As StocExpo, the world’s leading tank storage and energy infrastructure event, celebrates its 20th edition in Rotterdam this week, there has understandably been a lot of focus over how far the industry has come in the last two decades. In the session called ‘20 years of emissions control’, the panel, chaired by Ellen Daniels, CEO at British Compressed Gases Association, looked at the advances the tank storage industry had made in terms of emissions, from the treatment of vapours, to secondary seals and the move from combustion to more tailor-made solutions.
However, for some, the biggest advances have been less tangible.
‘All these technologies were around 20 years ago,’ said Peter Kerkhof, Director & Technical Consultant at EEMUA & Shell. ‘But the biggest difference has been about creating awareness so that people know what to do.’
The panel was also asked what they would want to see over the next 20 years.
‘People talk about getting to zero emissions – zero isn’t feasible, there will always be emissions,’ said Willem van der Zon, Environmental Director at Vopak. ‘What we need to ensure is that there is no impact of these emissions.’
‘A lot will be solved by green energies,’ said Kerkhof. ‘How fast it goes is a big question. Government regulations will have an impact. When people answer questions about their emissions targets with ‘we’re waiting on regulations’ – this is not a good answer. You need to be responsible for your own emissions.’
Margit Blok, Senior Vice President, Safety & Sustainability at VTTI, agreed. ‘You don’t sort out your emission reductions just for a regulator. You do it for the people on your plant or the people next door – it just isn’t good for your health. This is how this originally started. If a company only does it because of regulations, that is very bad motivation!’
‘This is especially true as some countries don’t have regulations,’ said van der Zon. ‘Also, governments are sometimes 10-15 years behind the industry in terms of regulations – the developments come first. The industry needs to take the front steps and not wait for regulations.’
The panel ended on an optimistic note. ‘In terms of CO2 emissions, we will see a huge reduction by 2050,’ said Kerkhof. ‘The world is currently at the top level and it will go down in the coming years – let that be a positive note.’
