New Report Launch: Our recent and upcoming low carbon intensity NexantECA feedstock reports

Most major market players have stated intentions of net zero carbon emissions by 2050, leading to a flurry of activity in the sustainability sector. Sustainable low carbon intensity feedstocks are key in plans for decarbonization—and with many likely to fall short of 2050 goals, negative feedstocks will be essential to reducing net emissions.

Key low carbon intensity feedstocks...

Several different options are emerging for super low CI carbon intensity feedstocks—allowing for carbon intensities below zero—and NexantECA has been exploring them in depth. They include:

Recently Covered Subjects:

Renewable Natural Gas (RNG)
Green Hydrogen
Natural Oil Feedstocks
Cellulosic Feedstocks
Conventional Carbohydrates

Soon to be Published:

CO2 / Power-to-Liquids
Algae Technologies

Overview of reports...

To help producers and consumers understand the space and help navigate these changes, NexantECA is studying the technical, economics, and market aspects of routes to lower carbon intensity hydrogen and comparing their relative cost of production and carbon intensities in various reports:

Recently published...

Biorenewable Insights: Green Hydrogen – Traditionally hydrogen is generated from fossil feedstock and processes that emit significant amounts of CO2. In comparison, renewable or green hydrogen production results in materially lower emissions. Green hydrogen holds significant potential and interest for decarbonization of sectors that have previously been difficult to decarbonize. This includes both existing applications (e.g., refining, feedstock for chemicals) as well as emerging applications (e.g., e-methanol, e-ammonia, e-SAF), as well as potential in direct use for carbon emission free combustion. Growing interest in low carbon intensity hydrogen has stemmed from mounting net zero pledges and decarbonization goals, and an increasing focus on the energy transition. Production options explored several global regions and technologies covering thermochemical (biomass gasification), bio-methane reforming, electrolysis, and other advanced pathways from a technical, economic (cost of production model), and capacity level. A discussion of implications for the conventional technologies is also included. For market data, see the report, Market Insights: Hydrogen. For a technoeconomic and carbon intensity comparison of all colors of Hydrogen, see the Special Report, Low Carbon Intensity Hydrogen.

Biorenewable Insights: Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) – This report is techno-economic analysis of available technologies for the production of pipeline quality renewable natural gas. Major technologies covered at the cost of production level include biogas upgrading (via anaerobic digestion or landfill gas collection), SNG, CO2 reforming, and microbial electrosynthesis. Carbon intensity of these routes is compared and capacity maps for key regions are also included. For market data, see the report Market Insights: RNG, coming soon.

Biorenewable Insights: Conventional Carbohydrates – This report examines the various options for carbohydrate feedstocks. Technology analysis includes crop production and sugar production from carbohydrate crops. Economic Analysis includes cost of production models for sugars (4 corn dextrose models, 3 sugar beet sucrose models, and 4 sugarcane sucrose models in each region as regionally relevant) and crops in the US (2 corn models, sugarbeet, sugarcane), Western Europe (wheat, corn, sugarbeet), Brazil (2 corn models, 2 sugarcane models), Asia (2 corn models in China, and Sugarcane in India). A regional supply analysis is also included. Expected contract pricing for sugars and utilizable intermediates (e.g., thick juice) is also provided.

Biorenewable Insights: Natural Oil Feedstocks – This report investigates oleaginous biofeedstocks for renewable chemicals and fuels. Descriptions of major oilseeds and crushing technologies to produce oils, as well as developmental natural oil sources are described. Regional cost of production models for oilseeds and crushing to produce oils are also included, as well as regional and country level production data.

Biorenewable Insights: Cellulosic Feedstocks – This report provides an analysis of cellulosic biofeedstocks and the costs of producing them. A capacity analysis including regional and feedstock specific potentials for production are included. Impacts on the conventional industries includes comparisons to the scale of petroleum based energy and chemicals, costs, and carbon intensity.

Coming soon...

Biorenewable Insights: Power to Liquid – eFuels (Coming Soon) This report is techno-economic analysis of available technologies for the production of power-to-liquids Fuels.

Biorenewable Insights: Power to Liquid – eChemicals (Coming Soon) This report is techno-economic analysis of available technologies for the production of power-to-liquids chemicals.

Biorenewable Insights: Algae Technologies (Coming Soon) This report is techno-economic analysis of available technologies for the production of algae as a means of CO2 sequestration and/or utilization.

What is carbon intensity?

Carbon Intensity, a new concept to many in the petrochemical industry, is the measure of how much carbon dioxide equivalent emissions are released per unit of product (ton, MJ, or MWh, depending if it is a chemical, power, or fuel). This normalizes the emissions and makes sustainability efforts difficult to greenwash.

About Us - NexantECA, the Energy and Chemicals Advisory company is the leading advisor to the energy, refining, and chemical industries. Our clientele ranges from major oil and chemical companies, governments, investors, and financial institutions to regulators, development agencies, and law firms. Using a combination of business and technical expertise, with deep and broad understanding of markets, technologies and economics, NexantECA provides solutions that our clients have relied upon for over 50 years.

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