To capture the carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted by a power plant and store it underground would require 20% of that power plant’s electricity output, according to a Reuters article.
Analysts speaking at the McClosky 2008 Coal USA conference said the theuntested process, called carbon capture and sequestration (CCS), is extremely challenging and probably misunderstood by the public.
Many policy makers also are leaning heavily on CCS in their proposals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, even though the timeline for CCS development does not provide for near-term emissions cuts needed to address globabl warming.
According to analysts with Hill & Associates, a well-known coal consulting firm, to make up for the power that would be required for CCS, an additional power plant would have to be built for every five employing CCS.