Zero-emission Power Plants Proposed

ckbreckenridge writes "Supercompact, superfast, superpowerful turbines called ZEPPS (zero-emission power plants), designed to combat global warming, could help produce the electrical power needed to keep up with 21st century demand. They would consume methane and oxygen and produce liquid carbon dioxide, which could be sequestered underground. The current electricity grid would need to be replaced by a 'supergrid' across the USA, says Jesse H. Ausubel in The Industrial Physicist. Work on such a system should start as soon as possible, since CO2 levels leaped up 2 ppm in the past two years as global warming becomes more of a reality."

omaha steaks!

[Shakrai]

Finally an unlimited source of dry ice for Omaha Steaks. I'm going to buy some stock....

Re:.... Duh?

[Vrallis]

Say it, not day it...

That's what I get for not doing a preview...

What to do with excess Co2

[Usagi_yo]

"They would consume methane and oxygen and produce liquid carbon dioxide, which could be sequestered underground." I'll guess we'll put it with the spent nuclear fuel rods.

Re:Methane source?

[antifoidulus]

Lots and lots of Hormel Chili.......
*Ducks*

Sequester the CO2 in Coca Cola

[theurge14]

Have a safe planet and a smile.

Re:Methane source?

[milgr]

Cows.

Or perhaps pig manure, ala Mad Max.

I am George W. Bush and I approve this message ...

[Triumph The Insult C]

There is no such thing as global warming

Re:Methane source?

[Timesprout]

And where exactly is all of this methane going to come from?

The article neglected to mention that beans were to be enforced as the staple diet for the whole planet. Initially every citizen will be expected to report daily to their nearest power plant for 'fuel' retrieval but it is envisaged that within a few years there will be sufficient levels of methane for direct extraction from the air in the major cities.

It goes without saying a ban on all naked flames will be required in the major metropolitan areas.

Re:Methane source?

[GreyWolf3000]

6 replies, 6 "crappy" posts.

Re:Methane source?

[pete-classic]

Ralph Nader put it quite well when Ali G interviewed him. "Well, you already have tens of millions of cattle, but they haven't figured out how to put a box on their asshole."

I don't like Nader, but it was an astute observation.

-Peter

Re:That's just daft!

[the real darkskye]

We could always reduce 2CO2(g) back to C2 and 2O2 and then just burn the resulting carbon! .. oh wait

Makes Sense

[richarst1414]

Store the CO2 underground and when cheap spaceflight or space elevater becomes reality we can dump it into space for superman to clean up :)

sheesh

[cascadingstylesheet]

I keep "proposing" zero emmisions plants all the time, but as soon as I type the word "nuclear" around here, everyone gets all squirrly ...

Extra Liquid CO2?

[Anonymous Coward]

Time to dust off my paintball gun! What were we trying prevent from being released into the air again?

Comment removed

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Re:How is this diffrent?

[cayenne8]

"...catastrophic warming, the sky will fall, plagues of locusts will eat our first-born, and all kinds of other nonsense."

"Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together, mass hysteria!" --Ghostbusters

Re:How is this diffrent?

[Sentry21]

Oil won't escape from containment and (supposedly) cause catastrophic global warming...

That's why we have to do all the work on its behalf. The world's not going to pollute itself! We all have to pitch in and do our part!

Insert obligatory cynical anti-GWB big oil reference here.

--Dan

Re:How is this diffrent?

[jejones]

For one, CO2 isn't radioactive for thousands of years.

Wanna bet? The half-life of carbon-14 is 5,700 years.

Re:How is this diffrent?

[Rallion]

You do realize that by this logic the only solution is to kill everybody?

Score Super Insightful

[pavon]

title sufficent
yet lameness filter attacks
my haiku deflects

filter returns blow
poem redoubles it's effort
will it be enough?

enemy unslain
patience wearing so thin
anticipation

revelation comes
slashcode prohibits colon
title corrected

Re:Methane source?

[An ominous Cow art]

Cue mental picture of "The Matrix" but with the tubes attached... elsewhere.

Re:How is this diffrent?

[Mr. Bad Example]

> You do realize that by this logic the only solution is to kill everybody?

And then we'll cremate them, and...aw, fuck.

Fusion now.

[Anonymous Coward]

Or we could place a huge fusion plant outside of urban areas, say 93,000,000 miles away and deliver the power wirelessly through high-frequency electormagnetic waves. When the fuel is all used up the powerplant automatically disassembles itself. And it is available today!