Decarbonizzazione all’italiana

A proposito di “decarbonizzazione” all’italiana, conviene leggere il recente studio pubblicato su “Nature”.
Le centrali elettriche alimentate con risorse fossili dovranno cessare le attività prima del previsto, anziché funzionare per l’intera vita utile indicata in fase di progetto; oppure dovranno essere equipaggiate con sistemi CCS (Carbon Capture and Storage) per catturare l’anidride carbonica emessa nell’atmosfera e immagazzinarla nel sottosuolo.
Diversamente, mantenendo il loro ciclo porgammato e “Indifferente” al contesto di accelerazione dei cambiamenti climatici, contribuiranno a far saltare qualsiasi impegno di mitigazione del riscaldamento globale e di riduzione delle emissioni.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-019-1364-3?fbclid=IwAR3uqAHTyHF5emsMUC1OTpG2ICBMZHEVh3wG3HS2xvaty7b6NCreZaBsBcg

Committed emissions from existing energy infrastructure jeopardize 1.5 °C climate target

Net anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions must approach zero by mid-century (2050) to stabilize global mean temperature at the levels targeted by international efforts^1–5. Yet continued expansion of fossil-fuel energy infrastructure implies already ‘committed’ future CO₂ emissions^6–13. Here we use detailed datasets of current fossil-fuel-burning energy infrastructure in 2018 to estimate regional and sectoral patterns of ‘committed’ CO₂ emissions, the sensitivity of such emissions to assumed operating lifetimes and schedules, and the economic value of associated infrastructure. We estimate that, if operated as historically, existing infrastructure will emit about 658 gigatonnes (Gt) of CO₂ (ranging from 226 to 1,479 Gt CO₂ depending on assumed lifetimes and utilization rates). More than half of these emissions are projected to come from the electricity sector, and infrastructure in China, the USA and the EU28 countries represent approximately 41 per cent, 9 per cent and 7 per cent of the total, respectively. If built, proposed power plants (planned, permitted or under construction) would emit approximately an additional 188 (range 37–427) Gt CO₂. Committed emissions from existing and proposed energy infrastructure (about 846 Gt CO₂) thus represent more than the entire remaining carbon budget if mean warming is to be limited to 1.5 °C with a probability of 50–66 per cent (420–580 Gt CO₂)⁵, and perhaps two-thirds of the remaining carbon budget if mean warming is to be limited to below 2 °C (1,170–1,500 Gt CO₂)⁵. The remaining carbon budget estimates are varied and nuanced^14,15, depending on the climate target and the availability of large-scale negative emissions¹⁶. Nevertheless, our emission estimates suggest that little or no additional CO₂-emitting infrastructure can be commissioned, and that infrastructure retirements that are earlier than historical ones (or retrofits with carbon capture and storage technology) may be necessary, in order to meet the Paris Agreement climate goals¹⁷. On the basis of the asset value per ton of committed emissions, we estimate that the most cost-effective premature infrastructure retirements will be in the electricity and industry sectors, if non-emitting alternative technologies are available and affordable