CO conversion to CO plasma and electrolysis: a techno-economic and energy cost analysis.

Electrification and carbon capture technologies are essential for achieving net-zero emissions in the chemical sector. A crucial strategy involves converting captured CO into CO, a valuable chemical feedstock. This study evaluates the feasibility of two innovative methods: plasma activation and electrolysis, using clean electricity and captured CO.

Internalisation of environmental costs of decentralised nitrogen fertilisers production.

Purpose: Ammonia (NH) production is an energy-intensive process that is concentrated in a few countries at large-scale plants, mainly using the Haber-Bosch (HB) process. Local plants next to farmers can reduce environmental impacts, as well as reduce storage, shortage risks, and price volatility of fertilisers. Since local NH production is not cost-effective, we analyse how internalisation of environmental impacts into economic analyses could help to promote novel technologies for NH synthesis when supplied with renewable energy.

Comparative life cycle assessment for the manufacture of bio-detergents.

The increasing consumption of cleaning products deteriorates water resources due to harmful components such as phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) compounds, oils, bleach, and acids, typical compounds in traditional detergents. The use of biodegradable detergents as an environmentally friendly alternative has been proposed in different regions. In Colombia, resolution 1770/2018 sets a minimum biodegradability rate of 60% for the surfactants present in liquid detergents, which would reduce to a similar extent the impacts on water after their use.

Comprehensive Water Footprint of a University Campus in Colombia: Impact of Wastewater Treatment Modeling.

Protection of water resources implies the responsible consumption, and the return of this resource with the best physicochemical conditions. In organizations, water is consumed both directly in their facilities and indirectly in the products or services acquired for their operation, requiring a water accounting based on the life cycle perspective. This study aims to assess the comprehensive water footprint of the main campus of the Technological University of Pereira (Colombia), based on the ISO 14046:2014 standard, and analyze the influence of wastewater treatment.

Techno-environmental assessment of small-scale Haber-Bosch and plasma-assisted ammonia supply chains.

Haber-Bosch (HB) process, the main method for ammonia (NH) production, contributes to near 2% of the global carbon emissions because the hydrogen input is obtained from fossil sources. NH production is concentrated in a few countries, adding emissions due to global distribution. Distributed plants next to farmers and fed by renewable energy can reduce these impacts, as well as NH storage, shortage risks, and price volatility.