Fake 'trees' designed to trap CO2
One tower uses resin to trap carbon dioxide; energy industry seen as buyer
By Eric Bland
Discovery Channel
updated 1:37 p.m. PT, Thurs., April 16, 2009
A new kind of tree could cool the planet by
removing a major greenhouse gas from the planet's
atmosphere.
What researchers are calling artificial trees,
actually towers filled with various materials
that adsorb carbon dioxide from the air, could
play a major role in reducing climate change --
if they prove profitable.
"This is an industry still in its infancy," said
Billy Gridley of Global Research Technologies,
LLC, the company creating the C02-scrubbing
towers. "This will eventually rival the size of
today's energy markets."
GRT's artificial tree is based on an
environmentally friendly resin, originally
developed by Klaus Lackner, a professor at
Columbia University in New York. The alkaline
resin reacts with acidic carbon dioxide, holding
it in place. After one hour exposed to the air,
the resin is completely saturated with CO2.
Dry resin soaks up the CO2. Adding water releases
the CO2, which is then captured and stored.
Drying the resin again restores its abilities, a
cycle that can be repeated indefinitely.
Over 24 hours Gridley estimates an artificial
tree, containing about 32,800 feet of resin, will
harvest about one ton of CO2 each day.
When the first artificial tree is ready, two to
three years from now, it will cost about $150 for
each ton, Gridley estimates. When the technology
is fully mature, the price will be as low as $20.
GRT plans to sell the purified CO2 to a range of
buyers. Oil and natural gas companies are
probably the biggest customers for the artificial
trees. Petroleum companies pump CO2 underground
to raise the pressure and force oil to the
surface. Greenhouses could pump in extra C02 to
help plants grow. Fizzy soda drinks and sanding
auto parts also require concentrated CO2.
All of these customers currently get CO2 by truck
or by pipeline, most of which originates in
Texas. The advantage of the artificial trees is
that they can be placed next to whatever factory
needs CO2 without having to ship it in.
Another use for the artificial trees would be in
the cap-and-trade carbon credit system. The idea
is that companies that produce CO2 would pay
another company, like GRT, to get rid of it. The
most likely place to put the C02 is in the
salt-lined caverns that once held oil, a process
known as carbon sequestration.
Wherever the CO2 is placed, at least it is out of
the atmosphere, said David Keith, a professor at
the University of Calgary in Canada, who
developed his own artificial, C02-catching towers
years ago and is working to refine his models.
Keith, GRT, and other organizations aren't trying
to profit from climate change; they are looking
to prevent or at least slow it.
"Nobody doubts that this is doable," said Keith.
"It's a matter of doing it at cost, and right now
it's still unclear how that can be done."
© 2009 Discovery Channel
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
"geoengineering" group.
To post to this group, send email to [email protected]
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to
[email protected]
For more options, visit this group at
http://groups.google.com/group/geoengineering?hl=en
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
