MIT Breakthrough – Same Natural-Gas, Zero CO2 Emissions

With new legislation on the horizon that wants to tax CO2 emissions, the business world could sure use a new energy solution. MIT has recently made a breakthrough with “A new type of natural-gas electric power plant… [that] could provide electricity with zero carbon dioxide emissions to the atmosphere, at costs comparable to or less than conventional natural-gas plants, and even to coal-burning plants.” (The hitch here is that it’s only cheaper if carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases will be taxed. As of right now, the new technology isn’t cost efficient.)

The system “uses solid-oxide fuel cells, which produce power from fuel without burning it.” Natural gas is somewhat more plentiful than other fossil fuels (at the current rate of consumption we’re expected to have about 60 years worth of natural gas), and would certainly be more environmentally friendly than coal if we didn’t burn it, which is what produces the CO2. This is great news for people and businesses looking for more environmental energy solutions.

Concerns surrounding the new technology include costs, how it would affect the consumption rate of natural gas, and the new technology still being untested on a commercial scale. Prototypes are only planned for completion by 2012.

- Kaitlyn Hill

http://web.mit.edu/press/2009/solid-oxide.html