As electricity demand increases scientists continue to look for ways to reduce the amount of carbon emitted into the atmosphere. Carbon sequestration technologies show promise because they create opportunities to lower the impact of older, dirtier sources of electricity.

The Technology

According to the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy, “Carbon sequestration refers to the provision of long-term storage of carbon in the terrestrial biosphere, underground, or the oceans so that the buildup of carbon dioxide (the principal greenhouse gas) concentration in the atmosphere will reduce or slow.” In layman’s terms, you pump carbon into the earth instead of releasing it into the atmosphere.

The Possibilities

Carbon sequestration technologies will allow for the capture and disposal of carbon from fossil fuel plants without the release of harmful gases into the atmosphere. Developing nations and those with high demands for energy prefer fossil fuels for power generation because they provide a plentiful source of power at a low cost. The possibility of sequestration of carbon means that it will be possible to generate significant amounts of low-impact energy from plentiful sources of energy like coal.

The Challenges

The technology is as yet an unproven one. A large amount of financial resources are required to continue to study and perfect carbon sequestration as an option for cleaning dirty power sources. In addition, this technology requires that power plants be built from the ground up to support it. Therefore it seems that it won’t be possible to retrofit existing coal-fueled generators.

The Outlook

The United States is sponsoring a ten year pilot project with the goal of developing a zero emissions, coal-fueled power plant. Initiated in 2003, the FutureGen timeline calls for initial operations of this zero emissions plant beginning in 2013. While it seems that significant progress on carbon sequestration is a ways off, six years can pass sooner than we think. And while this technology is not ready for prime time now, it may prove to be a crucial clean energy source in a world where energy efficiency and renewables won’t be enough to meet rising worldwide energy demand.

Research Links

Wikipedia
FutureGen
U.S. Department of Energy
Carbon Sequestration Research Poster