Scientists Conceptualize Compact CCS System for Vehicle CO₂ Emissions

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technology (involving the collection and transport of CO₂ emissions for ultimate geological or ocean storage), is a climate-change mitigation strategy usually tailored for large scale emission sources, like power plants. However, about two-thirds of global CO₂ emissions are said to be from small scale “distributed” sources, like automobiles and small power plants. A CCS technology tailored to such small scale distributed CO₂ sources would contribute much for mitigating climate change by reducing CO₂ emissions. American researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech), have conceptualized a CCS system for these small scale distribution sources. According to the Georgia Tech press release, the Georgia Tech team’s goal is to develop a “sustainable transportation system” which uses liquid fuel, and traps/stores the carbon dioxide emitted using an on-board device. The stored CO₂ can then be dropped off to a processing plant where it can be recycled into liquid fuel. Under development is the on-board fuel processing device “to separate the carbon and store it in the vehicle in liquid form”. The conceptual study is published in the journal, Energy Conversion and Management (URL above).

Related information on Carbon Capture and Storage Technology: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_capture_and_storage