AUTOMATION TODAY 79 | FEATURE STORY

Pathway to Net Zero and Energy Transition

An image focuses on a sophisticated carbon capture system installed in the plant. It ilrates the absorption process occurring in tall absorption towers, efficiently capturing and storing

Global warming is affecting all of us, and greenhouse gas emissions are one of the main causes for global warming. Within that, the metals and mining industry is said to be one of the largest contributors, contributing four to seven percent of greenhouse gas emissions globally.

Putting a spotlight on the need to reduce greenhouse gasses, the United Nations has highlighted affordable and clean energy as one of its 17 goals for sustainable development. As of November 2023, 145 countries around the world had announced, or are considering net zero targets.

Against this backdrop, the global energy sector is evolving to adopt greener solutions. Industries like mining, chemicals, and oil and gas in particular are on a mission to search for cleaner and more efficient energy resources. Whether it’s through innovation or adopting technologies that already exist, key industry players are implementing measures towards achieving their net zero goals.

At the same time, it’s important to note that there are simpler and quicker ways to embark on a net zero journey. Organizations that are serious about energy transition can first look into reducing energy and water consumption. Reduce waste, recycle more, and start tracking consumption to consciously optimize energy and water consumption over time. Implementing these habits within the organization will also change mindsets among employees to adopt greener habits.

In this article, we explore why energy transition minerals are becoming the critical minerals within the mining sector, how organizations can adopt greener solutions sustainably, and discover new energy opportunities in carbon capture and hydrogen. Also learn how industries that are traditionally associated with high carbon footprints can do their part to contribute to a more sustainable future.

Hydrogen produced from water with renewable electricity referred to as green hydrogen. Green hydrogen eco-friendly energy source generated by using water and renewable electricity.

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Energy transition has become the solution for many organizations moving towards a more sustainable future in energy. Where possible, businesses are moving away from reliance on fossil fuels to renewable energy sources that have very limited, or no carbon emissions.

In recent years, there has been greater demand for green metals and minerals like nickel, lithium, copper, cobalt, and rare earths as alternatives to fossil fuels. This has prompted mining companies to increase and optimize production and look into developing reliable value chains for long-term sustainability.

In Asia Pacific, China, Australia, and Indonesia are leading the way as top producers of lithium and nickel, and have geological expertise and research to properly extract these materials.

These countries are also taking measures to grow the critical minerals sector, by establishing resilient supply chains that would withstand the potential economic and geopolitical uncertainties that may lie ahead.

To reduce emissions, many organizations are adopting Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) as an energy transition solution. CCS involves capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from industrial sources and storing it deep underground. Research has shown that CCS could potentially capture and sequester more than 90% of CO2 out of power plants and industrial facilities. In the bigger picture, BloombergNEF reports globally, clean electricity accounts for 61% of emissions abatement to 2050. Of this, 21% is attributed to CCS. The global adoption of carbon price, carbon tax, and carbon credits further motivate companies to invest in CCS, among other decarbonization projects.

Artisanal Miner Holding Cobalt Deposit with Care. AI

Hydrogen is another powerful energy transition solution. Itis a clean, versatile, and safe energy carrier that can be produced from renewable electricity and carbon-abated fossil fuels. Due to its ability to produce zero emissions when used and the way it can be stored in both liquid and gaseous form, hydrogen is becoming a popular alternative for many organizations.

To improve and optimize blue and green hydrogen production, organizations should look into taking a digital-first strategy. Data provides insights that are crucial for operators to address any issues that may come up, and helps with monitoring to ensure that all systems are operating well on a daily basis.

McKinsey estimates that globally, the decarbonization of industry will cost between $11 trillion and $21 trillion through 2050. This may seem like a huge sum but in reality, going green doesn’t have to come at the expense of profitability. In fact, it can improve profitability if done well. It all comes down to how well organizations plan their decarbonization journey.

Identify areas of the business that produce most carbon emissions, and hone in on those areas. This may involve conducting research and testing emerging technologies, or adopting more low-carbon materials for more sustainable supply chain practices.

At Rockwell Automation, we believe that direct air capture can be a solution to efficiently meeting decarbonization goals. While clean hydrogen may seem to be the more familiar path, direct air capture aims to remove CO2 directly from the atmosphere to be repurposed or stored. An initiative by 1Point5, our technology partner, has demonstrated that direct air capture is a promising technology that has the potential to scale.

Direct air capture follows a distributed control system (DCS) which promotes an open architecture. Organizations can seamlessly integrate critical areas of the plant where DCS connects process, discrete, power, information, and safety control into a plant-wide infrastructure. This modular architecture is easily scalable and supports remote automation, so that businesses can implement updates or even expand the system’s coverage without having to invest in new technologies or workarounds to connect new facilities to the older ones. The flexibility of direct air capture is a unique and future-forward solution that’s built for the long run, and is sustainable for both the environment, and businesses.

For a long time, the mining industry in particular has been operating in silos. There is a lot of disconnect between departments in an organization causing a lack of communication and collaboration. However, with so many new tools and processes available today, businesses should rethink their operational processes.

After all, if we want to balance business profitability with purpose, increasing innovative product redesign will no longer be optional, but a necessary route to thriving in a zero-carbon world sustainably.

Many leading organizations are leveraging automation and optimizing their operations, accelerating their drive towards being a net zero business. Alongside the internet of things (IoT), mines are now able to be connected end-to-end, integrating systems from mine to market. This includes implementing high-performance drive solutions for extraction equipment in the mines to having dedicated applications for mining process control in the processing plant, and ensuring that material handling and hoisting is done safely and reliably.

Mine operators can collect, aggregate, and analyze data to ensure they optimize operational efficiencies. Having all the data on one platform as a single source of truth by providing information in the same context across operations will also help to eliminate miscommunication and improve the decision-making process.

The Mining Operations Management (MOM) suite by Rockwell Automation connects disparate systems and data for operational efficiency. With more transparent and accessible data, businesses can improve decision-making and ultimately reduce waste.

Our Model Predictive Control (MPC) can optimize complex processes in the mining field by using machine learning to define the variables like speed, oil pressure, even wind and road conditions. By identifying the impact that these variables have on one another, businesses can prescribe the best plan of action. At the same time, operators are freed from managing multiple loops, giving them more time to manage performance. Research has found that predictive maintenance can extend machine lifespan by 20% to 40%.

Meanwhile, chemical plants can leverage Batch Performance Analytics solutions from Rockwell Automation and use the energy savings calculator to improve energy efficiency. Learn how to better manage asset utilization, ensure product quality, and keep manufacturing costs under control by aggregating and contextualizing data, setting up key performance index and alerts, and gain insights to take action and improve process performance.

From tracking and reporting to inventory management, having connected mines and chemical plants will provide the historical data required to help with projecting future output.

Intelligent Packaged Power systems provides visibility across process and electrical systems, unifying them under one operating environment. Meanwhile, a Distributed Control System lets operators work more productively while reducing operational risk.

Instead of requiring experts on-site, or needing to send in personnel for investigation when failures happen, connected mines and chemical plants can run diagnoses through remote access and provide real time support. Having remote access also speeds up incident resolution or prevention with the added support of existing data to mitigate any issues that may arise. Not to mention, it’s a much safer approach since the mining field and chemical plants are hazardous in nature.

Young maintenance engineer man using laptop with environment icon on the mountain. environmental engineering technology concept.

Tackling climate change is everyone’s responsibility, but it is also a joint responsibility. As organizations around the world continue to innovate and create pathways to greener energy, Rockwell Automation is helping key players in the field optimize their operational workflow with the relevant hardware, software and solutions tailored to fit these industries.

Investing in a net zero ecosystem goes beyond fulfilling environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices. More than another checkbox, it is about the collective mission to reduce carbon emissions for a better tomorrow. By improving efficiency, implementing cleaner sources, and investing in carbon capture and storage solutions, organizations can build a truly sustainable ecosystem for a complete workplace transformation today and in the future.

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