Oct 2, 2023 3 min read

Carbon capture and storage has limited use

Washington County residents across the political spectrum respect Commissioner Diane Irey Vaughan, who has worked as she believed best for her constituents.

Her recent editorial in the Observer-Reporter regarding carbon capture and sequestration, however, painted a picture that is more optimistic than the current state of that technology deserves. On the extremes regarding fossil fuels, we have people who say, “drill, baby, drill” and people who want to stop all use abruptly. More moderate views have been expressed by the Biden and Obama administrations, advocating “all things” to limit climate change. That’s why President Biden is providing investment in carbon capture. Washington County should be part of positive solutions for both jobs and the environment, but what is the current state of carbon capture?

Both the capturing of carbon from industrial plants and direct air capture are receiving government funding. Some large projects are underway. But it is not a proven cost-effective process. Past carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects like Petra Nova, which captured carbon at scale, closed in 2020 and a CCS project at the Mountaineer plant in West Virginia shut down in 2011. Data indicates new projects won’t eliminate enough pollution to slow the warming we are experiencing. Environmental groups are suggesting that these efforts, which are promoted by the fossil fuel industries, amount to greenwashing and are intended to slow the transition away from polluting industries.

The New York Times reported last week, that nationwide “fracking has used up nearly 1.5 trillion gallons of water since 2011.” Fossil fuel extractions not only use massive amounts of water, but both it and sequestration also risk polluting groundwater.

Yes, it’s important to research, invest and innovate, but also to use the green technologies we already know work. The green sector is growing and needs support. We can be responsible in how we live, conserving energy, eliminating waste, and limiting our use of plastics. We must protect our local water resources as those resources are dwindling elsewhere. Carbon capture and storage will likely be a part of our future, but the energy it uses, its costs and potential risks will limit what it can do. We must not see it as a sole solution for advancement and prosperity in Washington County.

Donald Fitch

Amity