carbon dioxide
Newsletter
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Toronto company plans $1.35 billion biofuel facility in Louisiana
A Toronto-based energy company announced plans to build a biofuel plant in Louisiana using wood and garbage, but critics question its sustainability.
In short:
- Woodland Biofuels plans to use industrial wood scraps and waste to produce biofuels at a $1.35 billion facility in St. John the Baptist Parish.
- The project could create 110 jobs with an average salary of $90,000, supported by $10 million in state grants and tax incentives.
- Critics argue burning biomass for energy worsens deforestation, emits pollutants, and slows the shift to cleaner energy sources.
Key quote:
"Carbon dioxide emissions from burning wood are actually higher than burning coal."
— 2018 Environmental Research Letters study
Why this matters:
While biofuels offer a potential renewable energy source, the environmental cost of burning biomass raises concerns about pollution, deforestation, and whether this approach truly moves society toward cleaner energy.
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Texas offers more coastal waters for carbon dioxide storage
Texas is opening over a million acres of offshore waters for companies to inject greenhouse gases underground to mitigate climate change.
In short:
- Texas issued its largest request for proposals to inject greenhouse gases underground to mitigate climate change yet, targeting Lavaca Bay, Matagorda Bay and other coastal areas.
- ,Backed by federal funding and with support from the oil and gas sector, carbon sequestration is expanding, despite concerns over long-term feasibility and cost.
- The Texas Railroad Commission seeks authority to regulate these wells, but environmental groups and lawmakers urge caution.
Key quote:
“We are really now on the cusp of moving away from institutional research and more towards broad commercial deployment.”
— Charles McConnell, director of the Center for Carbon Management in Energy at the University of Houston.
Why this matters:
Reducing atmospheric CO2 through sequestration could have immediate benefits. Lower CO2 levels can help mitigate the adverse effects of climate change, such as extreme weather events, heatwaves and poor air quality, all of which have direct impacts on human health. However, a continued dependence on fossil fuels, facilitated by carbon sequestration, could maintain high levels of other pollutants that pose serious health risks, including particulate matter and nitrogen oxides.
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Louisiana unveils plans for new carbon capture sites
Louisiana officials announced two new carbon capture projects in northwest Louisiana, expected to remove hundreds of thousands of tons of carbon dioxide annually and store it underground.
In short:
- Heirloom, a direct air capture company, will develop two sites in Shreveport to begin operation in 2026 and 2027.
- Critics argue the technology may divert attention from more effective emissions reduction methods and extend fossil fuel use.
- Louisiana, heavily impacted by climate change and reliant on oil and gas, ranks high in natural gas production and carbon emissions.
Key quote:
“It is a drop in the bucket, but more importantly this is a blueprint and template that can be replicated in every city, every state, every country and every continent across the world.”
— Shashank Samala, CEO of Heirloom
Why this matters:
Carbon capture technology offers a potential method to reduce industrial emissions and combat climate change. However, it raises concerns about effectiveness and the continuation of fossil fuel dependence.
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County officials contest federal ruling on pipeline route restrictions
A federal judge’s decision to limit local and state authority over carbon dioxide pipeline routes faces challenges from multiple groups concerned about public safety.
In short:
- Chief Judge Stephanie Rose ruled that only federal regulators can enforce safety standards for CO2 pipelines, blocking Iowa counties from setting minimum separation distances.
- The ruling is being contested by organizations like the Iowa Farm Bureau and the Pipeline Safety Trust, which argue for the importance of local regulations to prevent potential hazards from pipeline ruptures.
- Appeals are ongoing, with arguments focusing on the balance of regulatory power between local, state, and federal authorities.
Key quote:
“Local governments have traditionally exercised broad powers to regulate land use, including setback distances and property development that includes development in the vicinity of pipelines.”
— Alan Mayberry, pipeline safety administrator for PHMSA
Why this matters:
Carbon dioxide pipelines, designed to transport CO2 for purposes like enhanced oil recovery and carbon capture and storage, have been touted as essential tools in the fight against climate change. However, their routes often cut through populated areas, raising alarms about the potential for accidents and leaks that could pose serious risks to human health and the environment.
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Carbon sequestration faces resistance in rural America
A plan to capture and store carbon dioxide underground in Montana faces fierce local opposition, despite being backed by major oil companies and the Biden administration.
In short:
- The proposed project aims to store carbon emissions underground in Carter County, Montana, to combat climate change.
- Local ranchers and residents fear the impact on the environment and community, citing a lack of desire to become a national "dumping ground."
- Existing carbon capture projects face similar issues nationally, raising concerns about safety, environmental impacts, and technology effectiveness.
Key quote:
"They are presenting this as a climate solution and I don’t know that it is. The only thing I do know is that it is part of their plan to continue producing oil and gas."
— Liz Barbour, manager of Cinch Buckle Ranch
Why this matters:
Many local residents and environmental groups are raising concerns about the safety and long-term impacts of storing carbon underground. Fears of potential leaks, groundwater contamination, and seismic activity echo through community meetings and public forums. Critics argue that such projects allow fossil fuel companies to continue business as usual, prolonging reliance on oil and gas rather than transitioning to renewable energy sources.
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Concerns grow over CO2 pipeline safety after recent leak in Louisiana
Recent carbon dioxide leak in Louisiana exposes gaps in emergency alert systems, warns of potential dangers.
In short:
- A CO2 pipeline near Sulphur, Louisiana, ruptured, releasing significant quantities of carbon dioxide, leading to a local shelter-in-place advisory.
- The emergency response relied on social media for public communication, highlighting the absence of an adequate alert system in the area.
- The growing network of CO2 pipelines, spurred by carbon capture initiatives, raises concerns about the adequacy of current safety regulations.
Key quote:
"There should have been alarms, and the whole community should have been notified. I don’t trust the system we have at all."
— Roishetta Ozane, community organizer
Why this matters:
Carbon dioxide pipelines are crucial components of the burgeoning carbon capture and storage technologies aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions. However, incidents like this highlight the potential risks and complexities involved in handling and transporting CO2.
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New methods aim to enhance the ocean's ability to capture carbon dioxide
Researchers and startups are developing innovative marine carbon dioxide removal techniques to increase the ocean's carbon absorption capabilities. However, doubts about its potential impacts remain.
In short:
- The ocean absorbs 30% of global CO2 emissions. Private companies, venture capitalists and governments are developing new methods to "enhance" this capacity.
- Startups like Running Tide are experimenting with sinking biomass into the ocean to store carbon, leveraging the ocean's natural capacity to do so. Others are experimenting with algae and kelp or pumping seawater through electrodialysis filtering systems.
- Scientists express concerns about the unknown effects and efficacy of marine carbon dioxide removal methods on global warming and marine ecosystems.
Key quote:
“We’re intervening in the natural world, which means we need to be very careful about what we do.”
— Kristinn Hróbjartsson, general manager of Running Tide in Iceland.
Why this matters:
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has made it clear that carbon sequestration needs to be part of the strategies to limit global warming to between 1.5 and 2 degrees Celsius. Enhanced marine carbon sequestration could play a role in meeting the threshold.
John Harte, a senior researcher at UC Berkeley's famed Energy and Resources Group, has spent a lifetime looking at the "smoke and mirrors" behind geo-engineering and carbon sequestration.
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