Carbon Capture and Sequestration CCS

From The Sunday Times August 16, 2009
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article6797704.ece


North Sea’s new bonanza Jonathan Leake
"Britain could be in line for a new North Sea bonanza following research which reveals its suitability to store billions of tons of waste carbon dioxide."

CCS sounds wonderful but there are two significant issues.
1. The CO2 capture process is energy intensive. It consumes 25% of the power output equating to burning 33% more coal. There are consequent increased transport costs with their own CO2 overheads.
2. Once captured the the liquid CO2 is nasty stuff. For heath and safety reasons a CO2 pipeline should not run through populated areas. This present a serious problem for the Kingsnorth expansion proposals.
Whilst some may tilt at windmills, nuclear power is the only viable route to meeting our CO2 reduction aspirations and commitments.