{"query_echo":{"q":"","filters":{"analysis_type":["technological comparison"]},"warnings":[{"code":"facet_value_not_in_vocabulary","message":"Value 'technological comparison' for facet 'analysis_type' is not in the controlled vocabulary."}]},"total":{"value":4,"relation":"eq"},"page":1,"page_size":20,"self":"https://climateinsightsdirectory.org/api/v1/search?analysis_type=technological+comparison","stability":"beta","ai_marking":{"digital_source_type":{"uri":"http://cv.iptc.org/newscodes/digitalsourcetype/trainedAlgorithmicMedia","name":"Created using Generative AI"},"notice":"Summary and key insights are generated using artificial intelligence."},"results":[{"id":"rmi-000079","url":"https://climateinsightsdirectory.org/document/rmi-000079","title":"Opportunities for Near-Zero-Emissions Steel Production in the Great Lakes","publisher":{"name":"RMI","organization":"rmi"},"document_type":"briefing","language":"en","date_published":"2023-09-26","source_url":"https://rmi.org/resources/gap-analysis-for-near-zero-emissions-steel-production-in-the-great-lakes/","generator":"Climate Insights Directory","generated_fields":["summary","key_insights","climate_tags","geography_discussed","analysis_type"],"summary":{"text":"The Great Lakes region remains the heartland of US steelmaking, but its primary production assets face a critical transition to avoid becoming noncompetitive as global demand for low-emissions steel grows. While federal legislation like the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) provides significant funding and tax credits (such as 45V and 45Q), the report finds a lack of coordinated state-level industrial strategies. The document argues that the region must prioritize the adoption of Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) pathways—specifically those using renewable hydrogen or carbon capture—to maintain high-quality jobs and reduce local air pollution. Key bottlenecks include grid interconnection delays for renewable energy, the need for Class VI primacy for carbon sequestration, and a lack of steel-specific workforce retraining programs.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"rmi-000079#summary","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},"key_insights":[{"text":"The Great Lakes region is the center of US steel production, accounting for 60% of US steel production in 2021, with Indiana (27%), Ohio (11%), Pennsylvania (5%), Illinois (4%), and Michigan (3%) as the primary contributors.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"rmi-000079#insight-1","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) pathways are identified as the most competitive and effective for decarbonization. Hydrogen-based DRI-EAF has the lowest emissions intensity and, when federal subsidies are included, the lowest levelized cost among primary steel production pathways.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"rmi-000079#insight-2","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"There is a significant policy gap at the state level in the Great Lakes; no state in the region has established specific greenhouse gas targets or a transition timetable specifically for the steel industry.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"rmi-000079#insight-3","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Transitioning to near-zero-emissions steel can improve local health by reducing criteria air pollutants. DRI-EAF pathways significantly reduce harmful pollutants compared to traditional Blast furnace–basic oxygen furnace (BF-BOF) methods.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"rmi-000079#insight-4","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Employment impacts vary by technology: hydrogen DRI facilities can directly employ between 1,300 and 1,700 individuals throughout the supply chain, whereas CCS DRI-EAF pathways are projected to reduce overall supply chain employment to roughly 1,000 individuals.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"rmi-000079#insight-5","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Grid interconnection is a major barrier to the renewable energy needed for EAFs and hydrogen production, with PJM and MISO having 3,042 and 1,734 active projects in their queues, respectively.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"rmi-000079#insight-6","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Carbon capture deployment is hindered by the slow EPA permitting process for Class VI wells; currently, only North Dakota and Wyoming have state primacy, while Ohio is the only Great Lakes state seeking it.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"rmi-000079#insight-7","date_modified":"2026-10-23"}],"climate_tags":["green hydrogen","carbon capture and storage","renewable energy","industrial policy","wide area synchronous grid","methane leak"],"geography_discussed":["United States","Indiana","Ohio","Pennsylvania","Michigan","Illinois","Minnesota","Wisconsin","North Dakota","Wyoming","Sweden"],"frame_perspective":[],"analysis_type":["policy gap analysis","economic assessment","technological comparison"]},{"id":"iisd-000606","url":"https://climateinsightsdirectory.org/document/iisd-000606","title":"Why the Cost of Carbon Capture and Storage Remains Persistently High","publisher":{"name":"International Institute for Sustainable Development","organization":"international-institute-for-sustainable-development"},"document_type":"policy brief","language":"en","date_published":"2023-09-07","source_url":"https://www.iisd.org/articles/deep-dive/why-carbon-capture-storage-cost-remains-high","generator":"Climate Insights Directory","generated_fields":["summary","key_insights","climate_tags","geography_discussed","analysis_type"],"summary":{"text":"The document argues that CCS costs remain persistently high due to design complexity and a high need for customization, which prevents the technology from achieving the experience rates and economies of scale seen in renewable energy. In Canada, actual project costs often exceed modelled estimates, and the technology's viability in the oil and gas sector relies heavily on ongoing government subsidies. While CCS may be useful for hard-to-decarbonize industries like cement, the brief suggests it is an inefficient use of public funds for the oil and gas sector compared to alternatives like methane reduction and electrification.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"iisd-000606#summary","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},"key_insights":[{"text":"CCS costs vary by CO2 concentration: concentrated streams (e.g., natural gas processing) range from CAD 27 to 48/tCO2 captured, while diluted streams (e.g., cement production) are higher, estimated at CAD 50–150/tCO2 captured.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"iisd-000606#insight-1","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Actual CCS project costs in Canada tend to be at the higher end of modelled ranges; for instance, the Quest project cost approximately CAD 200/tCO2 up to 2021, and the Boundary Dam project's lowest estimated cost is CAD 100–120/tCO2.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"iisd-000606#insight-2","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"The slow reduction in CCS costs is attributed to high design complexity and a significant need for customization for specific applications and geological conditions, which hinders large-scale deployment and innovation.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"iisd-000606#insight-3","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"CCS has a much lower experience rate than renewable technologies; for example, the experience rate for CCS in natural gas combined-cycle plants is 2% to 7%, whereas solar PV has a median experience rate of 23% since 1976.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"iisd-000606#insight-4","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"The Pathways Alliance proposes a CAD 16.5 billion CCS network in Alberta to reduce 22 MT of CO2 by 2030, but the project is contingent on substantial government subsidies.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"iisd-000606#insight-5","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"While CCS is viewed as inefficient for oil and gas, it is identified as a vital mitigation tool for the cement industry because two-thirds of its emissions result from chemical reactions during limestone heating.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"iisd-000606#insight-6","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"CCS in Canada's oil and gas sector depends on ongoing public support, including Alberta's Technology Innovation and Emissions Reduction regulations and federal investment tax credits, unlike renewables which typically only required initial subsidies.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"iisd-000606#insight-7","date_modified":"2026-10-23"}],"climate_tags":["carbon capture and storage","petroleum industry","climate finance","renewable energy","photovoltaics","wind power","iron and steel industry","green hydrogen","methane emissions","decarbonization"],"geography_discussed":["Alberta","Norway","United States"],"frame_perspective":[],"analysis_type":["economic analysis","policy assessment","technological comparison"]},{"id":"catf-001210","url":"https://climateinsightsdirectory.org/document/catf-001210","title":"Superhot Rock Geothermal in Svalbard","publisher":{"name":"Clean Air Task Force","organization":"clean-air-task-force"},"document_type":"fact sheet","language":"en","date_published":null,"source_url":"https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/22145144/Svalbard-SHR-Regional-Assessment.pdf","generator":"Climate Insights Directory","generated_fields":["summary","key_insights","climate_tags","geography_discussed","analysis_type"],"summary":{"text":"The document highlights the significant superhot rock geothermal resources in Svalbard, noting that just 1% of this resource could provide 97 GW of energy capacity. It argues that this technology offers a land-efficient, firm power alternative to fossil fuels and other renewables, potentially aiding Longyearbyen's goal of reaching zero emissions.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"catf-001210#summary","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},"key_insights":[{"text":"Preliminary modelling by the Clean Air Task Force and the University of Twente indicates that Svalbard possesses substantial superhot rock resources; specifically, 1% of these resources could provide 97 GW of energy capacity and generate more than 810,170 GWh of electricity, which is equivalent to 476 million barrels of oil.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"catf-001210#insight-1","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Superhot rock geothermal is described as a viable global energy source because it reaches kilometres deeper than traditional geothermal systems and does not require existing underground water sources.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"catf-001210#insight-2","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"The technology is highly energy-dense with a low land footprint; producing 1 GW of superhot rock geothermal requires approximately 12 km² of land, which is significantly less than natural gas (160 km²), solar (180 km²), offshore wind (520 km²), or biomass (14,000 km²).","ai_generated":true,"unit":"catf-001210#insight-3","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Implementing superhot rock geothermal in Svalbard could help Longyearbyen achieve zero emissions and improve local air quality by reducing pollutants such as sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"catf-001210#insight-4","date_modified":"2026-10-23"}],"climate_tags":["renewable electricity","air quality","decarbonization"],"geography_discussed":["Longyearbyen","Netherlands"],"frame_perspective":[],"analysis_type":["resource assessment","technological comparison"]},{"id":"ucs-000944","url":"https://climateinsightsdirectory.org/document/ucs-000944","title":"The Energy-Water Collision","publisher":{"name":"Union of Concerned Scientists","organization":"union-of-concerned-scientists"},"document_type":"report","language":"en","date_published":null,"source_url":"https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/power-and-water-at-risk-with-endnotes.pdf","generator":"Climate Insights Directory","generated_fields":["summary","key_insights","climate_tags","geography_discussed","analysis_type"],"summary":{"text":"The U.S. electricity system relies heavily on freshwater, with cooling power plants accounting for 41 percent of all freshwater withdrawals. This dependence creates a 'collision' where energy production competes with municipal, agricultural, and ecosystem needs, a situation exacerbated by global warming. The report details regional risks—such as hydropower instability in the Northwest and cooling water shortages in the Southeast—and highlights low-water alternatives like wind, solar photovoltaic, and dry-cooling systems.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"ucs-000944#summary","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},"key_insights":[{"text":"Cooling power plants represent the single largest use of freshwater withdrawals in the United States, accounting for 41 percent of the total.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"ucs-000944#insight-1","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Water dependence creates operational risks for power plants; during droughts or heat waves, plants may be forced to reduce output or shut down if cooling water is unavailable or too warm to be safely discharged.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"ucs-000944#insight-2","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"In the Southeast, the power sector is particularly water-intensive, with power plants accounting for two-thirds of all freshwater withdrawals in the region.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"ucs-000944#insight-3","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"The Northwest's reliance on hydropower (over 60 percent of its electricity) is threatened by global warming, which is expected to reduce snowpack and runoff, leading to more erratic seasonal streamflows.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"ucs-000944#insight-4","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"In the Great Plains, the High Plains Aquifer is being depleted at an unsustainable rate, with 17 billion gallons pumped daily, increasing competition between power plants and other water users.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"ucs-000944#insight-5","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"The report identifies three main cooling technologies: once-through systems (high withdrawal, high thermal impact), recirculating/closed-loop systems (lower withdrawal, high evaporation), and dry-cooling systems (up to 90 percent less water use, but higher cost and lower efficiency).","ai_generated":true,"unit":"ucs-000944#insight-6","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Transitioning to 'water-smart' energy—including wind, solar photovoltaic, and energy efficiency—can reduce the electricity sector's drain on water resources and mitigate the risks of power disruptions.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"ucs-000944#insight-7","date_modified":"2026-10-23"}],"climate_tags":["hydropower","wind power","photovoltaics","energy efficiency","climate change","drought","nuclear power","coal-fired power station"],"geography_discussed":["Northwest","Southwest","Great Plains","Midwestern United States","Northeastern United States","Southeast","California","Colorado","Texas"],"frame_perspective":[],"analysis_type":["risk assessment","regional analysis","technological comparison"]}]}