Enlarge image From left, Herbert Wheary, Dominion Resources; Juerg M. Matter, Columbia University; Moderator Dale Medearis, Northern Virginia Regional Commission; Frank R. Schilling, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT); Wolfgang Rolland, Vattenfall Europe Carbon Storage GmbH & Co.KG (© American Geophysical Union) The German Embassy hosted a conference entitled “Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) – Viable technology or risky gamble?” on September 9. The evening conference was part of the European Embassy Science series taking place at various European embassies in Washington, D.C.

Organized in cooperation with the American Geophysical Union (AGU) and the German GEOTECHNOLOGIEN Coordination Office, the event brought together American and German scientists and industry representatives to discuss the viability of carbon capture and storage (CCS) on both sides of the Atlantic.

As a world leader in the area of climate policyand new environmental technologies, Germany has made international commitments to considerably reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. The greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2) plays a central role in these efforts. One of Germany’s approaches – besides preventing CO2 emissions – is thoroughly investigating carbon capture and underground storage.

Enlarge image The carbon capture and storage conference was well attended. (© American Geophysical Union) The importance of CCS technology is recognized in the United States. The respective President’s task force report, published in August 2010, encourages CCS technologies.

CCS is a way of reducing the amount of fossil fuel emissions that enter the atmosphere by capturing CO2 from fossil fuel power plants or other sources and storing it underground, either in deep geological formations or in deep ocean masses.

Applied to a modern conventional power plant, CCS could reduce CO2 emissions to the atmosphere by approximately 80-90 percent compared to a plant without CCS. However, capturing and compressing CO2 requires a lot of energy and would substantially increase the fuel needs of a coal-fired plant, as well as increasing the cost of energy from the plant.

While all the conference speakers agreed that the separation, capture and storage of CO2 is technically feasible, they clearly identified a couple of uncertainties that must be addressed.  For example, before large scale implementation, issues such as testing the technology, securely disposing of captured CO2, as well as legislation to regulate commercial-scale CCS deployment need to be addressed. Also the  acceptance by the general public is of importance.

Because Germany and the U.S. still depend on coal for approximately 50 percent of their electricity generation, both governments are pursuing CCS technologies as one option in  their energy strategy.

Enlarge image American Geophysical Union Executive Director Christine McEntee (© American Geophysical Union) Christine McEntee, Executive Director at the AGU, said her organization supports international scientific cooperation in the field of CCS “as a tool for diplomacy and a sustainable future”, and that joint research has the added benefit of strengthening relationships between the two countries.

Dr. Ute Münch, head of the Coordination Office of GEOTECHNOLOGIEN in Germany, called CCS technology “a substantial tool in reducing carbon dioxide emissions”.

“Finding ways to reduce carbon dioxide emissions is a priority for the German government until renewable energy sources can guarantee the electricity supply”, she said.

Dr. Frank Schilling of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) brought up the value of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and its impact on the energy market as a very important issue.

Or as the Minister Economic of the German Embassy, Mathias Sonn stated: “The price-tag we put on CO2 emissions is crucial to the role CCS technologies will play in the future global energy mix.”