Statistics
Carbon Capture and Efficiency
While – at some level – purchasing power derived from fossil fuels may still make fiscal sense to cities, legislation is quickly moving California towards a low carbon economy, which will likely mandate carbon capture on coal power plants that produce energy for the state. Carbon capturing systems are typically discussed as part of any climate change mitigation solution, however carbon capture will be much less efficient than preventing carbon emissions in the first place.
Loss of Overall Plant Efficiency as a
Consequence of Carbon Capture
Source: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
Water Use: In addition to the loss of efficiency, carbon capture is a very water-intensive process. The Energy Department recently said that power plants' consumption of water will nearly double by 2030 if coal-burning generators must install carbon-capture technology to combat global warming.
Source: Carbon capture would double coal plants' water consumption
(Greenwire, 12/07/2007)
Using less carbon intensive solutions such as natural gas, solar, wind, geothermal and small hydropower makes sense for maximum efficiency in a new low carbon economy.