Technology

E-methane is gaining global attention. (Image source: Synergy)

E-methane, a synthetic gas that holds immense potential for the future of energy, is quickly gaining global attention

Although the commercial production of e-methane has yet to begin, the momentum behind this innovative technology is growing rapidly.

E-methane is produced through a process that combines low-emission hydrogen with a carbon source, such as captured CO2 or biomass. This process results in a synthetic gas that closely mimics the physical and chemical properties of conventional natural gas.

The growing interest in e-methane is driven by its potential to play a critical role in the energy transition. As the world seeks to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels and lower greenhouse gas emissions, the need for low-emission alternatives to natural gas is becoming increasingly urgent. E-methane offers a unique advantage in this regard. It can be used within the existing methane network, providing a way to decarbonise natural gas without the immediate need for new infrastructure investments.

Furthermore, e-methane could serve as a bridge between today’s methane networks and the hydrogen networks of the future. Hydrogen is often touted as a key component of the future energy system, but its widespread adoption is hindered by challenges related to storage, transportation, and infrastructure compatibility. E-methane, which behaves almost identically to natural gas, could ease the transition to a hydrogen-based energy system by allowing for a gradual integration of hydrogen into existing gas grids.

Unlike hydrogen, which requires advanced and costly storage solutions, e-methane can be stored on a large scale in existing infrastructure, such as depleted natural gas fields and underground aquifers. This ability to store e-methane in significant quantities makes it an ideal solution for addressing seasonal energy demand variations. During periods of high demand, stored e-methane can be released into the grid, ensuring a reliable supply of energy even when renewable sources like wind and solar are not producing at full capacity.

The economic challenge

Despite its many advantages, e-methane faces a significant hurdle: cost. The current levelised cost of e-methane is estimated to range between US$50 and US$200 per million British thermal units (MMBtu), which is substantially higher than traditional natural gas prices or landed LNG prices. For e-methane to become a viable alternative to natural gas, substantial reductions in production costs are necessary.

This cost challenge is not insurmountable, but it will require significant advancements in technology and economies of scale. By 2040 or 2050, it is anticipated that the cost of e-methane could be reduced to a level that makes it competitive with traditional natural gas, particularly as carbon pricing and other regulatory measures increasingly penalise the use of fossil fuels.

In the meantime, the first e-methane projects are beginning to take shape. Japan has emerged as a leading proponent of e-methane, viewing it as a critical component of its energy strategy. The country has set an ambitious target: by 2050, 90% of city gas demand is expected to be met by e-methane. This commitment is driven by Japan’s need to secure a stable and low-carbon energy supply, as the country seeks to reduce its dependence on imported fossil fuels and meet its climate goals.

E-methane looks to become a key player in the global energy transition. Its compatibility with existing gas infrastructure, ability to serve as a bridge to a hydrogen-based energy system, and potential for large-scale storage make it an attractive option for decarbonising the natural gas sector.

This article is authored by Synergy Consulting IFA

New technology for manufacturing processes by Zebra. (Image source: Zebra)

Zebra Technologies Corporation has introduced a new range of advanced AI features to its Aurora machine vision software, significantly boosting its deep learning capabilities for complex visual inspection tasks.

This enhancement is particularly relevant as, according to Zebra’s 2024 Manufacturing Vision Study, 61% of global manufacturing leaders anticipate AI will be a key driver of growth by 2029. Additionally, a Zebra report on AI usage in the automotive industry reveals that while AI and deep learning are already in use, there is a growing demand for these technologies to deliver even more advanced capabilities.

The updated Aurora software suite now offers powerful visual inspection tools designed to meet the needs of machine and line builders, engineers, programmers, and data scientists across various industries, including automotive, electronics, semiconductor, food and beverage, and packaging. It features a no-code deep learning optical character recognition (OCR) tool, drag-and-drop environments, and extensive libraries, enabling users to tackle complex challenges that traditional rules-based systems cannot easily address.

The Aurora Design Assistant, a part of the suite’s integrated development environment, allows users to create applications by arranging flowcharts rather than writing traditional code. The software also facilitates the development of web-based human-machine interfaces (HMIs) for these applications. The newest update introduces deep learning object detection and an enhanced Aurora Imaging Copilot companion application, which features a dedicated workspace for training deep learning models in object detection. Additional add-ons are available to support the training and deployment of deep learning models using NVIDIA and Intel GPU cards.

New advancements

Aurora Vision Studio offers a flexible, hardware-agnostic software platform that assists engineers in developing, integrating, and overseeing machine vision applications. The software’s user-friendly graphical interface allows the creation of complex vision applications without the need for coding, using over 3,000 pre-configured filters. The latest improvements include a new training engine designed to optimise results from low-quality datasets, along with support for Linux systems when performing inference tasks.

For developers working in C++, C#, and Python, the Aurora Imaging Library provides a comprehensive set of tools for processing and analysing 2D images and 3D data, employing both traditional methods and deep learning techniques. New additions to the library include anomaly detection tools designed for defect and assembly verification, using unsupervised deep learning. The OCR tool has also been upgraded to recognise a wider range of characters and symbols, leveraging a pre-trained deep neural network without the need for specific font instructions.

“Manufacturers across many industries face longstanding quality issues and new challenges with advances in materials and sectors such as automotive and electronics,” said Donato Montanari, vice president and general manager, Machine Vision, Zebra Technologies“They are looking for new solutions that complement and expand their current toolbox with AI capabilities needed for more effective visual inspection, particularly in complex use cases.” 

The 4th edition of the PPP MENA Forum is set to take place on 10-11, 2024, at the Jumeirah Emirates Towers in Dubai. (Image source: PPP MENA Forum)

The 4th edition of the PPP MENA Forum is set to take place on 10-11, 2024, at the Jumeirah Emirates Towers in Dubai.

Organised by Great Minds Event Management, this premier event will bring together senior Public-Private Partnership (PPP) regulators from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Oman under one roof for the first time, marking a historic moment in the advancement of PPP frameworks across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

This high-profile gathering will feature policymakers, investors, business leaders, and other influential stakeholders dedicated to advancing PPP initiatives across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The forum's strategic importance is underscored by its role in facilitating meaningful dialogues and fostering impactful collaborations. The forum aims to showcase and announce groundbreaking projects from these key regions.

The forum will be attended by a diverse group of participants, including policymakers, investors, business leaders, and other influential stakeholders dedicated to fostering sustainable development through PPPs. These attendees represent a range of sectors, underscoring the forum’s broad relevance and its role in facilitating strategic collaborations.

Nasser Massoud, Founder and Managing Director of Concept Realisation and WAPPP Chair for the Social Sector PPPs Chapter in the UAE, shared his thoughts: “The 4th PPP MENA Forum is more than just an event; it's a crucible for transformative ideas and partnerships that drive the social and economic progress of our region. Bringing together such a high calibre of leaders and decision-makers under one roof not only amplifies the impact of our discussions but also accelerates the implementation of innovative PPP projects that can benefit millions.”

The 4th PPP MENA forum will also feature a dynamic agenda delivered by a distinguished lineup of subject expert speakers who will provide valuable insights into the latest developments and strategic trends in PPPs. This gathering is a unique opportunity for attendees to network with top policymakers and industry leaders, thereby enhancing their understanding of the evolving PPP landscape and exploring new opportunities. The organisers are also proud to announce that the Khaled Alrubaian as a speaker from NCP Saudi Arabia is among the key speakers, reinforcing the event's significance.

Topics covered in the forum include the future of PPPs in the MENA region, Challenges and opportunities in financing PPP projects, legal and regulatory frameworks for effective PPP implementation and there will be case studies on successful PPP projects and their impact on regional development.

The event is sponsored by Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), Kuwait Authority for Partnership Projects (KAPP), NCP Saudi Arabia and various local and international firms specialising in finance, legal, and consultancy services. The support of such prominent organisations is instrumental in driving the success of the forum and advancing the future of PPPs across the MENA region.

The continued evolution of PPPs and their role in shaping sustainable infrastructure in the MENA region underscores the timely relevance of this forum. As stakeholders from across the region gather to share insights and forge partnerships, the impact of their discussions is expected to resonate well beyond the immediate future.

In these analyses, high or low probability may be assigned to different scenarios. (Image source: Canva)

Bentley Systems pens an editorial for Technical Review Middle East, explaining how data-centricity and digital twins can help businesses make informed decisions about sustainability. Read on: 

Recently, CEOs have made a significant effort to advocate for policies to achieve net zero emissions. A notable example is the Alliance of CEO Climate Leaders, a group facilitated by the World Economic Forum that represents US$4 trillion in revenues and 12 million employees around the world. These members have been vocal in encouraging both businesses and governments to become meaningfully involved in the effort to get to net zero.

In October 2023, more than 100 CEOs and senior executives issued an open letter to world leaders urging them to support green policies before the COP28 Climate Summit. As their letter states, winning the race to net zero hinges on the ability to act on those policies. To get there, CEOs are asking for support and collaboration from governments, policymakers, and a wide range of stakeholders to accelerate the development of renewable energy projects and address obstacles such as a lack of interoperability that hinders green solutions.

Climate change requires adjustments in the ways organisations respond to stakeholders, as well managing regulations and compliance, leading to a stronger emphasis on incorporating sustainability at the core of their business strategy. Enterprise today must align two goals: Be more resilient to climate change effects and leverage future market opportunities in the process.

These goals are not merely ideological, but also tangible, as companies must pivot to address climate impacts that are already occurring. For instance, the Volkswagen factory in Portugal was forced to suspend production for more than two months in 2023 due to a flood in Slovenia, which impacted their supply chain and resulted in mass layoffs. Not only has VW stock value plummeted, but the overall GDP of Portugal (for which VW represented 4% of its exports) has taken a massive hit.

When Texas was hit by winter storm Uri in 2021, the destruction of computer chip facilities, power grids, and other infrastructure resulted in an estimated economic toll of US$80-$130bn in both damages and lost economic opportunities. The 2019-2020 Australian bushfires, also known as the "Black Summer," burned over 19 million hectares, destroyed thousands of homes, caused 33 deaths, and resulted in an estimated economic loss of AUD $2.8 billion. Almost 7,300 jobs disappeared nationwide.

A Dire Need for Data

CEOs make decisions based on numbers. They need not only data, but also the right technology and people to generate insights. This is particularly true where decision-making around climate change and sustainability are concerned. Business leaders want to be well-prepared to address climate events. However, they need access to data identifying the most probable future scenarios and their impact on companies’ own business models.

Only then can they strategise properly, make informed, data-centric decisions around sustainability, and ultimately climate-proof their businesses. Without these details and insights, CEOs may be unable to pivot toward more sustainable operations.

While it is common for organisations to conduct data-driven business analysis, prior analyses were not often performed with sustainability in mind. For many organisations today, this has changed. Within the oil and gas industry, which has long been dependent on regulations and constant shifts in industry and market demands, climate risk analysis is now a matter of survival.

Quantifying Uncertainty

Energy organisations have recently begun investing assets in renewable energies as a way to reduce risks. Heavy industries, or those working with infrastructure involving hard-to-abate sectors like steel, cement, and aviation, are also exposed to significant risks directly or indirectly associated with climate change. In many cases, infrastructure assets and their supply chains may also be highly exposed, and simply reinvesting in more sustainable assets isn’t always possible.

These hard-to-abate sectors can benefit from scenario analysis supported by digital twins or data-driven solutions. By engaging in effective simulations, businesses can identify the most critical uncertainties and assign more accurate probabilities to each of the scenarios these uncertainties define. In addition to obvious potential pitfalls linked to the progressive impact of climate change, the most frequent sources of uncertainty are associated with regulations, consumer or stakeholder behaviours and preferences, and technological availability and pricing.

In these analyses, high or low probability may be assigned to different scenarios. For instance, in the energy industry, uncertainties may link to changes in carbon regulation and profitability of renewables remaining competitive with conventional fossil fuels. Uncertainty analyses can help CEOs determine how best to allocate resources, point to potential areas for exploration of new ways of competing, and spot likely financial impacts. By identifying and quantifying the most probable scenarios with the use of digital twins and data-driven solutions, these scenario analyses can surface hidden risks and opportunities.

Leveraging Talent and Information

For climate risk analyses to be accurately generated in support of CEOs' strategic decisions, a combination of technology, data, and expertise is needed.
Today, CEOs must tap experts who are knowledgeable about the business and environment, capable of curating and interpreting the data and highlighting valuable and valid insights. These experts must be able to combine business experience with scientific knowledge to navigate multiple areas and disciplines. Rather than specialists, generalists are required. Environmental professionals are now in such high demand globally that there are simply not enough of them to fill all the roles that require their expertise.

With more data than ever available today, this data is often siloed in different formats, repositories, and disciplines across supply chains. Using digital twins built on open platforms to simulate, federate, visualise, and analyze the data can be helpful in facilitating data-centric approaches and mitigating siloed challenges. One good example of this approach is ClimaTwin, built on Bentley’s open digital twin platform, iTwin. This startup connects complex climate models and infrastructure digital twins to provide risk intelligence and assess adaptation actions, such as for electric utilities. Technology that will enable companies not just to gather diverse pools of data, but to also integrate them meaningfully, will help drive strategic decision-making even as climate change creates more complex problems to solve.

Getting to Net Zero

To get closer to net zero, CEOs around the world need help resolving regulatory inefficiencies, consolidating disparate forms of data, managing projects, and determining the best way to operate given the dynamic state of play.

Digital twins offer a powerful tool for facing these challenges. These solutions allow company leaders to leverage infrastructure intelligence in scenario analyses, break down communication and information barriers, and access expertise and data from anywhere around the world – all within an open, interoperable, and collaborative platform.

More than ever, business leaders and CEOs must rely on data and technologies that yield these capabilities to make the necessary pivots and strategic transformations to climate-proof their businesses and maintain a true competitive advantage.

The collaboration will help organisations simplify management processes. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

SLB and global cybersecurity provider Palo Alto Networks has announced collaboration expansion to strengthen cybersecurity for the energy sector

The companies will combine SLB’s cloud and edge technologies and domain expertise in the energy industry with Palo Alto Networks’ cross-industry, platform-based cybersecurity solutions. This will not only help SLB remain on the forefront with its own security infrastructure, but also help drive future enhanced solutions to address evolving cyber threats as the industry’s adoption of digital solutions and artificial intelligence accelerates.

“The maturation of our industry’s digital transformation makes cybersecurity paramount to our operations, and the digital solutions we offer to our customers,” said Olivier Le Peuch, chief executive officer, SLB. “Through this collaboration, we will continue to enhance and strengthen our role as our customers’ digital partner of choice.”

As part of the collaboration, SLB will integrate Palo Alto Networks Precision AI-powered cybersecurity platforms, including Prisma SASE, Prisma Cloud and Cortex XSIAM in its technology stack. These platforms will enable SLB to achieve comprehensive security across its network, cloud and edge platforms, enabling thousands of domain and AI users on SLB’s Delfi digital platform to collaborate in a safe and secure environment. The two companies also will develop and implement solutions for edge products and services, which will be critical as more energy customers move toward automated and autonomous operations.

“Through platformisation, organisations can simplify their management processes, reduce their total cost of ownership (TCO), and enhance their security outcomes,” said Nikesh Arora, chairman and chief executive officer, Palo Alto Networks. “Palo Alto Networks commends SLB for their forward-looking approach in shaping the future of the energy industry through secure and innovative solutions. Their vision for modern IT transformation through platformisation, aligns with our own commitment to safeguarding critical infrastructure and driving technological advancement. Together, we can build a resilient and secure energy ecosystem that meets the challenges of tomorrow."

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