Engineering topics
Chou, Joseph
Publications and source records attributed to Chou, Joseph.
NetlOlca
This Python module provides a public API (via the class and function definitions) for interacting with GreenDelta's openLCA (version 2) either directly (via the IPC server) or indirectly (via an exported JSON-LD zip file). It is a key piece in NETL's new life cycle assessment unit process library reporting template.
LCA Tools for Carbon Conversion Technology Appraisals
This paper communicates an overview of NETL LCA Tools for carbon conversion technology appraisals, differences in applications, and the utilities of these LCA tools to support DOE, other federal organizations, and the overall LCA community.
Comparative Life Cycle Analysis of Carbon Dioxide Utilization in Concrete Products
In this study, a comparative LCA of CO2U concrete processes is conducted, revealing promise in several research areas. The environmental impacts of replacing conventional binder and aggregates with carbonated steel slag and direct carbonation of concrete are investigated in ten different product systems, which include both ready-mix and pre-cast concretes. The results indicate that cement substitution, CO2 uptake, electricity consumption, and the electricity grid mix constitute critical levers for deep decarbonization of concrete building materials. This presentation applies LCA to inform the use of CO2U concrete technology pathways in the design of sustainable concrete while promoting transparency and rational assumptions in the presence of uncertainty. Broader themes in the work include LCA of emerging technologies and the sensitivity of LCA results to co-product management methods.
45Q Addendum to the NETL CO2U LCA Guidance Document (V.2.0)
This document provides additional guidance and changes to the Carbon Dioxide Utilization Life Cycle Analysis Guidance for the U.S. DOE Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management, Version 2.0 to make it more applicable to taxpayers preparing life cycle analyses for the 45Q tax credit. This update adds clarity to existing text and includes information on new tools and data available.
U.S. Average Corn Ethanol Production Baseline for 45Q Life Cycle Analysis Version 1.0 (2018-2022)
U.S. Average Benchmark life cycle inventory documentation for ethanol production for calendar years 2018 - 2022. The documentation includes a technical report describing data sources and statistical methods used and an Excel file showing calculations. The calculations performed are used in the 45Q benchmark json-ld dataset, compatible with the NETL CO2U LCA Guidance Toolkit. Summary impact results will be included in the NETL CO2U LCA Documentation Spreadsheet within the Toolkit. To access the model referenced in the report, please visit https://www.netl.doe.gov/energy-analysis/details?id=55ab21f1-9238-4b63-9a7a-ae1a4cfa7b05.
U.S. Average Market Carbon Dioxide Production Baseline Documentation For 45Q Life Cycle Analysis: Version 1.0 (2018-2022)
U.S. Average Benchmark life cycle inventory documentation for market carbon dioxide production for calendar years 2018 - 2022. The documentation includes a technical report describing data sources and statistical methods used and an Excel file showing calculations. The calculations performed are used in the 45Q benchmark json-ld dataset, compatible with the NETL CO2U LCA Guidance Toolkit. Summary impact results will be included in the NETL CO2U LCA Documentation Spreadsheet within the Toolkit. To access the model referenced in the report, please visit https://www.netl.doe.gov/energy-analysis/details?id=21915ba8-d2cf-43ea-b9b2-1d76363a46a7
U.S. Average Nitrogen Fertilizer Production Baseline Documentation For 45Q Life Cycle Analysis: Version 1.0 (2018-2022)
U.S. Average Benchmark life cycle inventory documentation for nitrogenous fertilizer production for calendar years 2018 - 2022. The documentation includes a technical report describing data sources and statistical methods used and an Excel file showing calculations. The calculations performed are used in the 45Q benchmark json-ld dataset, compatible with the NETL CO2U LCA Guidance Toolkit. Summary impact results will be included in the NETL CO2U LCA Documentation Spreadsheet within the Toolkit. https://www.netl.doe.gov/energy-analysis/details?id=7c0db05a-231e-40a5-b5fd-112a7c001834
Life Cycle Analysis Tools to Evaluate Environmental Footprint of Carbon Conversion Projects
Description of NETL CO2U LCA Guidance Toolkit that includes goals, key points, overview of addenda and toolkit utilities.
National Energy Technology Laboratory CO2 Utilization (CO2U) Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) Toolkit: Overview, Applications and Recent Updates
Description of NETL CO2U LCA Guidance Toolkit that includes goals, key points, overview of addenda and toolkit utilities and highlights of recent updates.
Life Cycle Analysis of Fossil Fuel Power Generation With Carbon Capture: NGCC, SC PC, and Sub PC
This work presents NETL’s efforts to update the Baseline LCAs that utilize cross competency data from the 2022 Cost and Performance Baseline Updates. This presentation represents the updates to NGCC, SC PC, and Sub PC baseline models and the results from the LCA analysis of these updated systems.
Life Cycle Analysis of Emerging Technologies: Overview and Updates of NETL CO2U LCA Toolkit
Description of NETL CO2U LCA Guidance Toolkit that includes goals, key points, and utilities and recent updates.
NETL CO2U LCA Toolkit: Applications and Upcoming Updates
Description of NETL CO2U LCA Toolkit and highlights of recent updates.
Life Cycle Analysis of Thermoelectric Power Generation in the United States
In this article, the basics of performing a life cycle analysis of thermoelectric power generation are discussed, with three examples of life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) balances for thermoelectric power generation forms: coal, natural gas, and nuclear. The final section compares multiple electricity generation methods in the United States. Results are presented on the basis of 1 megawatt-hour (MWh) of electricity delivered to the end user. Environmental life cycle results for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are presented as carbon dioxide equivalents, based on 100-year global warming potentials (GWPs) established by the 6th Assessment Report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in 2021, commonly referred to as AR6 GWP values (IPCC, 2021). Additional details on other environmental life cycle impacts from non-GHG emissions to air, emissions to water, solid waste generation, and land use are available on the Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory’s Life Cycle Analysis website: www.netl.doe.gov/LCA.
Life Cycle Analysis of Microwave-Assisted Catalytic Conversion of CO2 To Value-Added Chemicals
Overview of NETL CO2U LCA Guidance Toolkit and LCA results of Microwave-Assisted Catalytic Conversion of CO2 to Value-Added Chemicals.
Life Cycle Analysis of CO2-Derived Building Materials: CO2-cured Concrete and Building Aggregates
Presentation summarizing methods and preliminary results of two LCAs: one on CO2-cured concrete and one on CO2-cured bulding aggregates. Presented at ACLCA 2022 conference on November 10, 2022.
Life Cycle Analysis of Mineralization of Concrete Products for CO2 Utilization
Presentation on the initial results of a life cycle analysis (LCA) performed on the carbonation of three forms of concrete. Presented by Sheikh Moni at the 2022 International Symposium on Sustainable Systems and Technology (ISSST) on June 22, 2022.
Carbon Dioxide Utilization Life Cycle Analysis Guidance for the U.S. DOE Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (Version 2.0)
Capturing carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and placing it in permanent storage in geologic formations is an option for reducing CO 2 emissions, but it may not be a viable one for all CO 2 emitters. For some, the added cost of capture may be too high to implement, or the geology near the source may not be suitable for storage. In these circumstances, other options will be needed. Carbon use and reuse, or CO 2 utilization (CO2U), is an alternative approach that seeks beneficial uses for captured CO 2 , such as using it as a feedstock in the production of fuels, chemicals, and building materials. These uses would give CO 2 value that could be used by suppliers (emitters) to offset capture costs. One of the principal features and challenges associated with CO2U is that the products derived from CO 2 must have lower carbon footprints than their conventional counterparts. Previous assessments of CO2U alternatives have focused on the carbon content of utilization products as an indicator of CO 2 equivalent (CO 2 e) emissions reduction potential. However, embodied emissions are—at best—only weakly correlated with the amount of carbon contained in any physical product. Therefore, the most attractive CO2U options will both displace the carbon in an existing product and improve the overall carbon efficiency of the manufacturing process. Research to overcome barriers will include identifying existing co-feeds and available low-carbon energy sources to enable the conversion of CO 2 to value-added products under favorable processing conditions. New discoveries in the fields of nano- and bio-technology will be applied to efficiently utilize CO 2 in new applications. Development of advanced materials and processes, integrating CO 2 capture with utilization processes (e.g., algae), exploring a diverse slate of products from CO 2 to effectively offset capture costs and developing processes based on waste energy are means to overcome these barriers. The research will lead to the development of advanced catalysts, materials, and equipment that can be used to convert CO 2 into useful products. The result will be multiple flexible and adaptable technology platforms that can be used to produce suites of products spanning multiple utilization pathways.