4
Reduction of the CO 2 Production
Abstract
The efficiency technologies in both the production of energy (electric–thermal–
mechanic, others) from fossil-C and the use of the various forms of derived
energies can play a strategic role in the reduction of the production and emission
of CO 2 . Additionally, the use of biomass as source of fuels is shortly presented
and the putative “zero-emission” property discussed.
4.1 How Much of the GHGs Emission Should Be Cut?
And by When?
The CO 2 balance of a process/product/service is the Carbon Footprint (CF). The
CF reduction can be targeted using different strategies that can be summarized in
three intervention lines:
• Implementation of efficiency strategies e.g. in the production and use of energy.
• Substitution of fossil-C with alternative sources that emit less CO 2 .
• Substitution of fossil-C with alternative sources that do not emit CO 2 .
The latter approach will be discussed in detail in Chap. 5. In this chapter, we deal
with the efficiency strategies both in the production and use of energy and with the
use of biomass.
Let us start with the specification of how much CO 2 should be avoided. This is
an important target to be set in order to design routes to reach it.
Figure 4.1 shows that over the time the concentration of atmospheric CO 2 has
always had highs and lows. In particular, low peaks correspond to low temperatures
(glaciations). The continuous recent increase of the atmospheric CO 2 level has
started with the industrial age (end of 1700) when the massive use of fossil-C
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
M. Aresta and A. Dibenedetto, The Carbon Dioxide Revolution,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-59061-1_4
45
Reduction of the CO 2 Production
Abstract
The efficiency technologies in both the production of energy (electric–thermal–
mechanic, others) from fossil-C and the use of the various forms of derived
energies can play a strategic role in the reduction of the production and emission
of CO 2 . Additionally, the use of biomass as source of fuels is shortly presented
and the putative “zero-emission” property discussed.
4.1 How Much of the GHGs Emission Should Be Cut?
And by When?
The CO 2 balance of a process/product/service is the Carbon Footprint (CF). The
CF reduction can be targeted using different strategies that can be summarized in
three intervention lines:
• Implementation of efficiency strategies e.g. in the production and use of energy.
• Substitution of fossil-C with alternative sources that emit less CO 2 .
• Substitution of fossil-C with alternative sources that do not emit CO 2 .
The latter approach will be discussed in detail in Chap. 5. In this chapter, we deal
with the efficiency strategies both in the production and use of energy and with the
use of biomass.
Let us start with the specification of how much CO 2 should be avoided. This is
an important target to be set in order to design routes to reach it.
Figure 4.1 shows that over the time the concentration of atmospheric CO 2 has
always had highs and lows. In particular, low peaks correspond to low temperatures
(glaciations). The continuous recent increase of the atmospheric CO 2 level has
started with the industrial age (end of 1700) when the massive use of fossil-C
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
M. Aresta and A. Dibenedetto, The Carbon Dioxide Revolution,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-59061-1_4
45