Rio+20 Peter Eisenberger Presentation

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Closing the Carbon Cycle for Sustainability A Key Strategy for Environmental Protection, Energy Security, and Economic Development Peter Eisenberger Columbia University & Global Thermostat Rio+20 June 18, 2012

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Global Thermostat Presentation at Rio+20 Conference -- Peter Eisenberger

Transcript of Rio+20 Peter Eisenberger Presentation

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Closing the Carbon Cycle for Sustainability

A Key Strategy for Environmental Protection, Energy Security, and Economic Development

Peter Eisenberger Columbia University & Global ThermostatRio+20June 18, 2012

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Table of Contents

• Closing the Carbon Cycle

• Current Approaches

• A Sustainable Solution: Energy from Atmospheric CO2

• Global Thermostat

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Closing the Carbon Cycle

• Sustainability Requires Humans Close the Carbon Cycle

– Climate Sustainability

– Energy Security

– Economic Development

• A Human System that Closes The Carbon Cycle

– Flexibility in location of sources and sinks

– Connectivity between different components

– Serve both todays fossil fuel and tomorrows renewables

– Consistent with existing infrastructure

– Provide net carbon negative technologies to offset carbon emitters

– Value carbon so as to support positive feedbacks

– New types of cooperation between countries and companies

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You need to know where you are going to get there…

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Current Approaches to Climate Change

“Wedges” approach a good start…– Sensible, diversified strategy based on existing pathways– Portfolio of renewable energy and efficiency technologies– Potential to keep CO2 below 500ppm (still 2x pre-indust. level)

But may not be enough to avoid climate change…– Depends on continued net natural absorption rate– Does not address 2000’s already elevated emissions – Underestimates projected growth rate by factor of two– No solution past 2055

Climate will change destructively on its own– Earth history has many climate disasters– New York City under a 1 mile high ice sheet

A safe, effective, and affordable solution to climate change is still urgently needed

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Emissions Scenarios…

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Future Atmospheric Concentrations…

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What Carbon Negative Can Achieve…

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The Cost of Atmospheric CO2…

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Global Thermostat - CONFIDENTIAL

The Need for Going Carbon Negative…

Carbon Neutral is not enough– Neutralizing new and existing

emissions does not prevent atmospheric concentration of CO2 from further increasing

– It doesn’t solve the climate risk problem (reducing atmospheric concentrations below 500 ppm)

Carbon-Negative Required– To reduce atmospheric concentrations

faster than the natural absorption rate– To achieve a safe level of CO2

concentration

Air Capture Can Make Going Carbon Negative Possible

Pacala and Socolow, Science, Vol 305, 8/13/2004, Pg 969. Note: 7 Wedges refers to the seven stabilization wedges, created by Wigley, Richels & Edmonds, necessary to achieve an atmospheric concentration of CO2 of 500 ppm by 2125.

Business as usual

7 Wedges (aggressive renewable energy use, efficiency, point-source sequestration)

Negative Carbon Technology (such as Global Thermostat) with aggressive renewable energy

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Global Thermostat - CONFIDENTIAL

A Sustainable Solution

ENERGY SECURITY FOR ALL̶� AIR AND WATER MORE EQUABLY DISTRIBUTED

CONTROL HUMAN CO2 INPUT TO CARBON CYCLE̶� TEMPERATURE CONTROL

GREEN ENERGY FUND STIMULATES ECONOMIC GROWTH̶� STIMULATES TRANSITION TO CLOSING THE CARBON CYCLE̶� MONETIZE THE CO2 SO IT IS A VALUABLE AND NOT A POLLUTANT

Close the carbon cycle –CO2 from air to make the energy we need-

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Global Thermostat - CONFIDENTIAL

Applications & Markets for Captured CO2

Storage Enhanced Oil Recovery

Algae-Based Biofuels

Hydrogen-Based Fuels

Products cement, fertilizer, plastics, greenhouses

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Renewable 95: Closing the Carbon Cycle

CO2 Capture&

Hydrogen Conversion

Water Vapor and CO2

95Octane

CONVERTING CO2 FROM AIR & HYDROGEN FROM WATER

TO95 OCTANE GASOLINE

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Global Thermostat - CONFIDENTIAL

GT Project with Algae Systems

Desalination

Desalination

CO2

Wastewater

Algae Production

Algae Production

Dewatering

Dewatering

Fuel Production

Fuel Production

Fuels,Electricity &

Biochar

Treated

Wastewater

Drinking

Water

• Produces carbon negative transportation fuels (diesel, jet, etc)• Treats municipal wastewater and produces drinking water• Generates green electricity and biochar fertilizers

GT is developing a fully-integrated biorefinery through a partnership with Algae Systems

This unique combination of technologies provides critical municipal services while producing energy in an embodiment that is

As Green As It Gets

Solar Energ

y

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Global Thermostat - CONFIDENTIAL

Geothermal Electricity + CO2

Collaboration with Green Fire Energy– Uses CO2 instead of water– 10-20% of circulating CO2 sequestered

Using CO2 captured by Global Thermostat– Location flexibility of air capture – Economic advantage of locating near use– Increased geothermal locations accessible

Produces Carbon Negative electricity

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CLOSING THE CARBON CYCLE FOR ENERGY, ECONOMIC, AND CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY

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Global Thermostat

Our goal is to provide technology to:̶�Facilitate the transition to a renewable future

• Our Carburetor Technology to Clean Fossil Fuel Sources̶�Provide carbon for the renewable energy future

• Our Direct Air Capture Technology to Close the Carbon Cycle ̶�Provide a common technology platform

• Connects air and concentrated CO2 sources ̶�Make money by doing good

We seek and welcome partners ̶� They have already been essential to our efforts

We are committed to broad dissemination ̶� Licensing model

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“GT CARBON SPONGE”“GT CARBON SPONGE”

Pipes to oil well, algae, etc.

Patented Carbon Sponge: porous block coated with proprietary amine sorbents

Ambient air and/or flue gas goes through and binds to sorbent

Carbon Sponge lowers into sealed chamber

Low temperature process heat releases pure CO2 gas for collection

And the cycle restarts…

How GT Technology Works

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Technology Operation

Adsorption Phase

Regeneration Phase

Ambient air OR Air-flue gas blend

Monolith Contactors + Sorbent “Cartridge”

GT Module

Step 1 Air Input

Step 1 Air Input

•GT uses Corning monolith contactors similar to those in your cars tailpipe

•Contactors provide high surface contact areas at low pressure drop

•Enables movement of large volumes of air with effective contact of CO2 at low cost

•40 minute cycle

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Technology Operation

Step 2 CO2 Capture

Step 2 CO2 Capture

Adsorption Phase

Regeneration Phase

Monolith Contactors + Sorbent “Cartridge”

GT Module•GT sorbents proven highly effective by Georgia Tech - confirmed by SRI, BASF, and NETL

•BASF process to deposit immobilized amines in pores of the contactor walls at high loading

•Dramatically reduces heat required compared to liquid based CCS

Ambient air OR

Air-flue gas blend

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Technology Operation

105C Steam

Step 3

Regeneration

Step 3

Regeneration

CO2 Collection

Adsorption Phase

Regeneration Phase

Monolith Contactors + Sorbent “Cartridge”

GT Module•CO2-rich sorbent is heated with low-temperature process heat (90-105C) steam

•CO2 is collected and sorbent is regenerated

•CO2 can be stored or used in multiple commercial applications

•4 - 10 minute cycle

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Technology Partners

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Partner Activity Relationship Terms

SRI International Pilot plant operation and R&D; lab testing Contract R&D

BASF Sorbent development/supply; lab testing Strategic Supplier

Corning Monolith development/supply Strategic Supplier

Linde Carburetor Pilot/EPC Contractor/Customer EPC Contractor/Customer

Georgia Tech Sorbent R&D; contactor testing Contract R&D

Virgin Atlantic Renewable jet fuel Commercialization partner, customer

Carmagen Engineering

System design, engineering, optimization Contract consulting

Summit Power Project engineering Project development fee

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For Sustainable Carbon-Based Life: Close the Carbon Cycle…

Need Direct Air Capture ̶� Carbon for a sustainable renewable energy future ̶� Flexibility to provide sources and sinks

Need Negative Carbon ̶� Climate Security

Need Carburetor for transition ̶� Short term carbon free products̶� Long term carbon negative products

Need a Green Energy Fund ̶� Global Economic Sustainability

Closing the Carbon Cycle is Key

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Carbon dioxide concentration decreasing

The Global ThermostatThe Global Thermostat

ENERGY

COCO2 2

CAPTURECAPTURE

Atmosphere 800

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Graciela ChichilniskyManaging Director

[email protected]

Peter EisenbergerManaging Director

[email protected]

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