Empowering Sustainability: Integrating ESG Principles for a Net-Zero Future Through Decentralised Process Plant Design

DOI

10.2991/978-2-38476-358-0_6How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Sustainability; ESG Principles; Decentralised Process Plant Design; Hydrogen Production; Biogas Reforming

Abstract

In the transition towards a net-zero future, the integration of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles into decentralised process plant design plays a pivotal role. This study explores the potential of hydrogen production from biogas using reforming and electrolyser technologies, with a focus on remote areas. Leveraging ASPEN Plus® simulation software for reforming and Homer Pro for electrolyser-based production in Whyalla, South Australia, the study evaluates hydrogen production efficiency and environmental impact. Tri-reforming emerges as a standout method, offering notable improvements in key metrics. Compared to conventional methods, tri-reforming yields an 18.7% increase in hydrogen production, a 28.6% reduction in total energy consumption, and a 15.4% decrease in waste heat generation. Moreover, hydrogen production from biogas results in a 22% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions per ton of hydrogen produced, emphasizing its potential for sustainable energy solutions. The ESG calculation for the weighted average has been conducted, guiding the selection of plant design and technology setup in alignment with a new plant design framework. Consequently, reforming biogas has been chosen as the optimal method, showcasing its viability for addressing sustainability challenges.

Copyright

© 2025 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Muhammad Yousaf Arshad
AU  - David Lewis
AU  - Nam Nghiep Tran
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025/01/31
TI  - Empowering Sustainability: Integrating ESG Principles for a Net-Zero Future Through Decentralised Process Plant Design
BT  - Proceedings of the International Conference on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ICESG 2024)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 60
EP  - 64
SN  - 2352-5398
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-2-38476-358-0_6
DO  - 10.2991/978-2-38476-358-0_6
ID  - Arshad2025
ER  -