Greenwash of the Week: The Dirty Truth About Clean Coal

Bria and Robin discuss the coal industry's greenwashing

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• ran
• environment
• greenwash
• coal
• ccs
• globalwarming

[djangobelgo]

"We only have 2 to 3 years to act. This is our defining moment".

Well, if that's really your case, then you understand that we will *never* get there with solar and wind and nuclear. Never.

The only way to get there is by using technologies that actively remove CO2 from the atmosphere. That is: biomass+CCS, biochar, reforestation and avoided deforestation.

[RANVideo]

Political will is what has to shift immediately, and that's far trickier than the technological side. Biomass isn't too bad, provided it really is waste that doesn't divert agricultural production. The sheer scale of sequestration is still a problem, and so is resulting environmental damage. If developing CCS requires making a deal with the devil / coal industry to allow new conventional plants, it's nowhere near worth it. And that's the deal that's on the table.

[djangobelgo]

PART 1. Basically everything these two young non-experts say is wrong.

-CCS is not about coal, it's about capturing carbon dioxide

-CCS coupled to biogenic CO2 results in carbon-negative energy

-leaking geosequestered biogenic CO2 does not contribute to climate change because it's biogenic

-CCS is proved on a very large scale in many existing projects, in Norway, in Algeria, in France, and elsewhere

-wind, solar and other renewables are not competitive because they don't do baseloads.

[djangobelgo]

PART 2.

-wind and solar are carbon-positive, contributing to between 30 to 50 grams of CO2/Kwh (wind) to 150 grams of CO2/Kwh (solar photovoltaic)

-carbon-negative energy with biogenic CO2 yields a Kwh of electricity with *minus* 1000 grams of CO2. Yes, that is right: minus.

-the two young people in this video thus contradict themselves: investing in solar and wind is inefficient, because they can never withdraw CO2 from the atmosphere (they are carbon-neutral technologies).

[RANVideo]

Biogenic CO2 from via biofuels, huh? Biofuel production is far from carbon negative; in fact it's worse than fossil fuels when deforestation is accounted for. Also just the current uptick in biofuels production has contributed greatly to the current global food crisis. Proposing biogenic carbon -> CCS is worse than not being a solution, it's actually harmful.

[RANVideo]

Dynamic load balancing for renewables is quite promising and has actually been tested at scale in Germany. In contrast, no 100% capture fossil fuel plant exists anywhere, period. You should do your homework before attempting to correct others. Futhermore, note that it's quite hard to run an economy if you're experience resource shortages due to climate change, too.

[Everett345]

this is so biased lmfao

[Seamalicous]

@BigBokeh The point wasn't that we shut down all CO2 emissions in the next two years, just that we begin to take action by 2011-2012 which we hopefully are.

[Seamalicous]

@hankhebert 6 100x100 grids of current solar panels would provide the power needs for the earth for the next hundred years, accounting for increasing usage. The industrial revolution was on a much smaller scale in terms of emissions than current activity, anyone with half a brain could see that. We also have far more deforestation than during the industrial revolution, which (among other things) has created soil degradation which has limited the natural ability of the earth to store carbon.

[hankhebert]

lol we will all die unless we stop emitting CO2!! What is it that plants breathe again? Ask yourself why the earth wasn't destroyed during the industrial revolution a long time ago. There is no doubt that humans have some impact on climate but you people are brainwashed crazies who don't look at both sides of a situation. Look at history and learn how the earth's CLIMATE IS ALWAYS CHANGING! Coal isn't clean now but technology could one day change that. Wind/Solar will not save us alone

[wvrescue]

you two are idiots, try fiming your little video in the dark by candlelight next time, and please wash your hair, you look like you havnt had a bath in weeks

[BigBokeh]

I think if she showed her tits and shut her mouth the greenwash would be far more compelling - and stoned boy - read man - if we have two years to act we are all dead - no one - not even if the ENTIRE GLOBE shut down all CO2 emissions - it represents less than 2%. Are you that ignorant - what is your alternative until we can get to zero emissions - you have none - you believe the UN - LEMMINGS - THINK - WHAT IS YOUR SOLUTION?

[estrangeddimensions]

Your faces really are not cut out for a camera. Geez, back up the camera! You made the statement to invest in technology that we all know works. To make it short, solar and wind have their own set of problems. Solar power can be very unstable if you used on a large grid and not every american has the money for purchase and installation of a system that can completely power their home. Windmills are not that great either. I wish had more room to write. I think that you have been brainwashed also

[Underfaith]

@angelenasexton11

wow think of it this way, whatever resourses us "podunk clean freaks" use is to help spread knowledge and information for environmental, animal, and human aid. I, and most others like me, do just that, I use heat in the winter obviously because I have no choice but unlike you I campain and lobby our government to get off coal and use solar, wind, and wave energy for electicity.

[Underfaith]

@SterlingPlanet

You would seriously attack someone based on thier choice of style and/or clothing? how petty are you? they are spreading knowledge that would generally be hidden from you by company's who just care for your money and not you, your children, or the environments well being. Have some respect..they are making a difference, a positive one, I applaud them and you attack them? shame!

[purplepeopleeater77]

"Just because you want something to be, doesnt mean in will be" .

This person obviously has no idea, the rate at which, ... irreversible destruction is being done to our planet, and its habitat. We, in the present, are what you consider to be fortunate,...by that I mean, we will not suffer the consequences of our 40-70 year existance.

What is it you exactly mean by,"just because you want something to be,doesnt mean it can".

Please,do elaborate,,,I believe it would be amusing.