If we did not live in unique times during which humans dominate the Earth and our planet's living systems are threatened with mass extinction, it would not be possible to write this blog. Whatever insights I can give you would not have been available to an observer of Mayan civilization when it collapsed around 900 A.D. (to pick one example). The Mayans did not know what was happening to them. The Maya had a pre-scientific culture. Here in the 21st century, we are capable of figuring out what is happening on the Earth and why it is happening.
In so far as there are many profound differences between the 21st century and the 9th century, we are able to observe the human response to the 21st century crisis which humans themselves created. It is our unbiased, conscious observations of the human response which yields the insights we are looking for.
In short, there was no Alka-Seltzer in the 9th century
May 28, 2013 — Lawrence Livermore scientists have discovered and demonstrated a new technique to remove and store atmospheric carbon dioxide while generating carbon-negative hydrogen and producing alkalinity, which can be used to offset ocean acidification.
The team demonstrated, at a laboratory scale, a system that uses the acidity normally produced in saline water electrolysis to accelerate silicate mineral dissolution while producing hydrogen fuel and other gases. The resulting electrolyte solution was shown to be significantly elevated in hydroxide concentration that in turn proved strongly absorptive and retentive of atmospheric CO2.
Further, the researchers suggest that the carbonate and bicarbonate produced in the process could be used to mitigate ongoing ocean acidification, similar to how an Alka Seltzer neutralizes excess acid in the stomach.
"We not only found a way to remove and store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere while producing valuable H2, we also suggest that we can help save marine ecosystems with this new technique," said Greg Rau, an LLNL visiting scientist, senior scientist at UC Santa Cruz and lead author of a paper appearing this week (May 27) in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
How does the magic happen?
"When powered by renewable electricity and consuming globally abundant minerals and saline solutions, such systems at scale might provide a relatively efficient, high-capacity means to consume and store excess atmospheric CO2 as environmentally beneficial seawater bicarbonate or carbonate," Rau said. "But the process also would produce a carbon-negative 'super green' fuel or chemical feedstock in the form of hydrogen."
We are several removes from Reality here. When powered by renewable electricity ... such systems at scale, etc.
Most previously described chemical methods of atmospheric carbon dioxide capture and storage are costly, using thermal/mechanical procedures to concentrate molecular CO2 from the air while recycling reagents, a process that is cumbersome, inefficient and expensive.
"Our process avoids most of these issues by not requiring CO2 to be concentrated from air and stored in a molecular form, pointing the way to more cost-effective, environmentally beneficial, and safer air CO2 management with added benefits of renewable hydrogen fuel production and ocean alkalinity addition," Rau said.
Straightforwardly, we observe that humans have come up with another pie-in-the-sky technological solution to a problem (ocean acidification) which requires a behavioral solution (stop putting so much CO2 into the atmosphere, from which it is taken up by the oceans, i.e. by the ocean carbon sink).
Straightforwardly, we observe that humans do not offer us a mixed bag. In other words, humans nearly always come up with technological solutions when behavioral responses are called for regarding the Earth's natural systems. There are a few humans calling for behavioral changes, but they are so few and so neglected that they are completely inconsequential in the bigger scheme of things.
Straightforwardly, we conclude that our first two observations can not be an accident. In other words, there must be something about Homo sapiens which drives this behavior. I recently called it the "technological instinct", but other descriptions are possible. That this drive is innate is bolstered by observation that humans seem mostly unaware that they behave this way, and when confronted with their characteristic behavior, they become very, very confused in a myriad of different but interesting ways.
And thus we see that Lawrence Livermore scientists are receiving funding and carrying out research to apply Alka-Seltzer to the oceans on a massive scale, and presumably we would keep doing so until 1) there's nothing left to burn or 2) the Earth's biosphere has been fucked up beyond all hope of repair.
The Livermore scientists also call for more research, concluding that "further research is needed to determine optimum designs and operating procedures, cost-effectiveness, and the net environmental impact/benefit of electrochemically mediated air CO2 capture and H2 production using base minerals."
So it goes. Here endeth the lesson.
plop plop fizz fizz oh what a relief it is
Posted by: elvinator | 06/02/2013 at 11:16 AM