Process systems engineering as an integral part of global systems engineering by virtue of its energy — environmental nexus

This paper discusses incentives for sustainable development, especially those areas relating to the harmful use of fossil-based resources. Based on systems analyses of the global energy system, drastic measures are proposed in order to regain the lost balance between the supply of resources and the burdening of the environment. The role of process system engineering within global systems engineering is discussed in order to implement these measures in the most efficient manner. The advantages and weaknesses of different sustainability measurements are also discussed – footprints, LCA indexes, and eco-cost, in relation to multi-objective optimization synthesis. A general mathematical programming formulation on a new concept of eco-profit is presented, in order to obtain fundamentally new sustainable solutions.

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► Systems analyses of the Earth’ global energy system.
► Sustainability measures for balancing energy supply and environmental burdens.
► The advantages and weaknesses of different sustainability measurements.
► A general mathematical programming formulation based on a concept of eco-profit.