Possible: Ways To Net Zero

by Chris Goodall

'As Chris Goodall explains, removing fossil fuels from our energy system is technologically feasible ... and we should take heart that these steps to fight climate change will also lead to large and immediate gains in our day-to-day health' Tim Harford

A carbon neutral future is possible - we have the technology to transform the global economy and guard against the worst effects of climate change. So how do we get to net zero?

In Possible, entrepreneur and climate tech consultant Chris Goodall tackles sixteen challenges that we must overcome in making a just transition to carbon neutrality. He explores the technologies that will solve these challenges - from changing how steel, cement and fuel are made, to locking carbon in healthy soils, and from green hydrogen storage to building climate-resilient homes. With case studies and success stories from entrepreneurs across the globe, Goodall illustrates the incredible potential of a Net Zero future, as well as the determination we will need to overcome these problems.

New tech featured includes Sweden's H2 Green Steel, California's Fortera cement substitute, Hong Kong garment-to-garment recycling, Finnish turbine company Coolbrook, Norwegian e-fuels, and Captura's innovative ocean CO2 capture.

Genres: Nonfiction, Environment, Science, Sustainability, Economics, Climate Change, Engineering

390 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 21, 2024

Reviews

[Faisal Chairul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seberapa besar kita bisa menggantungkan optimisme akan mencapai emisi "net zero" pada tahun 2050? Lalu, sudah sejauh mana perkembangan pencapaian kita di masa kini?

Emisi "net zero" bukan berarti tidak menghasilkan emisi sama sekali, tapi mengurangi jumlah emisi dengan cara mengganti sumber daya energi dengan yang bersih dan pada saat yang bersamaan dengan mengelolanya kembali. Di antara sektor-sektor yang dibahas di dalam buku ini adalah sektor ketenagalistrikan, sektor industri (semen, baja, petrokimia, plastik, fesyen, makanan), sektor transportasi (darat, laut, udara [aviasi]), teknologi CCUS ("carbon capture utilization and storage"), dan insentif/disinsentif pemerintah (pajak karbon, keadilan iklim).

Transisi di sektor ketenagalistrikan dapat dicapai dengan mengganti sumber daya dari bahan bakar fosil menjadi panas dari sinar matahari (panel surya/fotovoltaik) dan aliran angin. Biaya produksi/instalasi masih menjadi tantangan. Peningkatan efisiensi produksi panel surya dapat dilakukan dengan menggunakan material "perovskites" sebagai pelapis "silicon wafers" yang sudah umum digunakan. Sementara untuk PLTA, sejauh ini efisiensi hanya dilakukan dengan memperbesar ukuran turbin sehingga energi listrik yang dihasilkan lebih besar.

Dalam industri baja, cara minimum yang telah umum digunakan untuk mengurangi emisi hasil produksi menggunakan tanur batu bara adalah dengan melakukan penangkapan karbon lalu disimpan dalam tanah atau dikonversikan (teknologi "carbon capture, utilization, and/or storage" [CCUS]), salah satunya menjadi etanol yang bisa digunakan lebih lanjut dalam proses pembuatan plastik atau bahan bakar kendaraan. Perusahaan yang telah mengadopsi metode CCUS ini diantaranya ArcelorMittal di Ghent, Belgia. Sementara salah satu cara yang telah mulai digunakan untuk melepaskan sepenuhnya dari penggunaan tanur batu bara adalah penggunaan gas hidrogen 'hijau' (diperoleh dari proses elektrolisis air menggunakan pembangkit listrik ramah lingkungan) untuk mengubah bijih besi menjadi besi cair (metode "direct reduction"). Perusahaan yang telah mengadopsi metode "direct reduction" ini diantaranya H2 Green Steel dan SSAB di Swedia Utara serta ArcelorMittal di Gijón, Spanyol. Namun, penggunaan hidrogen ini memiliki sejumlah tantangan seperti biaya besar dan ketersediaan energi terbarukan untuk proses elektrolisis. Sebuah metode "molten-oxide electrolysis" yang dikembangkan oleh perusahaan Boston Metal bisa menjadi alternatif dengan mengalirkan arus listrik ke dalam sebuah sel yang di dalamnya telah dicampurkan antara larutan elektrolit dan bijih besi untuk menginduksi panas hingga mencapai suhu 1600°C.

Dalam sektor transportasi laut, perusahaan kargo MAERSK pada tahun 2021 mengejutkan publik dengan penggunaan kapal kargo yang bisa beroperasi menggunakan bahan bakar metanol dan "heavy fuel oil" ("dual-fuel capability") karena publik internasional sebelumnya lebih melirik amonia sebagai alternatif bahan bakar. Metanol dapat disintesis menggunakan hidrogen 'hijau' dan karbon dioksida dari pembakaran biomassa (produk dinamakan biometanol). Metanol juga bisa disintesis menggunakan hidrogen 'hijau' dan karbon dioksida dari hasil penangkapan (produk dinamakan e-metanol/metanol sintetik). Penggunaan metanol sebagai bahan bakar kapal lebih ramah lingkungan dibandingkan HFO dengan jejak karbon biometanol bernilai hanya 1/5-nya dan diharapkan pengembangan teknologi e-metanol ke depan bisa semakin memperkecil nilai jejak karbonnya. Penggunaan metanol juga lebih ramah lingkungan dibandingkan dengan amonia yang pembakarannya menghasilkan gas nitrogen oksida. Di sisi lain, sintesis amonia menggunakan metode standar Haber-Bosch juga menghasilkan jejak karbon yang lumayan tinggi. Selain itu, diperlukan perancangan ruang mesin yang kompleks untuk memastikan keamanan operasional, seperti yang dikemukakan oleh perusahaan mesin kapal Wärstilä.

[Jakub Lupták · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hydrogen, the book. Pretty interesting, was a bit surprised by the lack of focus on public transport in the relevant chapters (instead almost entirely dominated by EVs). Funnily, lots of typos

[Bivisyani Questibrilia · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I picked up this book at a local store's sale section, I was sooo intrigued. This book was apparently recently published and it seems to explore a topic that I've been meaning to learn about. Why was it on sale? Well, no matter—a chance for me to grab it.

I'd never known Chris Goodall prior to reading this book. Honestly, I picked it up initially thinking he is in any way related to Jane Goodall—as of today, I still haven't found any evidence that supports or denies this hypothesis—but, apparently, he is a man of his own right. He knows his way around renewable energy and—any relation to Jane Goodall (or lack thereof) notwithstanding—he has entirely caught my interest.

This book is, I daresay, a good bible for achieving net zero. While it still tackles a lot of the carbon issues in a widely generalised way, the book raises good questions and presents good facts that can help us—if not achieve net zero straight away—at least find a good starting point to get there. It dives into the carbon issue topic from various angles, all of which leads to government support as the key.

It taught me a lot of new information that makes me rethink what I know about the environmental movement—specifically regarding plastics. I love a book that makes me reevaluate what I believed to be the truth this whole time by presenting insights that I'd never thought of before. Brilliant!

Since this book is focused mostly in changing the industries and how the world operates on a big-picture scale, it is understandable that domestic consumption and emissions falls to the wayside—the issue is only briefly mentioned in the last chapter. I understand that, as consumers, we can only use whatever is at our disposal according to what the industry provides us—whatever industry that may be—so that may be why Goodall doesn't really explore the domestic sector very much. We are pretty much just the aftermath of a broken system in an industrial and global scale. However, I do believe it could still be explored more deeply to drive home the message that we cannot fully rely on businesses and the government to create a sustainable and net zero future for us—our consumption behaviour should also be held accountable.

I would highly recommend this to everyone. It's not an overly complicated or difficult book—and it'll teach about so many things relating to carbon and energy too.

[W J · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very accessible analysis of how likely the world is to get to net zero (increase in CO2 in the atmosphere from human related sources) by 2050. On the whole it presents an optimistic picture, making a convincing case that plausible routes exist for eliminating or mitigating all major CO2 emissions. Mostly this view is based on reviews of the necessary technologies and analysis of the economics of each to give a feel for how likely the technologies (or superior replacements) are to be implemented. Facts presented here are supported from external sources (326 of them).
Goodall usefully adds some thoughts about the benefits that the world will gain from these changes. Most notably, pollution in cities will reduce and air quality rise. I am not so optimistic about the world’s appetite for a bicycle-and-public-transport along with vegetarianism as the default way of life. That may be attractive to some, but is unnecessary to achieve net-zero.
For a full review see WJGBookReview.com
Yes there are a few typos, but not many. What is more important is that this is up to date.

[Andika Lesmana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ketika buku sejenis sudah menjamur, saya agak ragu membaca buku ini. Enambelas jalan yang penulis usulkan relatif masih sama dengan usulan-usulan yang sudah umum diketahui. Buku pertama dan usulan solusi yang original dan terbaik sejauh ini bagi saya tetap dari Bill Gates How to Avoid Climate Disaster.

Namun, usulan terkait pengembangan proyek jaringan listrik yang sebelumnya berfokus menghubungkan pembangkit besar menuju pelanggan secara sentralistik menjadi jaringan desentralisasi atas kelebihan listrik dari sumber perumahan (surya dan angin misalnya) menuju grid yang membutuhkan, menjadi ide unik yang, walaupun ini bukan hal yang baru, menyegarkan dibandingkan usulan solusi di banyak buku sejenis.

Usulan inteconnected grid seperti European Supergrid dan North Sea Link untuk mencegah ketergantungan pada beberapa energi primer pembangkit juga menjadi, bagi saya, informasi baru jika dibandingkan uraian sejenis lainnya.

Overall buku ini biasa saja.

[Kacper]

Twice as long as the previous book on Net Zero and at moments it lost its focus. Still a great summary on the current state of decarbonisation technologies, where we are doing good progress and what's still missing.

Did anyone do any spelling check though? The amount of errors was staggering.

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

So heavy on statistics I skipped chunks of what is an excellent book. Having read the section on how steel and cement making could move to net zero I would say the chances of reaching net zero by 2050 are.....ZERO

[Guy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good overview of the current pathway to net zero, particularly the technologies available and those still scaling or in development.

If you have read How to Avoid a Climate Disaster and you are looking for a deeper and more recent read about how we can decarbonise, this is a great choice. However, the tone is more optimistic, perhaps in ways not matched by the substance of what is said about the scale of the challenges we face to decarbonise.

[Kristo De Groodt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Only book I read with typo’s haha

[George Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic, informative book.