Green energy futures (book)

Green Energy Futures: A Big Change for the Good

What will replace fossil fuel? Is there a way forward using renewable energy sources while avoiding nuclear power? This book argues that nuclear is unlikely to have much of a role in future, and shows that the nuclear debate has absorbed too much time and energy, to the detriment of a more relevant and urgent debate over what sort of renewable/efficiency mix we need. This book engages in that debate, exploring the implications of shifting to greener, cleaner energy sources. It argues there is no one green future, but a range of possible options: we need to choose amongst them. This book offers an overview of the technical, economic and environmental issues to help scholars, professionals and policy makers involved in discussing those options.

2050: a low carbon society (book)

Living in a Low-Carbon Society in 2050

Combining theory, case studies and speculative fiction, a range of contributors, from leading UK academics to pioneering renewable activists, create a compelling picture of the potential perks and pitfalls of a low carbon future.

How sustainable is solar PV? (online)

How viable (and sustainable) are solar PV systems? A debate

Post the Paris climate agreement, the world looks to solar energy more than ever to reduce carbon emissions and counter climate change, with multi-billion dollar solar programmes announced by just about every major country. But just how efficient,  and environmentally sustainable is the celebrated solar photovoltaic technology? Here’s what eight leading voices have to say.

Medusa-scientists solve carbon dioxide problems. Maybe. (Journal, open access)

Rapid carbon mineralization for permanent disposal of anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions 

Matter et al., 2016  Science 352 (6291), 1312-1314.

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) provides a solution toward decarbonisation of the global economy. The success of this solution depends on the ability to safely and permanently store CO₂. This study demonstrates for the first time the permanent disposal of CO₂ as environmentally benign carbonate minerals in basaltic rocks. We find that over 95% of the CO₂ injected into the CarbFix site in Iceland was mineralised to carbonate minerals in less than 2 years. This result contrasts with the common view that the immobilisation of CO₂ as carbonate minerals within geologic reservoirs takes several hundreds to thousands of years. Our results, therefore, demonstrate that the safe long-term storage of anthropogenic CO₂ emissions through mineralization can be far faster than previously postulated.

The scaling up of this basaltic carbon storage method requires substantial quantities of water and porous basaltic rocks.

Key questions (to my mind) - How much does it cost?  - What, if any, are the side-effects? - Is it more effective than tackling the causes of the problem?

Want a summary?  'Experiment 'turns waste CO2 to stone' news report  Or you might be able to listen to a BBC world service story about it here, including interview with the lead scientist, Juerg Matter (0.27 - to 5.55 mins).

Soil management to mitigate climate change (journal paper)

Climate-smart soils

Improved soil management can substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions from soils and sequester some of the carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere by plants, as carbon (C) in soil organic matter. In addition, wise soil management that increases organic matter and tightens the soil nitrogen (N) cycle can yield powerful synergies, such as enhanced fertility and productivity, increased soil biodiversity, reduced erosion, runoff and water pollution, and can help buffer crop and pasture systems against the impacts of climate change. This article highlights ‘state of the art’ soil greenhouse gas research, summarises mitigation practices and potentials, identifies gaps in data and understanding and suggests ways to close such gaps through new research, technology and collaboration.

If you'd like some less technical reading, you might enjoy this summary article.

Although soils contribute a major share (37%; mainly as N2O and CH4) of agricultural emissions3, improved soil management can substantially reduce these emissions and sequester some of the CO2 removed from the atmosphere by plants, as carbon (C) in soil organic matter (in this Perspective, our discussion of soil C refers solely to organic C). In addition to decreasing GHG emissions and sequestering C,  wise soil management that increases organic matter and tightens the soil nitrogen (N) cycle can yield powerful synergies, such as enhanced fertility and productivity, increased soil biodiversity, reduced erosion, runoff and water pollution, and can help buffer crop and pasture systems against the impacts of climate change4.Although soils contribute a major share (37%; mainly

as N

2

O and CH

4

) of agricultural emissions

3

, improved soil management

can substantially reduce these emissions and sequester some of the CO

2

removed from the atmosphere by plants, as carbon (C) in soil organic

matter (in this Perspective, our discussion of soil C refers solely to

organic C). In addition to decreasing GHG emissions and sequestering C,

wise soil management that increases organic matter and tightens the

soil nitrogen (N) cycle can yield powerful synergies, such as enhanced

fertility and productivity, increased soil biodiversity, reduced erosion,

runoff and water pollution, and can help buffer crop and pasture systems

against the impacts of climate change

4

.

Although soils contribute a major share (37%; mainly

as N

2

O and CH

4

) of agricultural emissions

3

, improved soil management

can substantially reduce these emissions and sequester some of the CO

2

removed from the atmosphere by plants, as carbon (C) in soil organic

matter (in this Perspective, our discussion of soil C refers solely to

organic C). In addition to decreasing GHG emissions and sequestering C,

wise soil management that increases organic matter and tightens the

soil nitrogen (N) cycle can yield powerful synergies, such as enhanced

fertility and productivity, increased soil biodiversity, reduced erosion,

runoff and water pollution, and can help buffer crop and pasture systems

against the impacts of climate change

4

.