How can the use of finite resources be achieved more sustainably?

Question 1

CCS (what is this an abbreviation of?)

Answer 1

carbon capture storage

Question 2

how is carbon removed before burning?

Answer 2

turn coal into a mixture of gases (syngas). Hydrogen is then extracted and fed into a gas-turbine generator whilst the co2 is burning

Question 3

how is carbon removed during burning?

Answer 3

burn it in pure oxygen and then the co2 can be extracted from the combustion chamber

Question 4

how is carbon removed after coal is burned?

Answer 4

letting flue gasses pass through the scrubber containing amines. the co2 then reacts with amines and is removed and buried whilst the amines is recycled.

Question 5

what are the ideal sites for carbon to be buried?

Answer 5

worked out oil fields e.g. the miller oil field in the north sea which has held co2 for the last 120 million years.
worked out gas fields, unmineable coal seams and deep sandstone formations capped by impermeable shales found on continents and under oceans.

Question 6

arguments against carbon capture

Answer 6

• most experts agree it will take 20-30 years to develop fully working CCS plants
• co2 might escape e.g. 1986, a million tonnes of co2 escaped from bottom of Lake Nyos in Cameroon killing >700 people.
• earthquakes could destroy any traps used and who’s responsibility is it to look after these traps