Overview
Carbon dioxide is heating up our planet. Unchecked, this CO2 buildup will have a significant impact on California. Our imperatives are clear: Generate less, and eliminate more. Capturing carbon and storing it where it’s benign, away from our atmosphere, is no small feat — but an intensive California research effort is under way to advance the effort and find suitable sites for storage.
Power plants and refineries are the main stationary sources of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere. As CO2 accumulates, it traps heat and brings on the disturbing effects of global warming. Researchers are pursuing ways to capture the gas and “sequester” it close by where it can do no harm. Matching the source of the CO2 to a suitable nearby storage “sink” is a critical part of the challenge.
At the heart of this quest is WESTCARB, one of seven partnerships created by the U.S. Department of Energy. Managed by CIEE under contract with the California Energy Commission, (who is the contractor to DOE) the effort has engaged more than 20 research collaborators investigating the potential for carbon sequestration in the western U.S. CIEE matches the right people with the right work, and keeps the array of interconnected projects on point, on time, and on budget.
Current work is guiding better forest management, to maximize the effect of CO2-absorbing trees and control CO2-releasing forest fires. It’s characterizing storage sites, gauging the potential for storing CO2 securely in underground geologic formations. And, with sequestration technology ready to deploy, it’s working with industry collaborators to implement storage. WESTCARB is also working toward better methods of capturing CO2 from California power plants for sequestration.
Just as demanding as the technological issues of carbon sequestration are the complex regulatory, legal, and community considerations that challenge its implementation. CIEE recently managed a blue-ribbon panel to address and review California carbon sequestration policy and help guide legislation and regulations pertaining to it.
Read more
West Coast Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership (WESTCARB)
California Carbon Capture and Storage Review Panel
