From Megacity Waste to Low-Carbon Shipping Fuel – Leveraging Climate Policy to Address Urban Challenges
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has adopted a strategy to ramp up the decarbonization of shipping. The sector aims to achieve net-zero GHG emissions by 2050, with a first fuel replacement target of 5-10% by 2030. This means supply chains will have to be established, and ports will have to develop infrastructure to bunker low-emission fuels. The amount of energy required to decarbonize shipping is massive. Globally, maritime transport consumes 300 million tonnes of fossil fuel annually – one ship may burn 10,000-40,000 tonnes of fuel per year. The industry is improving vessel efficiency and operations, but fossil fuel substitution is inevitable. Alternative fuel substitutes include biodiesel, liquid natural gas (LNG), methanol, ammonia, and hydrogen, each posing different challenges. In this seminar, I will discuss how new climate policy frameworks create opportunities for using urban waste in port cities to produce clean fuels for shipping. In addition to addressing climate change, this could help solve sanitation problems in urban areas and address sustainable development goals. Making such a solution implementable requires a comprehensive systems approach that reliably connects urban waste management, energy conversion, port logistics, and maritime supply chains. What would make such a solution technically and economically viable?
Bio: Semida Silveira is a professor of practice in the Systems Engineering Program at Cornell University. She serves as a member and speaker of the CEET Council of Engineers for the Energy Transition, under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General. Her work aims to advance science-based societal transformation, foster a global low-carbon circular economy, and promote sustainable development through transdisciplinary research, education, and project implementation. Silveira emphasizes that the energy system transformation cannot be addressed within the narrow boundaries of the energy sector alone – synergies across sectors and geographical boundaries offer opportunities to align diverse stakeholder interests and manage resources more efficiently. She views the energy systems transition as a key entry point for achieving multiple objectives, including climate change mitigation and adaptation, improved air quality and health, industrial innovation, and sustainable development. Her research spans energy and climate policy, urban sustainability, energy access, circular economy, energy efficiency, and bioeconomy. Before joining Cornell, Silveira was a full professor in energy systems planning at KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden. She has collaborated with academics, multilateral organizations, government, and the private sector across Europe, Latin America, Asia, and Africa. She has conducted research at MIT, IIASA, University of Tübingen, and University of Stockholm, and has held positions at the Swedish Energy Agency and the Stockholm Environment Institute.