Green Technology Joshua Mosshart

There is no commonly accepted or internationally agreed definition of green technology. The term can be broadly defined as technology that has the potential to significantly improve environmental performance relative to other technology. 

It is related to the term “environmentally sound technology”, which was adopted under the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development Agenda 21, although it is no longer widely used. 

Based on Agenda 21, environmentally sound technologies are geared to “protect the environment, are less polluting, use all resources in a more sustainable manner, recycle more of their wastes and products, and handle residual wastes in a more acceptable manner than the technologies for which they were substituted.”

Other related terms for green technology include: climate-smart, climate-friendly and low-carbon technology.

In terms of pollution, green technology includes both process and product technologies that generate low or no waste and increase resource- and energy-efficiency. They also cover "end-of-the-pipe" technologies for treating pollution. 

Green technology does not only mean individual technologies but also systems, including know-how, procedures, goods and services and equipment, as well as organizational and managerial procedures.

Green technology covers a broad area of production and consumption technologies. The adoption and use of green technologies involves the use of environmental technologies for monitoring and assessment, pollution prevention and control, and remediation and restoration. 

Monitoring and assessment technologies are used to measure and track the condition of the environment, including the release of natural or anthropogenic materials of a harmful nature.

Prevention technologies avoid the production of environmentally hazardous substances or alter human activities in ways that minimize damage to the environment; it encompasses product substitution or the redesign of an entire production process rather than using new pieces of equipment. 

Control technologies render hazardous substances harmless before they enter the environment. Remediation and restoration technologies embody methods designed to improve the condition of ecosystems, degraded through naturally induced or anthropogenic effects.

Strengths from adopting green technology

• Ability to meet strict product specifications in foreign markets: Manufacturers in developing countries typically need to meet stricter environmental requirements and specifications to export their products to industrialized countries than vice versa. The adoption of green technologies can help exporting companies to gain advantage and market share over competitors.
• Reduction of input costs: Green technology can improve production efficiency through the reduction of input costs, energy costs and operating and maintenance costs, which can improve a company’s competitive position.
• Environmental image: Adopting green technology can improve a company’s environmental reputation, which is crucial if other competitors and consumers are becoming more environmentally conscious.
• Ability to meet stricter environmental regulations in the future: Companies that invest in green technology are more likely to be better equipped and ready for stricter environmental regulations as well as product specifications that are expected to be imposed on them in the future.

Challenges to green technology adoption

Generally, green technology is more expensive than the technology it aims to replace, because it accounts for the environmental costs that are externalized in many conventional production processes. 

Because it is relatively new, the associated development and training costs can make it even more costly in comparison with established technologies. The perceived benefits are also dependant on other factors such as supporting infrastructure, technology readiness, human resources capabilities and geographic elements. Hence, what could be a feasible green technology in one country or region may not be in another.

Adoption and circulation of these technologies can be constrained by a number of other barriers. Some may be institutional, such as the lack of an appropriate regulatory framework; others may be technological, financial, political, cultural or legal in nature.

From a company’s perspective, the following are likely barriers to adopting green technologies:

• High implementing costs
• Lack of information
• No known alternative chemical or raw material inputs 
• No known alternative process technology 
• Uncertainty about performance impacts
• Lack of human resources and skills.

Overcoming these barriers is a complex process because it can involve a large number of parties, ranging from government, private sector, and NGOs to financial, research and educational institutions. 

Promoting green growth requires identifying and removing these barriers that hinder the large-scale dissemination of clean technology to developing countries, especially to those countries with special needs, such as least developed countries and small island developing states.

The table below highlights motivating and influencing factors for adopting new technologies from the viewpoint of various parties.

Fuel cells

Fuel cells convert the chemical energy contained in hydrogen to electricity and heat using an electrochemical process. Inside a fuel cell, hydrogen electrochemically merges with oxygen to create electricity, resulting in water and potentially useful heat as by-products. 

There are many types of fuel cells, though in general, they all share the same basic configuration, featuring two electrodes sandwiched around an electrolyte. The types of fuel cells are categorized by the electrolyte substance.

Power produced by a fuel cell depends on the fuel cell type, size, operating temperature and the gas supplied. Hydrogen is the most optimal fuel for use in fuel cells. However, other hydrogen-rich fuel sources, such as biogas from waste treatment and natural gas, which are rich in methane, can also be used as fuel. 

Fuel cells can be used for backup power, power for remote locations, distributed power generation and combined heat and power applications. To sustain electricity generation, though, the fuel needs to be supplied continuously; thus a reliable supply of gas or a bulk storage system is needed.

Because fuel cells do not use combustion, emissions are much lower, and conversion efficiency is higher than with conventional thermal power generation. A typical conventional combustion-based power plant has around 33–35 per cent efficiency, while fuel cell systems can generate electricity at efficiencies up to 60 per cent.

The two main barriers to the commercializing of fuel cells are cost and durability. Material and manufacturing costs for fuel cells are high compared to traditional combustion systems, and fuel cells have demonstrated the system reliability and durability to compete with existing technologies.

Energy storage

Energy can be used more efficiently through the addition of short- and long-term energy storage, both on and off the grid. Thermal and electrical energy storage systems enable more efficient power generation by balancing fluctuating energy supply and demand. 

Thermal energy storage can also be used to reduce electricity consumption by increasing the efficiency of heating and cooling systems, while an electrical storage system can supply excess electricity, which is generated during periods of low consumption, to meet peak power demand.

Depending on the technology, energy can be stored as electrical, chemical, thermal or mechanical energy. Not all technologies are suitable for every application, however, mainly due to power output and storage capacity limitations. 

Identifying a suitable storage technology depends on several factors, such as storage capacity, charging and discharging power, efficiency, storage period, storage cycle and cost.

“Grid energy storage” (also large-scale or utility-scale storage) refers to a grid-connected energy storage system. A high penetration of renewable energy sources will require major alterations to a power system’s operation. 

Electricity from renewable energy sources (specifically wind and solar) are intermittent, which can lead to system instability and a mismatch in supply and demand. Thus, energy storage is essential to increase the penetration of renewable energy power generation as well as for the overall energy efficiency in the power generation sector.

The commercial readiness of energy storage varies according to the technology and application. Pumped storage is the most widespread system in use on power networks, representing about 3 per cent of the global generating capacity. 

Other storage technologies include compressed air energy storage (CAES), flywheels, lead-acid batteries, sodium sulphur batteries and capacitor systems. 23 Battery storage methods are suitable for small-scale applications, such as battery-backup systems for solar panel homes.

Smart grids

Smart grid technology consists of multiple components and systems. A smart grid basically describes the existing grid enriched by new networks of sensing, communication and control technologies. These networks are linked by universal standards and protocols that are constantly added and updated. 

The grid becomes “smarter” through the deployment of communication and control devices and through the integration of complex optimizing software enabled by advances in information technology. In simpler terms, a smart grid is made up of a series of smart devices connected over a network to computers that use the data provided by the devices to optimize the system.

On the supply side, smart grids enable a high penetration of renewable energy sources through enhanced control of the fluctuations in the power supply. The supply of many renewable resources is intermittent, so utility services normally have a hard time integrating them into the system. 

What smart grid technology offers, is a system that can virtually go out and see what resources are available and dispatch them to the consumers. On the demand side, the deployment of a smart meter and smart appliances lets system operators as well as con- sumers know when demand for electricity is outstripping supply and thus curtails the use of electricity.

Smart grid technology is not yet commercially viable because the standards and protocols for the system integration are still under development. There are several smart grid pilot projects around the world. 

The biggest barrier to smart grid application may be the costs, as it will be expensive to implement smart grid technologies because old equipment and transmission infrastructure will need to be replaced and upgraded.

Source:UNEP

Joshua Mosshart

Technology Development & Transfer Joshua Mosshart

Technologies have been the driver of economic and social development worldwide, but not all countries have had the capacity to develop and maintain the technologies they require. Because technology is so important for achieving climate change stabilisation, the need for enhanced capabilities has made technology transfer a priority high on the international development agenda as well as in climate change negotiations.

There are a number of conceptual models that identify the stages involved in technology development and transfer. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) identified the following five main stages:

• Technology assessment,
• Technology agreement,
• Technology implementation,
• Technology evaluation and adjustment, and
• Technology replication.
• A more comprehensive model that reflects endogenous capacities (Davidson 2001) contains the following stages:
• Consideration of national development plans to identify the sustainable development objectives,
• Technology needs assessment based on the sustainable development objectives,
• Technology selection using endogenous capabilities and identification of gaps that
• can be filled with technology imports,
• Merging endogenous capabilities with technology imports to develop technology,
• Operating technology at designed performance,
• Product or equipment modification to suit local conditions, and
• Development of technology that can compete internationally.
• Technology development and technology transfer relate to existing and emerging technologies and include technology diffusion and technology cooperation with regard to equipment, know-how and software as well as their associated management systems. 

These transactions may occur through government-government, public-private sector or private-private sector partnerships. Technology transfer is not only about the supply of hardware across national or international frontiers, but also about the complex processes of sharing knowledge and adapting technology to meet local conditions, along with the associated management demands. 

The IPCC defines technology transfer as a broad set of processes covering the flows of know-how, experience and equipment for mitigating and adapting to climate change among different stakeholders such as Governments, private sector entities, financial institutions, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and research/educational institutions.

In the past, technology transfer was generally viewed as the transfer of machinery and equipment from the producer (usually in developed countries) to the user, (in developing countries) through trade, aid and licensing or foreign direct investment (FDI). However, more recently, it has been shown that such transactions involve technology payments and that technology is embedded in social and political institutions that affect technology absorption. 

Also, it is now evident that technology can only be absorbed by the recipient country if there is some level of domestic capacity. Thus some countries, especially in Asia and Latin America, have not only absorbed the technology but have created the capacity to operate and modify imported technology efficiently and, in some cases, even innovating and developing new technologies. 

Therefore, some developing countries have been able to compete in the marketplace as a result of technology learning and mastery. Nevertheless, many developing countries lack the human and institutional capacities and the necessary infrastructure for the effective transfer and absorption of innovative technologies.

In recent years, major changes have taken place that influence technology development. These include increased knowledge intensity, the emergence of innovation- based competition through market liberalisation, globalisation of trade and growing concern for the environment. Some developing countries have been able to cope with these changes and to become integrated into the global economy because they treated technology transfer as a process of technology learning, domestic capacity building and innovation. However, the majority of developing countries have not been able to achieve technological progress.

All climate change discussions and initiatives have stressed the need for cooperation between developed and developing countries for the promotion of technology transfer. In practise, different stakeholders, whether Governments, multilateral institutions, the private sector or NGOs, have different roles in technology transfer. While Governments generally create the “enabling environment” to promote investments and technology development and transfer, it is generally the other actors that are involved in the actual transfer.

International issues in technology development and technology transfer

Aspects to be addressed for the effective development and transfer of technologies include:

• Human resource development,
• Institutional development,
• Information development,
• Partnership and networking, and
• Collaborative research and development (R&D).
• Human resource and institutional development are the most important activities for Least Developed Countries (LDCs), while partnerships and networking along with collaborative R&D may be more crucial for other developing countries. 

Information development is important for all countries, as it is the cornerstone of technology transfer. The developed countries are expected to facilitate and support human resource capacity building in developing countries.

Human resource development

An adequately trained workforce and technical, business and managerial staff are crucial to adapting, operating and managing technology. The experience of some developing countries has shown that adequate domestic capacities for achieving economic success and sustaining export growth can transform lagging economies into modern dynamic economies. Training is a long-term activity and should be closely monitored for effectiveness through sustained efforts by all stakeholders.

Institutional development

Strategies for developing and strengthening institutions for domestic capacity building in technology development include a number of functions, which are further detailed below.

Technology and business assessments are activities that enable the technology recipient to make appropriate decisions on technology selection based on local resources and constraints along with regional and global conditions. These activities require cooperation with business and technology R&D centres and include:

• Technology sourcing and evaluation;
• Technology testing, demonstration and certification;
• Technology forecasting and tracking;
• Managing effective information systems;
• Technology advisory services;
• Support for a reward system including patenting; and
• Business forecasting.

Technology policy research involves conducting cutting-edge research related to environmentally sound technologies, as well as policy research to assist Governments in the formulation of appropriate legislation, which is crucial for technological progress. 

This element is important when modeling long-term demands that take into consideration the problems of climate change (Jacobsen). However, given the high rate of migration of scientists, engineers and technologists to developed countries, retention of adequate personnel is a major challenge facing developing countries. Incentive packages and mentorship programmes attractive to young and upcoming researchers can help.

Technology and business incubation centres are facilities that enhance the marketing of technologies. The absence of such centres for technology development and transfer in most developing countries leads to a waste of resources and frustration among stakeholders. 

The work of such an institution should consist of demand-driven activities linked to business opportunities and provide clients with such functions as:

• Evaluation of investment risks,
• Linkages to international technology and business centres,
• Linkages to local and external R&D centres,
• Technology demonstration and exposition,
• Technology investment and management advice,
• Technology forecasting needs,
• Technology upgrading, and
• Technical and financial support for near-market technologies.

Technology demonstration centres can overcome the problems, faced by developing countries, especially the LDCs, of demonstrating technology utilization potential and promoting overall technology awareness. Science and technology exhibitions, both stationary and mobile, and school and mass media programmes are necessary if the cultural aspects of technology transfer and development are to be addressed. Developed countries, where most of these demonstration facilities are located, can assist developing countries in this effort.

Information development

The role of information in technology transfer and development is crucial, and therefore capacities are needed to ensure access to the information required for adequate technological capability. There is much information in the public domain that is useful for technology transfer and development. 

However, the information needed should go beyond simple inventories of costs and environmental parameters, and should include specific technical data that will facilitate technology selection, development and use. Also, the scarcity of investment information impedes effective involvement of the private sector. 

Thus, in addition to adequate numbers of well-trained personnel in recipient countries, capacities are required for:

• Information assessment and screening,
• The development of information brokers to act as intermediaries,
• Maximal use of electronic systems, and
• The development of databases in developing countries with linkages to international databases.
• Technology partnerships and networking

Technology partnerships between firms in developed countries and those in developing countries have been very effective in technology development and transfer and market development, provided they are two-way relationships involving a long-term commitment with the objective of sharing knowledge, enhancing technological capabilities, fostering innovation and strengthening competitiveness. 

Interaction and mutual dependency, as well as risk and cost sharing among partners, are important. Networks consist of a group of institutions or associations with the aims of enhancing the capacity to conduct research and improving training and education through interaction. 

Partners can therefore form a network to improve access to new ideas, methods, and information sharing and materials exchange. Both technology partnerships and networking require a certain level of technical competence among partners.

There are many such partnerships and networks among corporations in developed countries, while the number involving firms in developing countries is limited but growing. This recent trend, which is common to some developing countries, especially in South and East Asia, show that these partnerships and networks can foster technological upgrading and improvement in product quality. 

Similar results have been observed for countries that have received significant Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). The success of these partnerships depends largely on how the local needs and priorities of the developing country are considered. 

Moreover, restrictions and conditions imposed by partners in developed countries can affect these partnerships. Though partnerships and networking are no panacea for capacity building, they can have several benefits including:

• Improvement of market access across a large number of industries,
• Contribution to the development of a competitive local industry and local expertise,
• Contribution to the mobilisation of resources and technological expertise to upgrade lagging infrastructure,
• Improvement of access to international markets, and
• Support to firms and R&D institutions for leveraging their activities and attracting new investments.
• Collaborative research and development

Survival in the global economy requires increased knowledge, innovation, management and technological capabilities. In addition, a multi-disciplinary approach is needed to cope with the knowledge-based activities prevailing in international technology transactions. 

These advances have made the type of support needed by technological R&D institutions so expensive that very few institutions can afford them. Furthermore, the knowledge needed not only is absent in developing countries but also may require innovative approaches that can only be achieved through systematic, well-planned R&D programmes.

Since R&D activities are now becoming very competitive and expensive in terms of both financial and human resources, collaboration is necessary for coping with this challenge. 

Moreover, collaboration between institutions of developing countries and developed countries can be the most effective option in frontier technologies. Such international cooperation provides opportunities for sharing resources and activities, as well as for making optimal use of facilities.

The dynamics of technological change imply that, in order to address climate change strategically, technology programmes should include current technologies and those at the cutting edge. 

Developing countries need to increase their capacities to assess, analyse and choose technologies based on their needs and development priorities, and to adapt them to specific local conditions. Some developing countries and countries with economies in transition can use their human and institutional capacities to focus on technology partnerships and networking.

International institutions and bilateral institutions in developed countries should mobilise some of their capacity to address the current environmental and sustainable development concerns of developing countries.

Source:UN Sustainable Development

Joshua Mosshart

Energy Transformation for All-Joshua Mosshart

 A transformation of the global energy system is needed to provide sustainable energy for all, to satisfy rapid growth in energy demand, particularly in developing countries, and to diminish the negative impacts of climate change. 

New and renewable sources of energy stand at the center of global efforts to induce a paradigm shift towards green economies, poverty eradication and ultimately sustainable development. 

Record investments are being made by some countries to propel innovation, development and commercialization of renewable energy technologies. Nevertheless, much more cooperation and action is needed to substantially increase the contribution of these technologies to the global energy system. 

A coordinated global energy strategy needs to be adopted, in conjunction with consistent and stable national policies, to bring down the cost of renewable energy technologies, including off-grid systems, for use by the poorest segments of the population living in rural areas.

We must raise awareness of the importance of energy for sustainable development and poverty eradication, including the need for the promotion of new and renewable sources of energy and the increased role these sources could play in the global energy supply.

The availability of adequate, affordable and reliable energy services is essential for alleviating poverty, improving human welfare, raising living standards and ultimately for achieving sustainable development. 

As global development challenges continue to be undertaken, it is increasingly recognized that provision of adequate energy services has a multiplier effect on health, education, transport, telecommunications, and water availability and sanitation. Consequently, energy is an important factor for achieving the Millennium Development Goals.

Securing “sustainable energy for all” involves the development of systems that support the optimal use of energy resources in an equitable and socially supportive manner while minimizing environmental impacts. 

Integrated national and regional infrastructures for energy supply, efficient transmission and distribution systems as well as demand programmes that emphasize energy efficiency are necessary for sustainable energy systems.

World challenges -- including impacts from climate change, limited natural resources, rapid increase in energy demand, and the loss of biodiversity -- demand a greater reliance on new and renewable sources of energy. 

Accessibility and affordability of renewable energy technologies are key to ensure sustainable energy for all.

Although considerable progress has been made in technology development and transfer, investment and policy implementation, much more is needed to increase the contribution of renewable sources of energy and to secure the continuation of the current positive momentum for a strong deployment. 

Additional coordinated strategies are necessary at the global level to advance the transformation of the energy system especially in the poorest regions of the world so that the goals of sustainable energy for all, increased energy efficiency and reductions in carbon emissions can be achieved.

Reducing the high cost of decentralized systems for rural applications should be one of the main cores of any major coordinated global energy strategy. Specific targets and programmes are required to enable the right environment to induce sustainable energy for the rural populations of the world.

There is a need to establish regional and national technology centres to develop systems and products specifically designed to address local needs at the appropriate levels of income and to benefit from endogenous capacities and local knowledge. 

The global strategy needs to include a strong component on statistical data and the development of integrated programmes for long-term energy planning.

Source: Unedited United Nations General Assembly Notes

Joshua Mosshart

https://www.linkedin.com/in/energydevelopmentpartners/

"Capitalism Through Philanthropy" Joshua Mosshart

What do we stand for in life? What will we be defined by? What contributions will we make to the world?

We are developing businesses that help us achieve these goals in a profitable way. Our businesses give dignity to people by creating jobs and perpetuating solutions through capitalism.

We create small eco-systems for communities to thrive in addressing the most basic needs of humanity. We are all one in the same and we hear the call to action. This is our focus and we will make the difference.

We build profitable, healthy businesses through innovation that give us constant wind in our sails to reach our destination.

We live with purpose, we are the brave and we care about others. We are depended on and we rise to the occasion through selfless leadership.

Learn these goals, create profitable solutions, perpetuate sustainable change for our future generations!

What are the Sustainable Development Goals?

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), otherwise known as the Global Goals, are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity.

These 17 Goals build on the successes of the Millennium Development Goals, while including new areas such as climate change, economic inequality, innovation, sustainable consumption, peace and justice, among other priorities. The goals are interconnected – often the key to success on one will involve tackling issues more commonly associated with another.

The SDGs work in the spirit of partnership and pragmatism to make the right choices now to improve life, in a sustainable way, for future generations. They provide clear guidelines and targets for all countries to adopt in accordance with their own priorities and the environmental challenges of the world at large.

The SDGs are an inclusive agenda. They tackle the root causes of poverty and unite us together to make a positive change for both people and planet. “Poverty eradication is at the heart of the 2030 Agenda, and so is the commitment to leave no-one behind,” UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner said.

“The Agenda offers a unique opportunity to put the whole world on a more prosperous and sustainable development path. In many ways, it reflects what UNDP was created for.”

Source:UN, JDM

Joshua Mosshart

https://www.linkedin.com/in/energydevelopmentpartners/

Hydrogen the Future of Energy-Joshua Mosshart

In the ongoing debate over the need to identify new sources of energy and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, companies around the world have explored the use of various alternative fuels, including compressed natural gas, liquefied propane gas and hydrogen. 

Hydrogen has emerged as one of the most promising alternatives due to its vehicle and power plant emissions being virtually zero.

Hydrogen helps optimize the power system for renewables, facilitating further increases in renewable shares. Electrolysis produces hydrogen by using (excess) power supply and enables to valorize it either in other sectors (transport, industry, residential heat) or to store it for future re-use . 

Hydrogen has the potential to improve economic efficiency of renewable investments, enhance security of power supply and serve as a carbon-free seasonal storage, supplying energy when renewable energy production is low and energy demand is high.

Hydrogen can provide a cost-effective, clean energy infrastructure, contributing to supply security both at local and country levels. Shipped, piped, on-site generation or trucked, hydrogen is a means to (re)distributing energy effectively among cities and regions.

In many sectors, direct electrification is and will remain technologically challenging or uneconomical. This applies, e.g., to heavy-duty transport, non-electrified trains, overseas transport, and aviation, but also to some energy-intensive industries. 

In other sectors, such as light-duty vehicles, direct electrification, although technologically possible, does not always meet performance requirements in range and charging convenience.

In many, if not all of these sectors, where technological and/or economic obstacles prevent direct electrification, hydrogen offers a viable solution.

Hydrogen offers valuable advantages in this context, as it avoids CO2 and particles emission, can be deployed at large scale, and can be made available everywhere. Hydrogen improves the efficiency and flexibility of the energy system.

Electrolysis can convert excess electricity into hydrogen during times of oversupply. The produced hydrogen can then be used to provide back-up power during power deficits or can be used in other sectors such as transport, industry or residential. It thus valorizes excess electricity. 

Hydrogen offers a centralized or decentralized source of primary or backup power. Like gas, power from hydrogen (or one of its compounds) is switched on and off quickly. 

Thus, hydrogen helps deal with sudden drops in renewable energy supply, e.g., during adverse weather events). In addition, electrolysers may provide ancillary services to the grid, such as frequency regulation.

Hydrogen can also be used in specific fuel cell CHPs in industry and buildings, linking heat and power generation. This enhances the efficiency of generated electricity and heat for these sectors and improves flexibility of the energy system as a whole.

Hydrogen represents the optimal overall solution for long-term, carbon-free seasonal storage. While batteries, super-capacitors, and compressed air can also support balancing, they lack either the power capacity or the storage timespan needed to address seasonal imbalances.

All in all, hydrogen permits to integrate more economically large amounts of intermittent energy sources in the system and provides the much needed flexibility to maintain the resilience of the system.

While transporting electricity over long distances can cause energy losses, pipeline transportation of hydrogen reaches almost 100% efficiency. This benefit makes hydrogen an economically attractive option when transporting renewable energy at scale and over large distances.

Source: UN/World Hydrogen

Joshua Mosshart

https://www.linkedin.com/in/energydevelopmentpartners/