The solution to reduce global warming?

[Mad-Scientist]

Per Rainforests.com; "The largest (man-made) contributor to the greenhouse effect is carbon dioxide gas emissions, about 77 percent of which comes from the combustion of fossil fuels."

 

 

Much of the greenhouse gases released through the combustion of fossil fuels is in the production of electricity at power plants. Carbon Capure and Storage (CCS) is a known method to capturing CO₂. Through the implementation of CCS, approximately 90% of CO₂ emissions from coal power stations can be reduced and the cost of electricity increased by no more than 20%.

http://www.canadiancleanpowercoalition.com/pdf/CAS3%20-%20Ammoniakk%2520CO2%2520capture%2520NETL%2520febr.%25202005.pdf

 

The initial cost are high and this could be seen as not cost-effective, but what if the stored CO₂ is used to produce fuels or recycled into useful commodities/substances?

 

1.) Naturally reacting carbon dioxide with nickel particles in water creates calcium carbonate (chalk). This is used to make cement and plaster casts. On the 7 Feb 2013, Scientists at Newcastle University, discovered the natural process in sea animals.

http://mg.co.za/article/2013-02-07-sea-urchins-could-save-the-world/

 

2.) Enabling Technology uses excess carbon dioxide to produce acrylate. Researchers at Brown and Yale, March 21, 2013, have demonstrated a new technology that could use excess carbon dioxide to produce acrylate, a valuable commodity chemical involved in the manufacture of everything from polyester cloth to disposable diapers. Still in progress of completion.

http://news.brown.edu/pressreleases/2013/03/acrylate

 

3) The use of microorganism to produce fuels from CO_2. Mar. 26, 2013, researchers at the University of Georgia have created a microorganism that uses the process of photosynthesis to produce fuels.

Aug. 21, 2012, Research scientists at MIT genetically modified a bacteria so that instead of storing food as a polymer, it produces isobutanol. Isobutanol can be used as a substitute for gasoline.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/03/130326112301.htm

http://www.geek.com/news/mit-is-bioengineering-bacteria-to-turn-co2-into-fuel-1510493/

 

In conclusion, the CCS system can be linked with methods to make it a possible feature of all power plants to reduce CO₂ emissions and create an alternative source of creating clean energy or valuable resources.