Carbon capture and storage (sequestration) is a potentially large scale method of reducing carbon emissions into the atmosphere. The technology is designed to take the large amounts of carbon dioxide produced by fossil fuel power plants and store it rather than release it. As fossil fuel power stations are massive contributors to the UK’s, and other countries’, carbon emissions, carbon capture and storage would make a big difference.
Carbon capture and storage involves separating the carbon dioxide from other gases and then storing it in natural storage facilities. The technology to do this is already available and storage is already carried out particularly in the geological formations of oil and gas fields. At the moment the main purpose of this is usually to enhance output of the fossil fuels, but it is proposed by many power companies to take this to a grander scale.
There are a few options for carbon capture and storage. The CO2 could be stored in seabed geological formations, in porous rocks underground, in deep ocean masses or in mineral carbonates. The science is not at a stage, however, to understand all potential problems associated with carbon storage. In particular, there could be unknown geological issues caused by storage in porous rocks, deposits in the deep ocean may increase acidity thus harming sea life, and using CO2 to make products such as limestone (mineral carbonates) is energy intensive.
There are many different viewpoints on carbon capture and storage. On the one hand this could provide an opportunity to significantly reduce our CO2 emissions in what is believed to be a safe manner (although concerns over leakage exist). On the other hand, many environmental groups believe that investment should be made into emission-free renewable forms of energy rather than ‘hiding’ the problems caused by fossil fuels.
More information on carbon capture and storage can be found at the Carbon Capture & Storage Association website and the IEA Greenhouse Gas R&D Programme website.
