Houston as the Capital of a Low Carbon Energy World

Guest Speaker: Brett A. Perlman, Center for Houston's Future

Center for Houston’s Future interviewed stakeholders representing over 30 energy companies, academic institutions and other parties. We also heard presentations by 40 participants at our June 2019 Low-Carbon Energy Summit. Our research shows Houston is uniquely positioned to play a major role in leading the world to a low-carbon energy future and that significant work is underway here to prepare for that future. The size and scale of Houston’s energy sector and its deep energy expertise, resources and access to capital all argue that Houston could become the world’s Low-Carbon Energy Capital. We also concluded that much more work is needed to unlock this potential. Current initiatives aren’t coordinated, lack a coherent vision and plan, and are missing opportunities. The pace of change isn’t fast enough to hit a 2°C global carbon emissions pathway by mid-century.

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Industrial Waste Heat to Power Applications and Market Trends

Guest Speaker: Carlos Gamarra, HARC

This presentation will introduce the audience to WHP technologies, applications, and market trends in the industrial field. It will also introduce technical assistance resources that are available to end-users looking to deploy WHP at their site. Subsequent presentations will discuss case studies of successful WHP projects, in the USGC and other regions, together with best practices and lessons learned.

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New Efficiencies From Waste Heat

Guest Speaker: Loy Sneary, Gulf Coast Green Energy

This presentation describes three fuel- and emissions-free waste heat-to-power industry solutions developed by Gulf Coast Green Energy, Bay City, Texas. These include fuel efficiencies for large engines, process fluid cooling, and using flare gas for a beneficial use (making power). All three applications use wasted heat to produce on-site power. This can dramatically reduce emissions and power costs.

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Large Scale Industrial Waste Heat-to-Power/Cogeneration

Guest Speaker: Raymond Deyoe, Integral Power, LLC

The benefits and challenges of a large scale industrial waste heat-to-power/cogeneration facility are presented in this case study of the Port Arthur Steam Energy Project. The project recovers 2000⁰F flue gas energy from a petroleum coke calcining plant and converts it to 350,000 lb/hr of steam and 5MW power which are provided to a neighboring refinery, the host plant and the utility grid. The project is a great example of industrial cooperation and energy efficiency, with the capability of offsetting 159,000 tons CO ₂ annually.

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Thriving Amidst the Energy Transition - A Shell Perspective

Guest Speaker: Joseph B. Powell, Ph.D., Chief Scientist - Chemical Engineering, Shell

The world's energy system is in the midst of a fundamental and disruptive transition that will have a direct on impact how energy is produced, processed, transmitted, distributed and consumed. The energy mix of the future will see a substantial penetration of renewables generated from solar, wind, biomass and other natural sources. Conventional oil and gas will remain part of the energy mix but with a relatively lower share and a sharper focus on its generating it at the lowest possible CO2 footprint. Electrification of demand will also play out over the course of the coming decades. This presentation will provide a perspective on how Shell has positioned itself to thrive in the energy transition, especially with respect to its current and planned future operations in the US Gulf Coast. It will also discuss the role of technology in shaping near-term projects such as integrated solar PY and offshore wind, mid-term projects in hydrogen, biofuels, and energy systems integration and storage, and long-term projects designed to make synthetic fuels, utility scale storage systems, and the use of natural gas as an advantaged feedstock to make energy products. The presentation will tie all of the above together and demonstrate that it is possible to provide the world with more and cleaner energy.

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