New natural gas plant

Context

Panama is working on the transformation from a traditional scheme of public transportation to a more integrated system, which will offer citizens access to quality and accessible transport services. The recent arrival of natural gas in Panama brings the opportunity to use this fuel in transportation, whilst the advances within the electric mobility field offer a very attractive and more environmentally friendly alternative.

The use of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) in transport is a suitable option to power large long-distance trucks in areas where gas is transported as liquefied natural gas because there are indigenous gas supplies and no gas network. The use of LNG in passenger cars is far less viable because on average passenger cars stand idle more often, which would give rise to high evaporative losses.

The Global Environment Centre Foundation (GEC) is an entity that supports the UNEP’s International Environmental Technology Centre (IETC), based in Japan. GEC is dedicated to the transfer of environmentally sound technologies, in both developing countries and countries with economies in transition. The foundation aims to contribute to Japan’s international efforts on the environment, sharing project collaborations as well as promoting Japan’s rich conservation knowledge and experience in developing nations.

Background: Dried crushed corncobs are converted to activated carbon in a multi-step process. Preferred carbons have BET-estimated surface areas in excess of 3000 m2/g. Some of the carbon embodiments adsorb >20% of their weight in methane (ambient T 500 psig) or >6% of their weight in hydrogen (77 K 500 psig). These high performance abilities are attributed to the novel mesopore and nanopore characteristics.

Background: The efficiency of a fuel cell depends very much on the surface area of catalyst exposed. Present cells use expensive metal catalysts plated onto membranes. The hydrogen-oxygen reaction in the cell is limited to the surface and scales only according to the two-dimensional geometry of the membranes. If the catalyst is poisoned there is no means for reactants to enter the metal layer rendering large amounts of expensive material effectively and permanently useless.

Researchers at Notre Dame pioneered the use of ionic liquids for use in gas separation. And this work continues today with an eye towards applications in natural gas purification effluent treatment pre-combustion separations supported liquid membranes and gas drying.

Background: Power plants automobiles and many other sources expel billions of tons of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere each year. A major greenhouse gas is carbon dioxide. As the world’s population increases the amount of fossil fuel used to create energy increases as the amount of fuel burned increases the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increases. A process to efficiently capture and later release carbon dioxide would have a large positive impact on the environment and have immediate application.

Gas Natural Fenosa (GNFe) is an energy consulting firm, fully-owned by GNF Group, a leading multinational in the energy sector. GNFe's mission is the performance of engineering energy projects, with special focus in the innovation through renewable energies, natural gas, energy efficiency and environmental & social management under the framework of sustainable development. GNFe also provides technical assistance and capacity building to governments, private investors and multilateral institutions.

The Elco Energy and Infrastructure group provids comprehensive solutions in the fields of Electricity Water Natural Gas and Medical Technologies. Examples of past projects are as follows: 161 Kv Substations for Intel Ben Gurion International Airport Thailand Africa. Water Filtration Facility for Mekorot.

This study analyses the feasibility of introducing natural gas in 14 countries in the Caribbean. The current dependence on fuel oil in the countries in the Caribbean has led to high generation costs and electricity prices. Introducing natural gas would decrease both the cost and price of electricity, mainly due to the lower price of natural gas. Additionally, natural gas plants emit less carbon dioxide (CO2) per ton than fuel oil plants. Therefore, the net benefits of natural gas would be seen in lower financial and economic (environmental) costs.