I used to think that it would indeed be one of the many solutions used to save ourselves from catastrophic climate change, but not anymore. In fact, I now think that it might be a counter-productive red herring in most cases. What has made me change my mind? A series of problems that are incurred along the whole process of CCS. Read on, please.
One of the biggest problems with the idea of CCS is capturing the carbon itself. One of the main ways of executing this capture takes place in the smokestacks of coal plants.
The stream of CO2 emitted from a smokestack is relatively dilute though, making CO2 capture time consuming and unrealistic. Also, the coal industry has staked its future on a new process known as coal gasification. These new power plants resemble chemical works more than conventional coal-fired power plants. In them, water and oxygen are mixed with the coal to create carbon monoxide and hydrogen. The hydrogen is used as a fuel source, while the carbon monoxide is converted to a concentrated stream of CO2. These plants are not cheap to run: around one-quarter of the energy they produce is consumed just in keeping them operating. All indications suggest that building them on a commercial scale will be extremely expensive and that it will take decades to make a significant contribution to power production. So.... about 25% of the energy they make is used just to keep them operating, they are more expensive, and it will take decades before they make a significant contribution.....Hmmmm.
The problems continue... stay tuned for another major problem in tomorrow's blog entry
Good post. I like that you're splitting these into three--creates an interest in reading future posts, and keeps the material manageable. I also like that you're being clear about how your perspective on these issues has changed. Shows you have an open and critical mind.
ReplyDelete