[Env seminars] LFEE Seminar-Oct. 27-"The Carbon Conundrum"

[Karen Gibson]

Environment and Sustainability Seminar Series
Sponsored by the MIT Laboratory for Energy and the Environment (LFEE)

"The Carbon Conundrum"

Howard Herzog
Principal Research Engineer
Laboratory for Energy and the Environment

Mark de Figueiredo
PhD Candidate
Engineering Systems Division

Wednesday, October 27
12:00 - 1:30 pm
E40-496

In the August 13, 2004 issue of Science, an article (link below) 
discussed the Carbon Conundrum.  Essentially, it was described as 
"weaning the world off carbon-based fossil fuels would take decades. 
During that time, carbon combustion will continue to pour greenhouse 
gases into the atmosphere - unless scientists find a way to reroute 
them."  The article then goes on to describe a method to reroute the 
emissions, namely carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS).  MIT 
researchers have been pioneers in CCS research and have been leaders 
in the worldwide research community.

In this seminar, we will lead a discussion on the Carbon Conundrum. 
We will present additional background on this subject, including:

1.  Energy statistics for the past 50 plus years for the US showing 
our dependence on fossil fuels and the difficulty in replacing them.

2.  Brief primer on CCS.

3.  A summary of major worldwide CCS activities, both technical and political.

4.  Results of public opinion surveys on energy and the environment 
carried out by MIT researchers.  Data from US, Japan, and UK.  The UK 
data is being shown for the first time (survey completed end of 
September).

We hope the seminar is more of a discussion than a presentation and 
encourage questions and comments as we go along.

ADVANCE READING:  The article "The Carbon Conundrum" by Robert 
Service appeared in Science, Vol 305, Issue 5686, 962-963 , 13 August 
2004.  If you are affiliated with MIT, the article is available 
through MIT's online subscription to Science Magazine:

http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/305/5686/962?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=carbon+conundrum&searchid=1098374154203_8077&stored_search=&FIRSTINDEX=0

_________________________________________________________________
Part of a series of brown bag talks on issues of energy, environment, 
and sustainability sponsored by the MIT Laboratory for Energy and the 
Environment.  Bring your lunch - cookies and drinks will be provided.

-- 
_________________________________
Karen  L. Gibson
Program Assistant
MIT Laboratory For Energy and the Environment
77 Massachusetts Avenue, E40-469
(1 Amherst St., E40-469 - for DHL and FedEx)
Cambridge, MA 02139  USA
Tel:  1 (617) 258-6368; Fax:  1 (617) 258-6590
http://lfee.mit.edu
http://globalsustainability.org
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