Series 4, Issue 2
The week of January 27, 2020
Decarbonization Earthshots
The week of January 27, 2020
Decarbonization Earthshots
In May 1961, President John F. Kennedy announced the seemingly impossible goal of putting a man on the moon by the end of the decade, even though the technology to do so wasn’t even remotely ready. Eight years later, on July 20, 1969, astronaut Neil Armstrong walked on the moon—arguably, the single greatest technological triumph in human history. It was the first "moonshot."
An article in Nature commemorating the 50 year anniversary of the Apollo Mission noted that the moonshot framework—defining a problem, supporting it with money and cross-disciplinary expertise and attempting to solve it in a given timeframe—is being applied to more-complex challenges that we might call “earthshots.” But an earthshot like solving climate change is more difficult than a moonshot by far. Not only does it involve massive scientific and technological challenges, but it also must contend with the inevitable tradeoffs of a complex global marketplace and conflicting geopolitical demands.
This issue of Energy Today explores audacious, Blue Sky decarbonization ideas. Los Angeles, for example, wants to build a hydrogen-fueled power plant, but it’s never been done before. Stanford University researchers have created a new catalyst that can turn carbon dioxide into fuel, but they’ve still got to figure out how to reduce the harmful byproducts. Some believe we have to geoengineer the planet and others want to transform the entire oil and gas sector.
The technological problems of decarbonization are daunting. The human conflicts that must be overcome make this earthshot seemingly as impossible as the original moonshot.
An article in Nature commemorating the 50 year anniversary of the Apollo Mission noted that the moonshot framework—defining a problem, supporting it with money and cross-disciplinary expertise and attempting to solve it in a given timeframe—is being applied to more-complex challenges that we might call “earthshots.” But an earthshot like solving climate change is more difficult than a moonshot by far. Not only does it involve massive scientific and technological challenges, but it also must contend with the inevitable tradeoffs of a complex global marketplace and conflicting geopolitical demands.
This issue of Energy Today explores audacious, Blue Sky decarbonization ideas. Los Angeles, for example, wants to build a hydrogen-fueled power plant, but it’s never been done before. Stanford University researchers have created a new catalyst that can turn carbon dioxide into fuel, but they’ve still got to figure out how to reduce the harmful byproducts. Some believe we have to geoengineer the planet and others want to transform the entire oil and gas sector.
The technological problems of decarbonization are daunting. The human conflicts that must be overcome make this earthshot seemingly as impossible as the original moonshot.
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An Atmospheric Services Industry?
by John C. Roper Humankind has a gigaton problem: it emits more carbon than is sustainable and an excess of 80 gigatons of carbon has to be removed from the atmosphere. Perhaps only the oil and gas industry has the knowledge and resources to sequester carbon at this scale. In this article, John Gibson, the chairman, CEO and president for Flotek Industries and former CEO and president of Halliburton, sees carbon tax credits as a step toward what he calls a new "atmospheric services industry." See also: Climate Change, Or Just Weather
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Carbon Dioxide Into Fuels?
by Andrew Myers Is there a more ambitious earthshot than recycling CO2 emissions from car exhaust pipes into natural gas and propane? |
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Geoengineer the Planet?
by Fred Pearce Human intervention with the climate system has long been viewed as an ill-advised and risky step to slow global warming. But with carbon emissions soaring, initiatives to study and develop geoengineering technologies are gaining traction as a potential last resort. See also: 45Q for CarbonTech
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Powering L.A. With Hydrogen?
Summary by AES Editors To meet its massive electricity needs in a state that increasingly demands more action to meet emissions goals, the city of Los Angeles is planning a transition to a renewable energy that has never been tried before: hydrogen. See also: A New Era of Energy Innovation
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Pebbles, Sponges and Fans?
By Elizabeth Duff Senior Editor, American Energy Society While climate scientists and green-energy technologists search for gigaton-scale solutions to reduce carbon emissions, let’s not overlook some of the more modest ideas which call on nature to heal itself. See also: The Deep Sea; The Next Gold Rush
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Bonus for Members of AES
The Earthshot Prize
A funding opportunity announcement
From the Royal Foundation
The Earthshot Prize
A funding opportunity announcement
From the Royal Foundation
News from the Society
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The Editors of Energy Today welcome submissions of original articles for publication consideration. Please contact the editorial staff by email with questions or attach the proposed article as a Word document.
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