A Datta, S Coates, A Rossiter, R Krishnamoorti. The Journal of Continuing Higher Education, 1–20.
Abstract:
Decarbonization and the energy transition require many workers in the incumbent energy industry to transform their knowledge base and skills. Upskilling and reskilling programs that address the skills gap and offer opportunities for continued education are critical for workforce development and social equity. We evaluated if six online energy transition-related micro-credentialing programs met students’ expectations for augmenting foundational knowledge and skills. Additionally, we assessed the role of energy companies in supporting reskilling and upskilling opportunities for their workforce and the potential of micro-credentialing programs for addressing interdisciplinary and continued education needs. The students, predominantly mid- to senior-level energy professionals, were surveyed through a pre-study upon enrollment, a post-study upon completion, and a panel study that measured learning outcomes over six months. Our results evidenced that the programs were successful in supporting continued education by offering new areas of knowledge and meeting students’ expectations of increased foundational knowledge and skills. Most students were also able to apply the acquired knowledge and skills to their jobs while still enrolled in the programs. Moreover, members of the workforce were self-motivated to augment their foundational knowledge and develop their skills through continued education without inducement from their employers.
A Datta, R Krishnamoorti. Analysis of Direct Air Capture integrated with Wind Energy and Enhanced Oil Recovery. 2023. Environmental Science & Technology 57 (5), 2084-2092.
Abstract:
Direct air capture (DAC) is a decarbonization solution to remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere. The key challenges for accelerating DAC deployment are its energy requirements, high capital costs, and finding low-risk and low-cost sequestration or utilization pathways. Deploying DAC facilities proximal to sequestration or use sites and where the supply of low-cost renewable electricity is plentiful can minimize the energy, transportation, operational, and overall costs. Moreover, the increased 45Q tax credits in the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 can further incentivize DAC deployment. This work provides a techno-economic assessment of two configurations: temperature swing adsorption-based DAC and membrane-based DAC integrated for operation with wind energy in West Texas to provide proximal access to enhanced oil recovery (EOR) operations. We evaluate the levelized cost of DAC and the cumulative cost of sequestering a ton of CO2 through EOR to identify opportunities for economic viability. Finally, we determine the profitability of CO2 sequestration under different EOR recovery factors and oil prices. We find that opportunities to reduce costs through proximal sequestration, integration with renewable energy, and the current level of policy support in the US can significantly incentivize and rapidly accelerate the deployment of DAC, especially for membrane-based technologies.
A Datta, R Krishnamoorti. Understanding the Greenhouse Gas Impact of Deforestation Fires in Indonesia and Brazil in 2019 and 2020. 2022. Frontiers in Climate 4, 799632.
Abstract:
Deforestation fires are hindering climate change mitigation efforts and compounding global environmental challenges. Indonesia and Brazil have experienced high rates of deforestation fires in recent years, with many of the fires burning in peatland-rich ecosystems. We quantify the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with the 2019 and 2020 deforestation fires in both countries and determine the share of emissions originating from peatlands. Specifically, we use publicly available data for deforested area estimates and quantify the above-ground biomass (AGB), dry matter, and peat soil emissions associated with these fires. We find that the cumulative emissions impact from deforestation fires in Indonesia and Brazil was 3.7 (±0.4) and 1.9 (±0.2) Gt CO2eq in 2019 and 2020, respectively. Nearly half of this GHG impact can be attributed to emissions from peatlands. However, real-time monitoring tools can underestimate these emissions as fires in peatlands smolder underground and can go undetected by satellites. We compare our results with publicly available land-use and fire emissions data and find that the magnitude of underestimation is of the order of 200–300% for severe fire years and highest in the peatland-rich Brazilian Pantanal. We identify the gaps in current policies that are exacerbating the GHG and climate impacts of deforestation fires in Indonesia and Brazil and emphasize the need for regular pre- and post-fire ground measurement, transparent data sharing, and robust policy enforcement for effective forest and peatland protection.
AJ Mallette, A Datta, R Krishnamoorti. Consolidated nuclear waste storage in Andrews, Texas: An integrated technical and policy risk analysis. 2021. Energy & Environment 34 (1), 99-115.
Abstract:
Over the last 50 years, nuclear energy has reduced US energy-related CO2 emissions by over 30 gigatons compared to if the same electricity were produced by fossil fuels such as coal and natural gas. However, many kilotons of spent nuclear fuel have accumulated at different sites across the country, and sociopolitical factors have frustrated efforts to address the challenge of nuclear waste disposal. Presently, a consolidated interim storage facility in Andrews, Texas, provides a promising temporary solution. In this paper, we compare the technical and policy risks of the project to continued storage at independent spent fuel storage installations. Our results indicate that the cost of the radiological risk is low (<$30,000) for both scenarios. However, policy and societal considerations will impact the viability of the proposed consolidated interim storage facility. The safety and suitability of this interim storage facility will be affected by when a permanent repository becomes available, whether insurance for offsite waste storage is available, and the impact of climate risks. Although a consolidated interim storage facility at Andrews can potentially serve as a safe and economically advantageous solution, we highlight why these concerns must be addressed for the successful implementation of this facility, and more broadly for the future of the US nuclear industry.
A Datta, R De Leon, R Krishnamoorti. Advancing carbon management through the global commoditization of CO2: the case for dual-use LNG-CO2 shipping. 2020. Carbon Management 11 (6), 611-630.
Abstract:
Rising anthropogenic CO2 emissions and global temperatures are a technological, social, and political challenge. These necessitate deep decarbonization through carbon management strategies for sustained climate action. Cost-effective transportation of CO2 from point sources to utilization and storage sites is a significant bottleneck for at-scale carbon management. A new mechanism to achieve international cooperation on carbon management through effective CO2-source and CO2-use or sequestration matching is addressed in this paper. The mechanism is founded on utilizing the growth of global LNG trade to transport CO2 over long distances via dual-use vessels that carry CO2 on their return journey following LNG delivery. A foundational carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS)-based economic model for the utilization of CO2 originating in South Korea and Japan via enhanced oil recovery (EOR) in the offshore U.S. is explored. The model sets forth the objectives, scale, costs, and implications for the international trade and commoditization of CO2, as against its current status of a waste product. Further, policy frameworks that can accelerate the international trade of CO2 via this dual-use shipping model are discussed.
A Datta, R Krishnamoorti. Opportunities for a low carbon transition-deploying carbon capture, utilization, and storage in Northeast India. 2019. Frontiers in Energy Research 7, 12.
Abstract:
As development in India paces up, energy demand is projected to increase; exerting pressure on the environment and presenting the added challenge of mitigating greenhouse gas emissions at an accelerated pace. Carbon capture, utilization, and sequestration (CCUS) is one of the mitigation strategies that India could adopt in this context, in the backdrop of an energy industry largely dominated by coal. Specifically, the north-eastern state of Assam in India is home to large point-sources of CO2 emissions like power, chemical or fertilizer plants, and has abundant sinks in the form of mature oil fields, coal beds, and saline aquifers. This work discusses the emission cuts that can be achieved by retrofitting existing point-sources with CCUS systems, and the techno-economic considerations thereof. We analyze how the levelized cost of electricity will change across three power plants, and how the economics of capture and avoidance costs at a chemical plant can revive its current financial situation, to present why there is an incentive for CCUS in Assam. The results show that for any CCUS implementation plant design, age and preparedness are factors that influence the economics and can lead to huge differentials. Since no new major expansions are planned in the region, investing in retrofitting will deliver immediate results toward achieving climate goals, while allowing time for the future deployment of renewable energy sources and energy storage solutions.
As scientific evidence quantified the increased rate of climate change in the last 50 years, this poignant topic pushed to the forefront of political policy and subsequently emerged as a source of partisan dissent in the U.S. Questions on the validity of climate change are no longer under scrutiny, but instead transitioned to what can be done to mitigate climate change.
National survey to assess the public opinion towards climate change, support for policies aimed at curbing carbon emissions, and the public’s willingness to pay for decarbonized electricity, gas, and fuel.
In 2022, UH Energy and the Center for Carbon Management in energy undertook a multidisciplinary research initiative that aimed to meet three concurrent objectives a) ensuring affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy for all, b) preserving and improving the quality of life for Texans as demographics rapidly change, and c) maintaining and strengthening the state’s global leadership in the energy industry. The initiative explored drivers, opportunities, and challenges for change, quantifying cogent and plausible pathways for carbon neutrality in Texas, cradle-to-grave lifecycle analyses and techno-economic analyses of proposed solutions, and understanding the associated carbon, socioeconomic, environmental, and equity impacts across five focus areas:
Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage
Electric Grid
Transportation
Financial Incentives
Workforce Development
I served as one of the PIs for the research initiative and mentored an interdisciplinary team of 35 undergraduate and graduate students.
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