Sustainable Energy Options: Maintaining access to abundant fossil fuels Klaus S. Lackner Columbia University November 2007

Norway USA France UK Brazil Russia India China $0.38/kWh (primary) Energy, Wealth, Economic Growth EIA Data 2002

IPCC Model Simulations of CO 2 Emissions

Constant per capita growth Plus Population Growth Closing the Gap 1% energy intensity reduction 1.5% energy intensity reduction 2.0% energy intensity reduction

Carbon as a Low-Cost Source of Energy H.H. Rogner, 1997 Lifting Cost Cumulative Gt of Carbon Consumed US1990$ per barrel of oil equivalent Cumulative Carbon Consumption as of1997

Refining Carbon Diesel Coal Shale Fossil fuels are fungible Tar Oil Natural Gas Jet Fuel Heat Electricity Ethanol Methanol DME Hydrogen Synthesis Gas

The Challenge: Holding the Stock of CO 2 constant Constant emissions at 2010 rate 33% of 2010 rate 10% of 2010 rate 0% of 2010 rate Extension of Historic Growth Rates 560 ppm 280 ppm

Comparison With Keeling’s Data

The Challenge: Holding the Stock of CO 2 constant Constant emissions at 2010 rate 33% of 2010 rate 10% of 2010 rate 0% of 2010 rate Extension of Historic Growth Rates 560 ppm 280 ppm

The Mismatch in Carbon Sources and Sinks 44 33 11 22 55 Fossil Carbon Consumption to date 180ppm increase in the air 30% of the Ocean acidified 30% increase in Soil Carbon 50% increase in biomass

A Triad of Large Scale Options Solar –Cost reduction and mass-manufacture Nuclear –Cost, waste, safety and security Fossil Energy –Zero emission, carbon storage and interconvertibility Markets will drive efficiency, conservation and alternative energy

Small Energy Resources Hydro-electricity –Cheap but limited Biomass –Sun and land limited, severe competition with food Wind –Stopping the air over Colorado every day? Geothermal –Geographically limited Tides, Waves & Ocean Currents –Less than human energy generation

Net Zero Carbon Economy CO 2 from distributed emissions Permanent & safe disposal CO 2 from concentrated sources Capture from power plants, cement, steel, refineries, etc. Geological Storage Mineral carbonate disposal Capture from air

Dividing The Fossil Carbon Pie 900 Gt C total 550 ppm Past 10yr

Removing the Carbon Constraint 5000 Gt C total Past

Net Zero Carbon Economy CO 2 from distributed emissions Permanent & safe disposal CO 2 from concentrated sources Capture from power plants, cement, steel, refineries, etc. Geological Storage Mineral carbonate disposal Capture from air

Storage Life Time 5000 Gt of C 200 years at 4 times current rates of emission Storage Slow Leak (0.04%/yr) 2 Gt/yr for 2500 years Current Emissions: 7Gt/year

Underground Injection statoil

Gravitational Trapping Subocean Floor Disposal

Energy States of Carbon Carbon Carbon Dioxide Carbonate 400 kJ/mole kJ/mole The ground state of carbon is a mineral carbonate

Rockville Quarry Mg 3 Si 2 O 5 (OH) 4 + 3CO 2 (g)  3MgCO 3 + 2SiO 2 +2H 2 O(l) +63kJ/mol CO 2

Bedrock geology GIS datasets – All U.S.(Surface area) 8733 km km km 2 Total = 9820 ±100 km 2

Belvidere Mountain, Vermont Serpentine Tailings

Oman Peridotite

Net Zero Carbon Economy CO 2 from distributed emissions Permanent & safe disposal CO 2 from concentrated sources Capture from power plants, cement, steel, refineries, etc. Geological Storage Mineral carbonate disposal Capture from air

Many Different Options Flue gas scrubbing –MEA, chilled ammonia Oxyfuel Combustion –Naturally zero emission Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle –Difficult as zero emission AZEP Cycles –Mixed Oxide Membranes Fuel Cell Cycles –Solid Oxide Membranes

CO 2 N 2 H 2 O SO x, NO x and other Pollutants Carbon Air Zero Emission Principle Solid Waste Power Plant

Steam Reforming

Boudouard Reaction

C + O 2  CO 2 no change in mole volume entropy stays constant  G =  H 2H 2 + O 2  2H 2 O large reduction in mole volume entropy decreases in reactants made up by heat transfer to surroundings  G <  H Carbon makes a better fuel cell

P CO2 CO 2 O 2- CO 3 2- O 2- CO 2 Phase I: Solid Oxide Phase II: Molten Carbonate Multi-Phase Equilibrium Proposed Membrane CO 2 CO 2 + O 2- = CO 3 2-

CO 2 extraction from air Permanent & safe disposal CO 2 from concentrated sources Net Zero Carbon Economy

CO 2 1 m 3 of Air 40 moles of gas, 1.16 kg wind speed 6 m/s moles of CO 2 produced by 10,000 J of gasoline Volumes are drawn to scale CO 2 Capture from Air

Wind area that carries 22 tons of CO 2 per year Wind area that carries 10 kW 0.2 m 2 for CO 2 80 m 2 for Wind Energy How much wind? (6m/sec) 50 cents/ton of CO 2 for contacting

Air Flow Ca(OH) 2 solution CO 2 diffusion CO 2 mass transfer is limited by diffusion in air boundary layer Ca(OH) 2 as an absorbent CaCO 3 precipitate

Sorbent Choices 350K 300K AirPower plant

60m by 50m 3kg of CO 2 per second 90,000 tons per year 4,000 people or 15,000 cars Would feed EOR for 800 barrels a day. 250,000 units for worldwide CO 2 emissions

The first of a kind

Energy Source Energy Consumer H2OH2O H2OH2O O2O2 O2O2 H2H2 CO 2 H2H2 CH 2 Materially Closed Energy Cycles

C H O Fuels Oxidizer Combustion products Biomass CO Fischer Tropsch Synthesis Gas Methanol Ethanol Natural Gas Town Gas Petroleum Coal Gasoline BenzeneCarbonHydrogen CO 2 H2OH2O Oxygen Increasing Hydrogen Content Increasing Oxidation State Methane Free O 2 Free C- H

C H O Fuels Oxidizer Combustion products Biomass CO Fischer Tropsch Synthesis Gas Methanol Ethanol Natural Gas Town Gas Petroleum Coal Gasoline BenzeneCarbonHydrogen CO 2 H2OH2O Oxygen Increasing Hydrogen Content Increasing Oxidation State Methane Free O 2 Free C- H

C H O Fuels Oxidizer Combustion products Biomass CO Fischer Tropsch Synthesis Gas Methanol Ethanol Natural Gas Town Gas Petroleum Coal Gasoline BenzeneCarbonHydrogen CO 2 H2OH2O Oxygen Increasing Hydrogen Content Increasing Oxidation State Methane Free O 2 Free C- H

Private Sector Carbon Extraction Carbon Sequestration Farming, Manufacturing, Service, etc. Certified Carbon Accounting certificates certification Public Institutions and Government Carbon Board guidance Permits & Credits