Old but New…New but OldModified Conventional Energy Technologies

And“Bridging” Technologies

Modified Technologies• Carbon Capture and

Sequestration– Burn coal – Capture all CO 2

emissions– Sequester CO2

emissions by pumping into• The ground• Caves• Oil wells • The Deep Ocean

Other Methods of Carbon Storage

• Bio-storage– Grow stuff and

bury it

• Mineral storage– Make

Limestone

CCS: Does it really work?

• “Pilot Plants” in operation

• Questions about “submerged” lifetime

• No long term data• Requires extra energy

(25%-40%)• Acidify the oceans?• Takes too long to grow

stuff• Takes too long to make

limestone and too much energy, even though its exothermic

• Cost?• Stay tuned!!

Nukes: Good, Bad, or Bridging?• Works really well• Proven Technology• Reliable• Continuous; day or

night, rain or shine• Excellent Base load

power source• Zero GHG• Huge resource

Nukes: Good, Bad, or Bridging?• Nuclear Proliferation• Terrorism• Accidents– TMI– Chernobyl

• Long Term Storage of High Level Waste

• Expense?• Mining and other

environmental impacts?

Nukes and Energy Independence

Hydro-Electric• Zero GHG• “Renewable”• Excellent base load

power• Proven Technology• Minimal Accident

Risk• Flood control• Relatively

inexpensive operating costs (compared to what?)

Hydro-electric• Lots of land– Displaced people– Displaced species

• Large environmental impact

• Limited number of suitable locations

• Limited resource• Large initial

investment (compared to what?)