Sustainability Podcasts

In this podcast, Scot Bauder describes the important role that valves, actuators, and regulators play in optimizing and scaling these production operations in applications like steam methane reformers (SMR) and autothermal reformers (ATR).

Emerson Chief Sustainability Officer Mike Train joins Jim Cahill in this podcast to discuss Emerson’s progress as measured through the CDP program and ways it’s helping its customers drive their environmental performance.

Podcast host Jim Cahill is joined by Li-Cycle’s Chris Biederman and Emerson’s Nathan Pettus to discuss how the collaboration between the companies is helping to bring the process online sooner and enable scaling for future recycling processes across the globe.

Brandon Bromberek and Marc Buttler join Colorado Hydrogen Network host Brian DeBruine to discuss the measurements in moving and dispensing hydrogen through the supply chain.

As a part of our Asia-Pacific Sustainability & Decarbonization podcast series, Emerson's Sanjay Thakker joins Jim Cahill to discuss the trends, challenges, and solutions in the Biofuels & Biomaterials sector to achieve circular economy goals.

In the podcast, Hydrogen measurement and flow with Emerson, Emerson’s Don Fregelette, Laura Chemler, and Andrew Srgo join host Brian DeBruine to discuss some of the challenges and solutions in handling hydrogen across its supply chain from production through distribution.

In this podcast, Emerson Chief Sustainability Officer Mike Train joins Jim Cahill to discuss Emerson’s “Greening Of, Greening By and Greening With” sustainability framework and the recently released 2021 ESG Report with firmly established net zero targets.

In this episode in our continuing Asia-Pacific Sustainability & Decarbonization podcast series, Emerson’s Ryo Hashimoto joined me to discuss the electrification trend and battery developments as an energy storage solution.

Companies across the globe are placing a much greater focus on sustainability and decarbonization in their manufacturing and production processes. This is true across the Asia-Pacific region. In this initial podcast in our Asia-Pacific Sustainability & Decarbonization (S&D) series, I'm joined by ARC Advisory Group's General Manager for Southeast Asia, Bob Gill and Emerson's Director of Strategic Planning, Sustainability & Decarbonization for Asia Pacific, Pravin Raj to discuss the trends, practices, and technologies that companies are following to drive their strategies. In this episode, we explore Emerson's Sustainability Framework, key factors driving S&D initiatives, types of transformations, emissions management strategies, early successes, lithium battery & hydrogen production trends, and some of the technologies to enable these initiatives. Visit the Sustainability & Decarbonization section on Emerson.com and connect with Emerson's Asia-Pacific Sustainability & Decarbonization experts in your country. Transcript Jim: Hi everyone. This is Jim Cahill with another "Emerson Automation Experts" podcast. Globally, we are seeing an increasing emphasis on sustainability & decarbonization as countries, corporations and communities further define and implement their roadmaps to achieve net zero / carbon neutrality and operate in a more sustainable way. At the moment, this is nowhere more apparent than in Asia Pacific. Based on a Bloomberg NEF report, out of the $755B the world invested in low-carbon technologies (e.g. renewable energy, electrified transport, hydrogen, carbon capture, sustainable materials, etc) in 2021, 42% of that was invested in China, Japan, India and Korea alone, with China increasing its investment by 60% compared to the prior year. We are launching an Asia Pacific Sustainability & Decarbonization Podcast Series to take a closer look at trends in the region and to discuss with experts on the technologies and applications that are key to enabling companies to achieve their decarbonization goals. Today, in the very first of this series of podcasts, I'm joined by Pravin Raj, Director of Strategic Planning, Sustainability & Decarbonization from Emerson Automation Solutions Asia Pacific and Bob Gill, General Manager for Southeast Asia for the ARC Advisory Group, to discuss the sustainability and decarbonization trends we are seeing in the Asia Pacific region and how Emerson is supporting our customers in this space. Welcome Pravin and Bob! Pravin: Hi Jim and Bob. Excited to be here. Bob: Hi Jim and Pravin. Glad to be part of this discussion. Jim: Pravin, it's great to have you here with us. Let's begin by asking you to share your background and path to your current role with our listeners. Pravin: Thanks Jim. I am based in Singapore, and I manage both Strategic Planning and Sustainability & Decarbonization for Emerson Automation Solutions Asia Pacific. Prior to joining Emerson in Singapore, I was based in the United Kingdom and Azerbaijan, where I worked as an Offshore Installation Engineer and later as a Project Manager, responsible for leading the engineering, design, procurement, construction and commissioning of offshore oil & gas platforms. Empowering a more environmentally responsible planet is ingrained in Emerson's purpose. I am inspired and passionate about how we help customers across some of the world's most essential industries make measurable sustainability progress, and am grateful that I can contribute towards that in my current role. Jim: Thanks Pravin …And Bob, could you also give us a brief intro about yourself? Bob: Yes, sure. I manage ARC Advisory Group's business operations and market research activities in Southeast Asia. ARC provides technology research, advisory and consulting services to industrial automation and software suppliers as well as to end-user companies in the manufacturing, infrastructure and energy sectors. And certainly, at ARC, we see very clearly that sustainability is becoming an absolutely key area of focus for the industrial end user companies in our ecosystem; as it also is for our technology supplier clients, who are developing and evolving products and solutions to help meet the sustainability needs of their clients – the end users. Jim: Pravin, could you tell us a bit about Emerson's approach to Environmental Sustainability? Pravin: Sure Jim. To help the world achieve a lower carbon future, Emerson has developed an Environmental Sustainability Framework, which can be summarized by 3 key elements – Greening OF, Greening BY and Greening WITH. On the Greening OF Emerson, we are working across our sites to reduce emissions, engaging with our energy providers to integrate renewable sources and embedding a sustainability focus in our management processes. On the Greening BY Emerson, we support and enable our customers decarbonization roadmaps with Emerson solutions, technologies and expertise. And finally, on the Greening WITH Emerson, we engage with external stakeholders to provide industry leadership, develop innovative solutions with universities and research centers as well as work to shape future policies with regulators. Jim: Great! And in today's podcast, we will be focusing on Greening BY, how we at Emerson are enabling our customer's decarbonization efforts, especially in the Asia Pacific region. Bob, we are seeing a lot of momentum in Asia from a Sustainability & Decarbonization perspective, could you share with us some of the key factors that are driving companies in Asia to invest in sustainability initiatives? Bob: Yes, at ARC we conducted a survey of companies in the process industries, with the aim of getting a better understanding of the current state of sustainability activities and initiatives. Almost half of the of the 200+ survey respondents were from the Asia Pacific region. We wanted to find out things like the drivers for initiating sustainability programs; where companies are focusing their efforts; what challenges they face, and which technologies are being used to advance sustainability initiatives. So for example, when we asked about what's driving companies to initiate sustainability programs, the top two factors cited were: #1 – To Increase Access to Capital #2 – Satisfy Customer Buying Behavior #1 – This 1st factor: Increase Access to Capital Many large investment firms are increasingly sensitive to the sustainability performance of the industrial companies they invest in, and believe progress on sustainability is important for their long-term portfolio risk. Hence, companies believe successful sustainability programs will be favorable in terms of maintaining key investment relationships and increasing access to capital. This also indicates how critical and central sustainability is becoming for companies i.e. no longer just a nice to have, niche activity. #2 – And the 2nd most cited factor: Satisfy Customer Buying Behavior Customers are increasingly demanding products that are more "circular" in their ability to be reused and recycled rather than just ending up in landfill. Chemical companies, in particular, are having to prepare for this customer-driven trend by developing and manufacturing more sustainable materials. Other factors cited: #3 – Gain Competitive Advantage #4 – Deliver Shareholder Value #5 – Mitigate Regulatory Risk #6 – Improve Access to New Markets Jim: Interesting insights there, Bob. In fact, as a result of the factors you have mentioned, I understand we are seeing an increasing number of organizations here in Asia transform their business and invest more in sustainability programs and projects. Pravin, I'd like to bring you in to comment. What types of transformation are we seeing with organizations in Asia with respect to this? Pravin: Certainly Jim. We can broadly group the transformations we are seeing with organizations across Asia into 3 categories: In the first category are organizations that are establishing sustainability roadmaps and investing in sustainability-related companies. This includes: Acquiring/buying a stake into companies that own technologies in certain sustainability segments, like buying an existing electrolyzer company that produces hydrogen Forming partnerships with companies in a particular segment of the value chain, like supplying fuel cells to EV manufacturers In the second category are organizations that are making internal organizational changes to drive & coordinate sustainability initiatives such as: Forming ESG or sustainability project departments to work on in-house projects Refocusing business direction, such as EPCs changing names or setting up new business units to establish capability in the engineering & execution of sustainability projects 3.    In the third category are companies that are increasing their investments in R&D / technological developments in the sustainability space This is a new space & a lot of new technology is required to drive efficiency and cost reduction. Mid to long term R&D efforts are critical, such as in the hydrogen segment, where driving down the cost of production, ammonia cracking efficiency and effective transportation are all crucial areas to work on Jim: Really like how you categorized the transformations Pravin. You know, we are seeing these transformations take shape in different ways because organizations have different sustainability objectives. And just to name a few, this could be to improve their energy management, reduce their emissions or even adopt cleaner energy sources. Bob, let's start off with Energy Management. What trends are you seeing across Asia? And aside from the undeniable environmental benefits, what do companies stand to gain from managing their energy consumption better? Bob: The topic of energy management is taking on an increasingly important role in

Emerson’s Nicolas Marti joins Jim Cahill in this Emerson Automation Experts podcast to discuss some of the challenges and opportunities in the fuel cell manufacturing process.

Emerson's chief sustainability officer, Mike Train joined ARC Advisory Group's Bob Gill in a discussion about Emerson's greening of, greening by and greening with Emerson sustainability framework.

In this 18-minute podcast, Emerson's Ana Gonzalez Hernandez and Chris Hamlin describe how research into manufacturing resource efficiency is translating into better solutions for optimizing material usage, reducing energy consumption, and operating more sustainably. The Operational Certainty consulting team can help your organization plan and execute a path to more efficient and sustainable manufacturing. Transcript Jim: Hi. This is Jim with another edition of the "Emerson Automation Experts" podcast. And today, I'm joined by Ana Gonzalez Hernandez and Chris Hamlin and we're going to talk a little bit about resource efficiency. But before we do, let's find out a little bit more about them. Ana, let's start. Give us a little bit of your background. Ana: Hi. I studied my undergraduate degree at Imperial College in London. I did mechanical engineering and then I did a PhD in Cambridge. My PhD was funded by Emerson. I've been working for four years on resource efficiency. Trying to help companies reduce their energy and material consumption and looking at developing new methods to understand resource efficiency in a way that is more holistic and integrated. And from there, after a few years of the PhD, Emerson started seeing a lot of value in the work. And when I finished my PhD, they offered me a job to try and develop an engineering solution within Emerson. I've been working under the Operational Certainty consulting team since I finished my PhD in March. I started working in May—it'll be now five months. Jim: Well, it's great to have you aboard with Emerson. Chris, give us a little bit of your background. Chris: Okay. I've worked for Emerson for 10 years. Joined as a chemical industry business consultant, done a variety of roles since then, and now look after our new Operational Certainty consulting practice for Europe, Middle East, and Africa. And I'm lucky enough to actually have Ana on my team. I'm very excited about the whole kind of concept of resource efficiency and where we're going with it. Jim: Okay. Great. Can you tell us a little bit more about resource efficiency and what the potential is there for our customers? Ana: Yes. I guess maybe going back a bit and talking about where the idea came from. In Cambridge where I did my PhD, we were looking into material efficiency which is basically looking at ways of reducing material use in big process industries, and we were also looking at energy efficiency. How do you reduce energy use? Then we realized that actually, there's very little understanding of how the two come together. How do you make sure that you reduce your material and your energy use and not...you know, there's trade-offs between the two. The consumption of resources is linked and making sure that you're actually reducing energy overall to make changes to your material use and vice versa but also realizing that when you reduce material use, you are reducing energy use as well, because materials take a lot of energy to actually convert. It all started by seeing that there was a lack of metrics, a lack of an analysis, a framework, to actually have a complete idea of how the plants are operating in terms of their resource management. Basically, the work that I was doing in Cambridge was exactly coming up with ways of measuring, having indicators that bring the concepts of energy and material efficiency together and also using Emerson's expertise in process automation. The fact that we can have access to a lot of data now, you have sensors, the whole digital transformation space, and making sure that we can use that data to actually inform our resource efficiency as well. Jim: Chris, how does that tie in with the Operational Certainty consulting with having this framework and that part of it? How does that come together? Chris: Okay. The whole basis for around what we do with Operational Certainty consulting is look to improve overall business performance for our customers and clients. We don't really start with the technology. We start with the business drivers and the business strategy. And then what we do is we try to combine it. It's the classic three pillars of people, process, and technology. Bring those together in a way that enable clients to be better at what they do. And we often talk about top quartile performance being the aspiration, albeit a lot of our clients are already at that top quartile level. But those that are recognize they need to work even harder to stay there. Now resource efficiency is a really interesting metric when you come to look at it because most simply, it's basically a measure of how much you get out of a process for how much you put into it. And it turns out that because of the ways that Ana and the team at Cambridge have put together the concept, it's actually a very robust, rigorous metric. But the thing that's really cool about it for me is it's a measure that works at all sorts of different scales. You can apply it at the smallest piece of process equipment to a heat exchanger or a pump but it works just as well at the level of a company performance or even and, in fact, Ana's done work in this space, even at the level of national economies. Now, I can't think of any other measure or metric of performance that scales in that way and that gives you that same clarity of insight at whatever level you're operating. We're really excited about this effectively new performance KPI that can be used in a really, really transparent way. By virtue of focusing on it and making improvements to it simultaneously will improve profitability and ensure that you're improving your environmental stewardship. Now those are two things that often are at conflict with one another and this harmonizes the two together and operates at scale in a way that no other metric has before. For us, we anticipate it being the bedrock actually of a large part of how we're going to take the operational certainty concept forward. Jim: That's really powerful that it can scale in that way and really be a guidepost. So, how would companies if they thought that there was room for improvement, maybe significant improvement, how would they go about starting on a journey to improve their performance? Ana: Well, I guess data is always at the core of it. You have to collect data on your material and your energy flows and try and understand as much as possible where things are going, where things are being consumed and disposed. I guess having a complete understanding of the data flows is probably at the beginning of that. Once you have an understanding of where the resources are going, then we can do what we call a resource efficiency analysis where we basically look at the quality of the materials and of the energy flow. Not just tracking the mass or the energy but also tracking the temperature, the pressure, the composition of the flows, so the things that actually give value to the streams making sure that we capture all of that in the same framework. And once we do that, we can start tracking the resource efficiency. You know, as Chris was saying, this is scalable. You can track units, you can track plants as a whole, even sites. And once you start tracking and monitoring the efficiency, you can then identify hotspots, see where your biggest losses are and then start looking at ways of providing engineering solutions to reduce those losses. Jim: Yeah. I guess that traditionally, a plant would have the instrumentation or sensors to perform the basic process control and safety shut down or whatever was required but not necessarily to track in this way. And I guess technology has come a long way to really open up the ability to be able to measure a lot more. Is that something that the consultants get involved with and helping companies find the missing areas of measurements that they need to be able to see how they're doing? Chris: Yeah... absolutely. As Ana said, the very beginnings, the very start of this process is really about closing your mass and energy balances. Now, that's something that we've been talking about in industry for years if not decades. And people understand the power and the value of doing that, reduce uncertainty from the process and really understand what's happening. That same concept is fundamental to the way we approach a resource efficiency project. And you can only really effectively look at resource efficiency in an environment where your mass and energy balances are closed. If you're only doing that at the site boundary, we can only really look at the site at a site level. If we can do it at a unit boundary, then we can look at a unit level. And a big part of setting up an intervention using this kind of technique and methodology is to understand what's being measured and how well it's being measured and how well we really understand what's happening on the process. Now again, one of the exciting things about resource efficiency as a concept though is it gives an almost direct and immediate feedback in terms of benefit for improving measurement and overall measurement quality. When we've talked about energy and mass balance closure historically, it's been about reducing uncertainty. But we never really got a proper handle except in some specific sort of fiscal and custody transfer applications. There's not really a real handle on what's that worth. We know we're not more confident but do we really care? With resource efficiency, we can actually start putting numbers around that. We can actually start talking about how well the process is understood and how well or how confident we are in knowing and understanding where the sorts of interventions Ana talked about, the engineering interventions for improvement, should be applied. Jim: Okay. Have we worked with anyone or applied these measures in any way to help their performance? Ana: Yes. During my PhD, I did work with two companies....