carbon capture and storage (ccs)

carbon capture/epa.gov

Because of the slow progress in displacing fossil fuels with renewables, carbon capture and sequestration should receive much more attention as a game-changing technology.[read more]

Climate Pollution via Shutterstock

Can natural gas provide a "bridge" towards a low-carbon economy? Some climate activists claim that fugitive methane leaks undermine gas's climate credentials. However, I think that they are making a mistake by demonizing the one fuel source that has provably shaken coal's hold on the global energy system.[read more]

carbon capture and storage

For Carbon Capture and Storage technology, a demonstration programme which comprises several projects would begin to establish infrastructure, which in turn lowers the cost for additional projects.[read more]

sea-level rise

One of the most important and threatening risks of climate change is sea-level rise. The mechanisms are well understood, and the direction of changes in sea-level is highly certain.[read more]

Despite its green energy credentials, Europe has ramped up its consumption of coal. Ironically, the very policies that the continent has built its environmentalist reputation on — vigorous support for renewables — may be crowding out its best chances for reducing emissions, given its return to coal: carbon capture and storage.[read more]

Liquid hydrocarbons account for about one third of fossil carbon dioxide emissions, and while transition to electric vehicles is possible for some passenger transport, it is simply not feasible to substitute for liquid fuel in most long haul transport, aviation, or agricultural and industrial prime movers. Yet, if we are to combat climate change, we must address this issue.[read more]

In a year which saw extreme weather rise up the political agenda and the consequences of a changing climate starting to sink into our collective psyche, action to actually address the issue of rising levels of CO2 in the atmosphere remained limited. The principal policy instrument to trigger action, a price on CO2 emissions, did gain political traction and coverage, but its impact remained mute. That in turn led to a real setback for CCS.[read more]

In an excellent presentation at COP 18, Myles Allan made that point that while the UNFCCC and others argue endlessly about the flow rate of CO2 into the atmosphere (i.e. the emissions at some point in time), that fossil carbon continues to add to the carbon stock in the biosphere and that this stock is linked directly with global temperature, ocean acidity and so on. At the current rate of accumulation, the 2 deg.C stock equivalent is passed in about 2043.[read more]

Factory Emissions via Shutterstock

George Peridas, Scientist, Climate Center – San FranciscoA group of NGOs spanning different continents has just released a new report on Carbon Capture & Storage (CCS). (see press release here) The groups include Clean Air Task Force, the Climate Institute, E3G, NRDC, Pembina, WRI and ZERO. The report was presented at the UNFCCC...[read more]

Legislation via Shutterstock

Two out of three respondents in a new University of Texas poll said energy issues are important to them. But the harsh rhetoric of campaign season makes it seem like politicians can never agree on important policies needed to provide safe, reliable and affordable energy while also protecting the environment.Well they can, and they did....[read more]

Last month I participated in a webcast on The Energy Collective on the topic of carbon capture and the mounting climate crisis. While the discussion covered many approaches and some new ideas that are in the process of being tested, it did not give us time to go into details. Details I would like to explore here.The topic of the day –...[read more]

Climate Change via Shutterstock

As Congress heads home this week to campaign for re-election, we thought we’d round up a list of all the bills, resolutions, and amendments so far this Congress that focus on climate change.  (For brevity, all legislative proposals are referred to here as “bills.”)  This is not a comprehensive list of the more than 1,000 bills...[read more]

While cleaner forms of energy continue to make strides, global greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise, with alarming changes in our climate such as a new, early low for Arctic sea ice this summer likely related. The fossil fuels that produce many of those emissions are likely to remain a major part of our energy mix for some time. Is it time to place more emphasis on solutions that directly address the CO2 they produce?[read more]

Last week Shell Canada, as operator of the Athabasca Oil Sands Project joint venture (with Chevron and Marathon), announced plans to proceed with a carbon capture and storage project (Quest) within the current oils sands project. This is a project that has been under discussion in one form or another since almost day one of production from the facilities, but the lack of a workable economic justification for the project has been the major impediment to progress.[read more]

Researchers affiliated with the University of Minnesota, the University of California (UC), Berkeley, and the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have developed a breakthrough computer model that can identify the best molecules for capturing carbon from power plant stacks. The model greatly accelerates...[read more]