Carbon Management for Sustainable Development: An Examination of Potential Technological Transition Paths of the Saudi Arabian System of Innovation to a Cleaner Energy Economy

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Carbon Management for Sustainable
DevelopmentAn Examination of Potential
Technological Transition Paths of the Saudi
Arabian System of Innovation to a Cleaner Energy
Economy
Globelics 4th PhD School at Lisbon, May 2007

• Presented by Noura Mansouri
• PhD Student
• Materials Department
• Unit for Strategic Studies in Nanotechnology
• Technology Exploitation and Management Group
• Queen Mary, University of London
• United Kingdom

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Outline

• Background Climate Change and Sustainable
  Development a. Carbon emissions since the
  industrial erab. The greenhouse effect and
  global warminge. Sustainable development
• Technology Carbon Capture and Sequestrationa.
  CO2 captureb. CO2 transportc. CO2
  sequestrationd. CCS system
• Theories Innovation and Transitiona. Systems of
  Innovationb. Transition
• Methodology Saudi Arabia as a Case Studya.
  Research methodsb. Illustrative Saudi National
  Systems of Innovationc. Carbon management in
  transition paths

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Research Questions

• What might be the role of carbon management
  technologies in facilitating a transition in
  Saudi Arabias energy economy towards
  sustainability?
• What might be the transition paths in
  implementing carbon management technologies onto
  Saudi Arabias energy sector and industries over
  time?
• How might Saudi Arabias energy policies spur
  innovation in carbon management technologies?

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Background Climate Change and Sustainable
Development Carbon Dioxide Emissions

• Historical recorded carbon dioxide emissions
  since the industrial era

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Background Climate Change and Sustainable
Development Greenhouse Gas Effect

• Greenhouse effect and global warming

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Background Climate Change and Sustainable
Development Climate Change

• Environmental Linkages

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Background Climate Change and Sustainable
Development Sustainable Development

• Definition
• Development that meets the needs of the present
  without compromising the ability of future
  generations to meet their own needs - Brutland
  Commission
• Live responsibly
• Balances the three keys of sustainable
  development economy, environment and society.

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Background Climate Change and Sustainable
Development Keys of Sustainable Development
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Background Climate Change and Sustainable
Development Sustainable Development
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Technology Carbon Capture and Sequestration
(CCS)CCS

• Definition
• CCS is a process consisting of the separation of
  CO2 from industrial and energy-related sources,
  transport to a storage location and long-term
  isolation from the atmosphere.
• The technology of CCS constitutes of three
  stages Carbon CaptureCarbon TransportCarbon
  Sequestration/Storage
• Capture of CO2 can be applied to large point
  sources. The CO2 would then be compressed and
  transported for storage in geological formations,
  in the ocean, in mineral carbonates , or for use
  in industrial processes.IPCC, 2005

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Technology Carbon Capture and Sequestration
(CCS)Carbon Sequestration - Geological

• Prospective areas in sedimentary basins where
  suitable saline formations, oil or gas fields, or
  coal beds may be found.

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TechnologyCarbon Capture and Sequestration
(CCS)CCS System
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TechnologyCarbon Capture and Sequestration
(CCS)CCS System

• The net reduction of emissions to the atmosphere
  through CCS depends on the fraction of CO2
  captured, the increased CO2 production resulting
  from loss in overall efficiency of power plants
  or industrial processes due to the additional
  energy required for capture, transport and
  storage, any leakage from transport and the
  fraction of CO2 retained in storage over the long
  term.

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TechnologyCarbon Capture and Sequestration
(CCS)CCS System Technology Status
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Technology Carbon Capture and Sequestration
(CCS)CCS System Global Locations
Location of sites where activities relevant to
CO2 storage are planned or under way.
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Technology Carbon Capture and Sequestration
(CCS)Mineral Carbonation
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Theories Innovation and TransitionsSystems of
Innovation

• National System of Innovation
• Freeman, Lundvall, Nelson, Edquist, Metcalfe etc.
• Sectoral System of Innovation
• Franco Malerba
• Technological System of Innovation
• Thomas Hughes, Bo Carlsson

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Theories Innovation and TransitionsSystems of
Innovation

• Innovation System framework to be applied is an
  intersection

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Theories Innovation and TransitionsTransition

• Technological Transition
• Multi-level Perspective (Kemp and Geels, 2004)
• Socio-technical System (Geels, 2002, 2006)

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Theories Innovation and TransitionsTransition
Source Geels, 2002
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Methodology Case StudyWhy Saudi Arabia?

• Worlds largest oil reserves
• Benefit from the global carbon lock-in
• Sustainable oil demands
• Tackle the environmental concern by pursuing
  cleaner energy
• Sustainable Development - should be the ultimate
  objective internationally
• Retain a strong position in the global energy
  markets

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Methodology Research MethodsData Collection

• Primary Data
• Governmental reports
• Existing literature and case studies
• Secondary Data
• Saudi government authorities, companies, and
  academics
• Semi-structured in-depth interviews
• Email correspondence
• Phone interviews

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Oil Prices
Oil Depletion
Geopolitics
Innovation
Climate Change Policies
Landscape Developments Macro level
? Cleaner Hydrocarbons
Diminishing Returns to Innovation
Degree of maturity and deployment of potential
Hydrocarbons
Socio-technical Regime Meso level
Incremental Innovations
CCS
Fuel cell
Technological Niches Micro level
Wind
Early Optimization
Nuclear fusion
Solar PV
Time
Trajectory Defined
Trajectory Disturbed
Radical Innovation
Systematic application of innovation criteria
KEY CCS Carbon Capture and Sequestration KSA
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia NSI National Systems of
Innovation SI Systems of Innovation PV
Photovoltaic
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Methodology Theory ApplicationAn Illustrative
Technological Transition of the Saudi Arabians
NSI to a Cleaner Energy Economy
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Methodology Theory ApplicationAn Illustrative
Technological Transition of the Saudi Arabians
NSI to a Cleaner Energy Economy
Diminishing Returns to Innovation
Oil Prices
Innovation
Oil Depletion
Geopolitics
Climate Change Policies
Landscape Developments Macro level
? Cleaner Hydrocarbons
Hydrocarbons
Socio-technical Regime Meso level
Incremental Innovations
Technological Niches Micro level
CCS
Fuel cell
Wind
Early Optimization
Nuclear fusion
Solar PV
Time
Trajectory Defined
Trajectory Disturbed
Radical Innovation
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• Actors and Linkages in the Saudi Arabian NSI
  (Source Author, derived from OECD, 1999)

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Conclusion

1. Expected Theorertical Contributions
2. The merging of NSI SSI TSI in Transition
   Paths
3. Expected Practical Contributions
4. National System of Innovation in Saudi Arabia
5. CCS Technological System of Innovation
6. Saudi Energy Sectoral Innovation System
7. Transition Paths to Sustainability in Saudi Arabia

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Obrigada!

• Thanks for your attention..