Fossil power without carbon dioxide: realistic or not?
by Bjorn Dahlroth
International Journal of Global Energy Issues (IJGEI), Vol. 6, No. 6, 1994

Abstract: This paper is not a scientific report, but is meant to be a reasonably light read about carbon dioxide, and the possibility of separating it from the exhaust of a power plant. It is sometimes said that the separation of carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the exhaust of a power plant is not feasible. It is in fact technically possible, but it will cost money and efficiency. The real problem with CO₂ is where to store it. At present, carbon is the most important energy resource in the world: carbon in oil and carbon in coal. Carbon is also the most important carrier of energy in biomass. If an increasing CO₂ concentration in the air causes a climatic change, and if this is considered so damaging that something has to be done about it, then one should try to cut down on CO₂ production from all sources wherever it is cheapest, and possibly also try to separate CO₂ and bind it wherever it is cheapest. It is often said that only half of the CO₂ that is released from the burning of fossil fuel is actually added to the atmosphere. Most of the missing half can then only 'disappear', dissolved in seawater and biologically bound in organic sediments, growing vegetation and topsoils. Our chance of controlling the greenhouse effect could lie as much in a good understanding of these processes as in cutting down on the production of CO₂. All ways must be tried.

Online publication date: Wed, 16-Jul-2014

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