Can a hierarchical ordering of alternative technological concepts for decarbonizing industrial energy systems minimize mitigation costs?

Integration of alternative technological concepts such as switching to fuels, advanced energy efficiency, and carbon capture storage in existing industrial systems can prove highly effective at minimizing emissions; however, their adoption is low since solutions using these raise costs considerably. The hypothesis this work a hierarchical combination reduce mitigation cost. To end mixed method approach applied combining simulation with novel Mixed Integer Linear Programming model developed explore 48 make more sustainable. was the most common configurations. Results show that added cost integrating are lowered when efficiency via direct heat recovery explored first an optimization-based hierarchy options. before fuel technology or storage. This means process integration pay for steeper reductions emissions. Integrating optimally hierarchically reduced emissions by 61%, 55.7% compared partial heat-only business-as-usual systems. Even though (blue hydrogen) reduces 72%, increase least 3% system gas oil. A blue hydrogen 47% 88.7%. Partial 36% but 89%, full optimization only 6.3%. Therefore, cost-effectiveness influenced which seeks minimize demand from processes first, then supply systems, fuels technologies.