A glimmer of hope

[MKG]

Keeping my fingers crossed.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-18396655

Mike

[Green Aura]

Erm, what do they do with it when it's saturated?

[MKG]

I only said a glimmer

Trust you to be practical!

Mike

[gregorach]

And how much energy (and hence CO2 emissions) does it take to manufacture?

[MKG]

I haven't the foggiest. However, I suspect that the tiny ripples of excitement running through the scientific world may indicate that they're onto something. Shall we wait and see?

Mike

[gregorach]

I'm perfectly happy to add it to the list...

[MKG]

Yeah - I have a long list too, Dunc. But nothing too wrong with a smattering of optimism.

Mike

[The Riff-Raff Element]

Hmm. Yup. Not a great deal of detail from which we can draw any conclusions. Which metal? How much does it cost? Is it in its own right toxic or harmful?

A natty bit of science, perhaps, but it doesn't get us past the problem of exhaustable energy supplies. It could, instead, encourage us to use them even less wisely and to adopt ever more polluting methods of extraction.

Gosh, I am a little ray of sunshine this afternoon

[oldjerry]

Look,I THINK I understand what all you bloody scientists are on about(carbon capture?),but explain please for the odd philosophising pig farmer ....please.

[The Riff-Raff Element]

Look,I THINK I understand what all you bloody scientists are on about(carbon capture?),but explain please for the odd philosophising pig farmer ....please.

The idea is that gases coming from burning oil, gas or coal could be passed through a filter containing some substance that grabs hold of the CO2 and prevents it from escaping into the atmosphere so curbing the greenhouse effect. It's what's already done with sulphur dioxide coming from power stations that used to cause acid rain, except that the sulphur dioxide is easier because there's much less of it and the stuff you end up with is quite harmless.

[oldjerry]

Thanks Jon, Stupidly I thought that's what Catalysers did on cars.

And then you store it? Is it any use.?

Told you I knew nothing.

[The Riff-Raff Element]

Thanks Jon, Stupidly I thought that's what Catalysers did on cars.

And then you store it? Is it any use.?

Told you I knew nothing.

The catalyseres on cars clean up any unburnt fuel, carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides, which is to be desired, but unfortuantely doesn't touch the devil CO2.

I guess that if this carbon capture technology is developed then they will be looking to landfill the stuff, possibly by converting it to lime first, but I haven't been able to find any real info online that I'm not expected to pay £30 for. I'm interested, but not that much.

I should probably be more impressed, but tree-hugger that I am, I can't help feeling that investing in research into true alternatives might be a better use of money & resources.

[oldjerry]

[quote="The Riff-Raff Elemen



I should probably be more impressed, but tree-hugger that I am, I can't help feeling that investing in research into true alternatives might be a better use of money & resources.[/quote]


Agreed,and of course we could try using a bit less energy.....I don't know any facts and figures,so purely anecdotal,but the 20 or so HA houses they've built in Tenbury in the last year,although they sport solar panels on each roof,nevertheless dont seem to be any like as well insulated as some I've seen in Northern Europe.

[MKG]

I suppose that it depends upon how interested the world is in actually doing something about the problems. I have days when I'm optimistic and days when I'm convinced that the will simply isn't there - a sort of CO2-driven bipolar disorder, if you like. Yesterday I was of the opinion that anything is better than nothing. Today, I see Jon's point. Tomorrow - who knows?

Mike