Climate change is one of the biggest challenges of our time, and as the effects and costs presented by this phenomenon become increasingly apparent, there is a growing demand across all types of industries for sources of carbon-free energy. The largest single source of power generation on the planet is thermal energy, and it is the primary contributor to carbon emissions worldwide. The production of sulfuric acid can play a vital role in the decarbonization of this segment of the global economy by harnessing the energy it generates in the form of process steam or electrical power. Elessent’s MECS^® Heat Recovery System (HRS™) technology captures energy released through the formation of sulfuric acid, which in conventional acid plant designs is commonly lost to the atmosphere or cooling water systems. When combined with more traditional means of energy recovery within sulfuric acid plants, this technology enables the plant to utilize up to 95% of the process heat it generates internally as steam, which can subsequently be converted into electricity and applied in a variety of functions. Through the production of both high-pressure and intermediate-pressure steam, an MECS^® sulfuric acid plant featuring HRS™ technology can prevent up to the equivalent of 100 tons of carbon dioxide emissions over the course of a year for each ton per day of acid that is produced by the plant. Due to its capability for upgraded energy recovery, HRS™ technology has been recognized by the United Nations as an accredited method for greenhouse gas emissions reduction and credits for trade on the compliance or voluntary carbon markets. Learn more here.