In Between Times 7-23-2024

A breakthrough in carbon capture?, Tracking waste and vital minerals, The transition to cleaner energy has a cost and we should be aware of it

Jul 23, 2024

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Scientists bridge ‘Valley of Death’ in carbon capture technology

The "valley of death" refers to the challenging gap between innovative research and practical, scalable application. This gap has often prevented promising carbon capture technologies from reaching the market. The newly developed platform, known as PrISMa (Process-Informed design of tailor-made Sorbent Materials), utilizes advanced simulations and machine learning to expedite the identification and optimization of materials capable of capturing carbon dioxide effectively from industrial emissions.

PrISMa's approach is transformative. It allows researchers to explore over 1,200 materials, providing detailed insights into the trade-offs between cost, environmental impact, and technical performance. This holistic platform is designed to cater to a wide range of stakeholders, including engineers, chemists, environmental managers, and investors. By offering comprehensive evaluations of environmental impacts and economic analyses, PrISMa significantly reduces the risks associated with investing in new technologies.

(From TechXplore.com)
"We use quantum chemistry, molecular simulation, and Machine Learning to predict, for new materials, all the data that is needed to design a process. Alternatively, we can use the experimental data from materials synthesized in a lab. The platform then evaluated their performance in over 60 different case studies from around the world."
Professor Garcia continues, "This innovative approach accelerates the discovery of top-performing materials for carbon capture, surpassing traditional trial-and-error methods.
"The platform can also inform the different stakeholders by providing engineers with options to identify economically and environmentally challenging factors in the design phase of optimal capture technologies, molecular design targets for chemists and environmental hotspots for materials, local integration benefits for CO₂ producers, and the best locations for investors."

Click here for the article.

Indonesia launches nickel, tin online tracking system

Indonesia is the world’s largest producer of nickle. It is also a leading producer of tin. In theory this new system will help stakeholders better track sourcing and environmental impact.

The greenhouse gas emissions targets of countries and their target years compared to 2021 with data from Net Zero Tracker. — Click HERE for a larger version.

Google backs global recycling initiative with innovative app

The app, supported by Google's AI capabilities, offers users the ability to scan products to receive detailed recycling instructions tailored to their local regulations. This technology not only simplifies the recycling process, but also helps reduce contamination in recycling streams.

The app also offers valuable data to municipalities and recycling facilities which can be used to optimize recycling programs, improve efficiency, and reduce operational costs. “Smart waste management technologies”, like AI-powered sorting robots and waste level sensors, can be integrated with the app to streamline processes and enhance the overall effectiveness of recycling efforts.

(From Resource-Recycling.com)
Berfin Mert, co-founder and chief operating officer of Bower, told Resource Recycling that a global system at first “was a dream,” but with the help of a six-month Google.org fellowship and $1.9 million contribution, the dream became reality. Google.org is the tech company’s philanthropic arm.
“What’s new now and has been developed by the help of the Google Fellowship is the ability to also detect packages that do not have a barcode, like takeaway packaging or coffee cups,” she said. “It’s through the help of image recognition and computer vision models, and that has really freed us up. We’re no longer dependent on barcode data, which enabled us to open it up globally.”

Click here for the article.

Bipartisan House bill seeks power up for grid security

Lithium critical to the energy transition is coming at the expense of water

Nothing is free. Everything has a cost.

As we transition to new cleaner technologies we are being presented with new and serious challenges. The use of slave labor to extract the vital cobalt used in nearly every modern battery in Africa would be one example. Another would be the strain mining for lithium has on surrounding communities and their existing water supplies.

(From Inside Climate News)
“Climate change mitigation sometimes can make it even more difficult for societies and environments that are already under extreme stress to be able to adapt to climate change,” said James J.A. Blair, an associate professor in geography and anthropology at California State Polytechnic University who led the study. “In places that have, you know, drought or extreme heat that are significant climate stressors, we need to be really cognizant about the water supply issues that are involved with some of the industries that are meant to support an energy transition.”
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is worried about maladaptation—efforts to deal with global warming that have unintended, environmentally detrimental consequences. The mining of critical minerals for the energy transition is front and center for local communities, Blair said.
By far, the biggest impact of renewable energy development on water will come from mining.