Uncertainty on profitability due to costly alloys for reactor andequipment to withstand operating conditions and corrosion

Low quantity of final solid residue generated
No problem by using only one type of feedstock contrary to AD

Sources [45], [46], [47], [48], [49], [50], [51], [52]43Emerging Sustainable Technologies

Hydrothermal gasification of biomass and waste

Gas companies andtransport infrastructures
are involved in thedevelopment of thesector by providing
support to technology
developers and toinitiate pilot ordemonstration projects

&

&

44

Emerging Sustainable Technologies© Paul Box

Pyrogasificationof waste (Solid
Recovered Fuel)Emerging Sustainable Technologies

Pyrogasification of waste (Solid Recovered Fuel)

Pyrogasification of Solid Recovered Fuel (SRF) is an efficient
way to convert dry waste into several energy carriers© Paul Box

FROM SMALL (2 MWTH) TO HIGH UNIT CAPACITIES (<100 MWTH)

SyngasSRF
Moisture<20wt%

Cogeneration

Heat & Powerηpower : 25-35%
ηheat : 45-50%

Water Gas Shift

Hydrogen

Methanation

Biomethaneηprocess : 60-70%

Fischer-Tropsch
Pyrogasification
T=700-900°C
P= atm to 20 bar
Partial oxidation in
reducing atmosphere

Main Gases:
H2, CO, CO2, CH4, H2O, N2

Gas cleaning

Inorganic gases: H2S, NH3, HCl
Organic pollutants: Tar

Chemicals
synthesis

Biodieselηprocess : 25-35%
Chemicals(methanol, DME,
ethanol…)

Gasifying agent
Air, Steam, O2
Depends on the syngas end-use

SRF are complex andheterogeneous materials,
strongly dependant on initialwaste, production method,and season

Solid Recovered Fuels (SRF) are a mixture of:• Plastics• Carpet/matress• Waste wood
• Rocks• Paper/carton• Glass• Textiles…
•…
46

Syngas from SRF contains much more pollutants
than syngas from clean biomass.
Conventional inorganic gases removal processes
must be adapted before valorising syngas.

Emerging Sustainable Technologies

Pyrogasification of waste (Solid Recovered Fuel)

Pyrogasification of dry wood is a mature technology also
flexible to turn various waste into valuable end-productsin the future
ADVANTAGESCHALLENGESIt reduces waste dumping and its impact on Health &Environment

Costly pretreatments due to heterogeneity of waste
Higher content of heteroatoms in SRF than in biomass, resulting
in higher pollutants content in syngas and/or in fluegas(H2S, HCl, NH3)
▸ Corrosion issues▸ Syngas cleaning process to adapt

SRF are low cost materials: from -20 to + 90 €/ton dependingon the country and the quality
SRF represents a large, increasing, and available resource→ Lowering the stress on biomass supply

Higher ash content than in biomass: 15-35% for SRF from
Municipal Solid Waste, 2-20% for SRF from Ordinary Industrial
Waste.
▸ Large quantity of solid residues to landfill in Hazardous
Waste centers if no other valorization way is developed

Mix of SRF with conventional biomass can be valorized inpyrogasification plants
Small (2 MWth) to high (<100 MWth) unit capacities can beaddressed by pyrogasification

Fouling of apparatus (such as heat exchangers) due to highalkaline and particle contents
Emerging market → competition for quality and quantity of SRF
47

Emerging Sustainable Technologies

Pyrogasification of waste (Solid Recovered Fuel)

While biomass pyrogasification has been widely proven,
only few examples of waste pyrogasification are available
Cogeneration unit of (50 MWelectricity, 90
MW Heat) from 160 MW of SRF in Lahti(Finland) since 2012

Enerkem inaugurated in 2014 anindustrial-scale unit producing 38000 m3
of ethanol from Municipal Solid Waste inEdmonton (Canada)

TRL 9

TRL 9
TRL 6-7

In Japan, many technologies
are operated to produce Heat
and/or electricity from waste
and immobilizing minerals in aslag phase (Ebara, Nippon
Steel, JFE, Hitachi)
TRL 9

Industrial unit (Bonnefoy, France)
gasifying RDF and waste wood (25 MW)
and producing by ICGC 7 Mwe and 12 MW th
Termiska Processer AB :Between 1991 and 2004,
two 15 MW CFB Gasifiers inGrève in Chianti (Italy)

TRL 8-9
2 MW th pilot plant (Innov’Energy, France)
dedicated to biomethane production from SRF
TRL 6-7

TRL 8-948

Emerging Sustainable Technologies© DNVL

Multi-purpose
offshore
platforms

Emerging Sustainable Technologies

Multi-purpose offshore platform

Multi-purpose offshore platform is an oppportunity of
exploiting synergies for activating (far-)offshore economic
activities
What it is? a constellation of various offshore industrial
and other activities, like renewable energy generation(wind, solar, wave,...), energy storage, aquaculture,desalination, marine research, security, etc.

© Energy Island

The classification is often based on connectivity among
activities, distinguishing:co-located systems – share the same location (not theplatform) and possibly common infrastructure
combined structures - share the same platform facility
providing multiple technical and economical benefits to different
combinations of production and/or service activities.
island structures – envisage to integrate four main industrial
sectors: transport, energy, aquaculture and leisure.

Sources [53], [54], [55]50

Emerging Sustainable Technologies

Multi-purpose offshore platform

Compared to several single-use platforms, multi-purpose
platforms reduce environmental pressure on the oceans
but governance, public acceptance and still present
technical issues make their implementation challenging
ADVANTAGES
Shared infrastructure, resources andservices for lowering the costs of offshore
industrial activities
Better reliability, increased energy yields andsmooth output power due to combination ofdifferent power generation technologies
Optimization of spatial planning andminimization of the impact on the environment

CHALLENGES

Floating satellite unit – wind, PV
aquaculture (ﬁsh + algae farm)

Implementation of technologies with different
maturity level
Governance
Environmental impact of large industrial
offshore activities
Safety and high technical risks for system
integrity and reliability due to the dynamic
mechanical loads, corrosion, biofouling,
complex mooring needs, harsh weather
conditions, etc.
Manage the offshore local power grid, energy
storage and electricity transport
Public acceptanceConﬁguration of the industrial complex – energy,
storage, transport, aquaculture, leisure51

Sources [56], [57], [58], [59]Emerging Sustainable Technologies

Multi-purpose offshore platform

Their development is mainly supported bydifferent European Commission research
programs
Ocean of Tomorrow within the FP7, with around 31 projects
including:
MERMAID: offshore wind farms, marine aquaculture and wave energy.
TROPOS: deep Water Offshore Platform Harnessing and Servicing
Mediterranean, Subtropical and Tropical Marine and Maritime Resources.
H2OCEAN: harvesting wind and wave power and using it for aquaculture andhydrogen production

Horizon 2020 - Until now 7 projects have been accepted and 3 arefinishing between 2021- 2024.
MUSICA: providing blue growth solution for islands (renewable energy,
desalination, aquaculture,…)Regional projects such as Dolphyn or joint-industry projects
like PosHYdon, both focusing on the challenges related to the offshore
production of hydrogen as an energy vector.

GOAL
Increase TRL from 5
to 7, ensuring theirdemonstration in thereal environment.

Sources [56], [60], [61], [62], [63]52Emerging Sustainable Technologies© AdobeStock

Green Ammonia
and SmartFertilizers

Emerging Sustainable Technologies

Green Ammonia and Smart Fertilizers

Tomorrow’s
green fertilizer
production could
be based on
renewable
Energie sources
A practical and shortterm solution to produce
sustainable nitrogen-based
fertilizers is to integrate
renewable feedstock in theconventional process.
Besides, more compact
and low elevation plants
allow for lower construction
and O&M costs.

1

The combination of the production of green ammonia form renewable electricity derived fromwind, PV or hydro, while using carbon dioxide from conventional power plants, industry or throughdirect air capture.

2

The use of bio-based feedstock originating form gasification units which produces syngas, or
through biomethane reforming coupled with carbon capture units.

(*)
ASU : air Separation unit
HB : Haber BoschDAC : Direct Air Capture
SBR : Steam Biomethane Reforming
ATR : Autothermal Reactor
CCS : Carbon Capture & Storage54

Emerging Sustainable Technologies

Green Ammonia and Smart Fertilizers

Drivers of sustainable small-scale fertilizer production
INCREASING DEMAND
in the food/agriculture
market. How to reliably
feed 10 billion people by
2050?

LONG-RANGE
TRANSPORT to isolatedareas adds a substantial
cost burden to farmers
up to 40% of the final
product cost.

PROCESSCONSTRAINTSIntermittency effect on
synthesis process which
operates at very hightemperature andpressure.

GEOGRAPHICALDISPERSION
Renewable energies areproduced in a geographicallydispatched mode.

DISTRIBUTED-SCALE
PRODUCTION✓ More efficient✓ Scalable production✓ Flexible operation✓ No carbon emissions✓ Less transport costs✓ Self-sufficient supply

CAPEX INTENSIVEINDUSTRY
Fertilizer industry relies
on CapEx heavy plants
with large production
capacities.

OPEX INTENSIVEINDUSTRY
The cost of natural gas
accounts for at least 80%of the cost of ammonia
and by extent, the cost of
nitrogen-based fertilizers.

PRICE FLUCTUATION
Highly volatile prices ofnatural gas lead toincrease in fertilizer
imports and decrease ofdomestic production.

ENVIRONMENTAL COST
Around 1% of global emissions,100kg of nitrogen-based fertilizer
is equivalent to the averageannual emission of 72 million cars.

© ENGIE

55

Emerging Sustainable Technologies

Green Ammonia and Smart Fertilizers

Green fertilizer production is an active sector of innovation
Short to Mid-term solutions

Long-term solutions

TARGETS:
Higher catalyst activity at low temperature
Lower synthesis loop pressure
More efficient ammonia separation
Higher turndown ratio for more plant flexibility

TARGETS:
Higher faradaic efficiency
Higher current density
Higher catalyst selectivity
Improved material durability
56

Emerging Sustainable Technologies

Conclusions

Emerging Sustainable Technologies

Conclusions

EnergyIn thefuture2030

2050

Selected indicators to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 through technology

EnergyToday

Source [3]58Emerging Sustainable Technologies

Research

Discussion / Questions
Feel free to contact us @jan.mertens@engie.com / elodie.lecadre@engie.com

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