Political Feasibility | berkeleyccsgroup2

Implementing effective carbon capture and sequestration technology requires collaboration of government, business and the general public.
There are some organizations and individuals who are opposed to carbon capture and sequestration. They believe that putting funds toward carbon capture and sequestration is taking money away from other renewable sources of energy. However, it is not feasible to move away from fossil fuels fast enough, which leads to a necessity for carbon capture and sequestration technologies.
Power plants have a life cycle and it is not cost effective or political feasible to move away from fossil fuel use immediately.
There is an international NGO collaboration, called the Environmental NGO Network on Carbon Capture and Storage (ENGO Network on CCS). (http://www.engonetwork.org/)
As the economies of nations such as China and India grow, the United States’ contribution of carbon emissions will decrease in proportion to global emissions. However, the United States can be a leader in climate change policies that can have an impact on the rest of the world’s policies.
One of the major obstacles for support for carbon capture and sequestration technologies is the lack of education about sequestration technology, safety, and feasibility. There are concerns with sequestration, such as seismicity, release of CO2 and groundwater contamination. There must be increased education on sequestration to get politicians and the public on board.
The cost of membrane technology should decrease after a few investments in power plants.
With Obama in office there is a lot of potential for climate change legislation to be enacted over the next few years.
As there is a great deal invested in fossil fuel energy sources, there are political obstacles to reducing their use and there is more political feasibility in carbon capture and sequestration technology.
Carbon capture provides the pathway to “bridge future vision with current state” (George Peridas).

POLITICAL FEASIBILITY