Sep-2024

Integrated web platform for accurate GHG emissions mapping (RI 2024)

To limit global warming to 1.5°C as per the Paris Agreement, emissions need to be cut by roughly 50% by 2030 and reach net zero by the middle of the 21st century.

Rajasekhar M, Rajeev Nayan and Saikat Bhowal
Engineers India Ltd. R&D Complex

Article Summary

At COP26, India announced its commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2070. Many Indian companies have outlined  their plans to achieve this target.

A crucial initial step is the accurate measurement of CO₂e emissions across various industries. The lack of precise measurement can necessitate frequent adjustments to emission reduction targets. Furthermore, discrepancies in defining scope boundaries among organisations lead to significant variations in reported greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Many organisations follow different methodologies for defining their scope boundaries, which leads to a significant mismatch in GHG emissions compared to their peers. Using different methodologies to calculate emissions in different plants within the same organisation also leads to anomalies.

Presently, there is no web-based platform specially designed for the comprehensive calculation of Scope 1 and 2 emissions, including detailed process emissions that are specific to Indian industries such as upstream oil and gas, refineries, and petrochemicals.

EngCO2चित्रणTM is a digital web-based platform for CO₂e emissions calculation specific to Indian refineries and Indian needs developed by EIL. Its uniqueness is as follows:
· Comprehensive emissions calculation: Detailed Scope 1 and 2 emissions calculation for various industries in unified platform.
· Utilisation of in-house process data: Leveraging EIL’s proprietary data and expertise in processing CO₂e emissions.
· User-friendly interface: Intuitive interface with flexible input options and advanced dashboard.
· Scenario analysis: Capability for ‘what-if’ scenarios, assessing emissions reductions through fuel switching and process optimisation.
· Mitigation of double accounting: Built-in measures to prevent double accounting of emissions.
· Adherence to global standards: Aligns with global protocols, standards, and Indian regulatory requirements.
· Emissions hotspot identification: Highlights major contributors to emissions, enabling targeted reduction strategies.
· Collaborative input: Support for multiple users, facilitating input from various stakeholders across locations.
· Progress tracking: Provides year-wise emission trends to monitor progress towards net-zero targets.
· Enterprise-grade security: Ensures robust data management security standards.
· Regulatory compliance: Generates reports that are compliant with Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) regulations for Business Responsibility and Sustainability Reporting (BRSR) annual reporting.
· Live emission reporting: Integration with SCADA/DCS systems for live emissions data, including daily and monthly averages.

EngCO2चित्रण has been successfully deployed online, serving organisations in accurately estimating CO₂e emissions. Its application extends to configuration studies for grassroots projects, enabling early-stage assessment of emissions for design optimisations.

This platform is positioned to accelerate India’s journey towards achieving its net-zero targets, providing a crucial tool for industry stakeholders to effectively manage emissions complexities.

This short article originally appeared in the 2024 Refining India Newspaper, which you can VIEW HERE