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Martin Laplante

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Thu, 15 Nov 2007

Is Carbon Sequestration Completely Useless?

2 comments

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Stephen Beers wrote

you miss a good point
you state that clean energy alternatives are cheaper than carbon capture & sequestration, in order to argue against CCS. Yet, by that reasoning, wouldn't a regulatory requirement for CCS spur use of alternatives by making them relatively cheaper than fossil fuels? It has the same effect as a carbon tax. To me, it's not either/or between "clean" fossil fuels and renewables/efficiency. I think it is imperative to raise the political demand that every new fossil energy project prevent carbon emissions--not just for the direct benefits of preventing noxious emissions, but also for the indirect benefit of enhancing the price competitiveness of alternative energy.

M Laplante wrote

That's what I meant by the first paragraph. By requiring a carbon intensity calculated on a life cycle basis, like California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) or the new US federal purchasing and procurement requirements, it reduces the market for higher-carbon fuels. Some will say it will make it more expensive; I am convinced that CCS for most combustion uses can not be done at any price. Unfortunately, unless the regulations apply to all customers, it makes the fuel cheaper, not more expensive. Those who are regulated will pay more for clean fuels, so the price of dirty fuels will likely drop. A carbon tax is better. To me, CCS for energy is just a PR delaying tactic. Just give us more time and we promise new technology will clean up our act. I do think it's either/or. As a consumer we have a choice - we can invest in technology to use less energy and get savings year after year, or we can get hooked on CCS which requires that we use more energy year after year for capture, storage, and sequestration, literally committing to pouring more money into a hole in the ground every year.

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