Read on Twitter
Based on this article and conversation with Thijs, I wondered how things actually stacked up with regard to raw materials usage per TWh of energy delivered. https://twitter.com/WattisDuurzaam/status/1261940997610749953
Most people know this image:
It shows how many 1,000 tons per TWh of energy is used. Though this is a bit deceiving.
A. Tons of material does not equate ton tons of raw materials.
B. It doesn't show the impact of fuel use
The original table is presented (from the DOE QTR 2015)
It shows how many 1,000 tons per TWh of energy is used. Though this is a bit deceiving.
A. Tons of material does not equate ton tons of raw materials.
B. It doesn't show the impact of fuel use
The original table is presented (from the DOE QTR 2015)
To get to raw materials (mining) I added some conversion rates.
E.g.: it takes 8 tons of bauxite to produce 1 ton of aluminum. Copper is a heavy hit with a conversion rate of 51!
The new graph looks like this:
E.g.: it takes 8 tons of bauxite to produce 1 ton of aluminum. Copper is a heavy hit with a conversion rate of 51!
The new graph looks like this:
Note: I did neglect tailings and water use, but I did use ore conversion rates, etc. I did add coal and biomass use, when used as reducing agents for silicon, steel, etc. I did not include (electric) energy usage. Let's assume they get their energy from renewable recourses, ok?
But then, Fuel!
I used EU data for best estimates. It can be further refined. I, for example, best guestimated the average coal-fleet efficiency at 38% (all through sources). The table is clear anyway:
Fuel added for coal, gas (converted from m³ to tons), biomass, and nuclear
I used EU data for best estimates. It can be further refined. I, for example, best guestimated the average coal-fleet efficiency at 38% (all through sources). The table is clear anyway:
Fuel added for coal, gas (converted from m³ to tons), biomass, and nuclear
Note: as I used EU data for my coal calculations, coal performs like a wet newspaper, cause that's actually what it is. Of the 509 million tons of coal the EU-28 burns each year, 359 million tons is low performing lignite, which has an "out of the ground" water content of 50-60%.
Now we get to the point that @WattisDuurzaam was trying to make with respect to a "recent documentary". This graph directly visualizes (conservatively, remember those neglected tailings?) how many tons of raw materials have to come from the ground to produce a TWh of energy.
The next iteration would be to assess the (average) ore quality within the mines. This would inflate the number further with a total tonnage of materials moved and processed. However, that's not for today. Just keep it in the back of your head that this is NOT a final answer!
