Material and Energy Sources and Sinks: More Power to You!

Obtaining sustainable materials and energy sources and sinks is the holy grail of SE. This is not always possible within the restraints of classic process design, so it may require combining other, disparate processes. We will take a look at the BTU as the new “coin of the realm,” as well as examine SE elements such as quality management–based modeling, existing efficiency standards to build on, and start to examine combining production with onsite energy generation. This chapter discusses the following: new and existing methods to reformat chemicals for use elsewhere to improve overall utilization; an initial look at energy use overall; methods to use chemistry reformatting to create battery-like storage opportunities; common unused energy sources including potential onsite generation and sharing with other processes; common unused wasted materials and material and energy integration approach; an SE classification system for production resources; and SE technologies needing cost improvement. A peek at geothermal energy and its processing cognate methodologies applicable to large-scale industry is offered.