With the general reader in mind, Clean Energy, Climate and Carbon outlines the global challenge of decreasing greenhouse gas
emissions. It covers the changing concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide through time and its causes, before considering
the promise and the limitations of a wide range of energy technologies for decreasing carbon dioxide emissions. Despite the
need to decrease carbon dioxide, the global use of fossil fuels is increasing and is likely to continue to do so for some
decades to come. With this in mind, the book looks at the range of clean energy technologies and considers in detail, what
for many people is the unfamiliar clean energy technology of carbon capture and storage (CCS). How can we capture carbon dioxide
from flue gases? How do we transport it? How do we store it in suitable rocks? What are suitable rocks and where do we find
them? How do we know the carbon dioxide will remain trapped once it is injected underground? What does CCS cost and how do
those costs compare with other technology options? The book also explores the political environment in which the discussion
on clean energy technology options is occurring.
What will a price on carbon do for technology uptake and what are the
prospects of cutting our emissions by 2020 and of making even deeper cuts by 2050? What will the technology mix look like
by that time? For people who are concerned about climate change, or who want to learn more about clean energy technologies,
including CCS, this is the definitive view of the opportunities and the challenges we face in decreasing emissions despite
a seemingly inexorable global increase in energy demand.