Transforming the Carbon Economy (IMAGE)
Caption
A task force commissioned by the US Department of Energy evaluated a suite of technologies potentially capable of dramatically changing the flow of carbon through the economy, while still using carbon-based fuels. In a simplification of the current economy (top), carbon flows from deep underground (red arrow) and is then burned, which releases carbon dioxide to the atmosphere (blue arrow). In one of the alternative scenarios considered by the task force (bottom left), the carbon dioxide is not allowed to escape to the atmosphere and instead is sent to secure storage below ground. In another scenario (bottom right), carbon dioxide is removed from the air, then transformed, with the aid of low-carbon energy sources such as wind or solar, into fuels, which are then burned and vented to the atmosphere.
Credit
Princeton University
Usage Restrictions
None
License
Licensed content