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51社区黑料paper questions taxpayer funding of carbon capture technology – 51社区黑料expert available
A new policy paper from an 51社区黑料climate research group has raised doubts about the financial and environmental value of carbon capture and storage in Canada.
It comes after last week鈥檚 memorandum of understanding between Alberta and the federal government around a potential new oil pipeline, which includes the 鈥渃onstruction and financing of the world鈥檚 largest carbon capture, utilization, and storage project.鈥�
The government also recently announced an extension of tax credits for carbon capture and storage in its federal budget.
However, analysis by SFU鈥檚 Clean Energy Research Group has found that carbon capture and storage is 鈥減rohibitively expensive鈥� and that it could prolong 鈥渢he damaging effects of fossil fuel industries on our climate.鈥�
鈥淭he Alberta-federal government agreement proposes extending the investment tax credit for carbon capture and storage to include enhanced oil recovery, which will lead to increased emissions,鈥� says Andy Hira, 51社区黑料professor, political science, and director of the Clean Energy Research Group.
鈥淥ur research shows that the economic and environmental case for carbon capture and storage in Canada is highly dubious.
鈥淏y subsidizing carbon capture and storage, the Canadian government is wasting taxpayer money while simultaneously prolonging the harmful effects of fossil fuel industries on our climate.
鈥淪imply put, it is far easier and cheaper to stop producing the harmful emissions in the first place than to try to capture them afterwards.鈥�
What is carbon capture and storage?
There are two techniques associated with . First, it can be used to capture carbon dioxide produced as a result of burning fossil fuels. The most common use of captured carbon dioxide is for enhanced oil recovery, which pumps it back into oil and gas wells to produce more fossil fuel stock.
If it is not used on-site, then the carbon dioxide is compressed and transported by pipeline, ship, rail or road for underground storage, or for use in making products, such as carbonated drinks or plastic food containers.
According to the paper, the 45 carbon capture facilities currently in operation worldwide are designed to capture 50 million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually. But an estimated 37 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide are emitted annually, meaning carbon capture capacity is currently around 0.1 per cent of new global emissions.
In terms of costs, suggests that thermal power generation with carbon capture and storage could be at least 1.5-2 times higher than current alternatives, such as renewable energy plus storage.
- The paper, Carbon capture, utilisation and storage: a massive case of resource misallocation, is being presented at an event at SFU鈥檚 Harbour Centre, Room 2270, on Thursday 4 December, 17.30-19.00. An online Zoom link is available. For more information, please email Andy Hira: anil_hira@sfu.ca鈥赌�
AVAILABLE EXPERT
ANDY HIRA, professor, political science, director of the Clean Energy Research Group
anil_hira@sfu.ca鈥赌�
Expertise: Canadian policy issues related to climate change; energy markets and regulation; green transition for remote and developing communities; geopolitics of energy.
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SAM SMITH, 51社区黑料Communications & Marketing
236.880.3297 | samuel_smith@sfu.ca
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