Government Accountability Office Criticizes Department of Energy on Carbon Capture & Storage

Production of "clean coal" through the process of carbon capture and storage (CCS) has been touted by the Obama administration and many governments around the world as a way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.  The feasibility of carbon capture and storage has been highly questioned.

The latest to file a grievance against the idea and promotion of carbon capture and storage is the U.S. Government Accountability Office.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) criticizes the Department of Energy (DOE) on carbon capture and storage in the report "Opportunities Exist for DOE to Provide Better Information on the Maturity of Key Technologies to Reduce Carbon Dioxide Emissions."

In general, captured carbon dioxide emissions from fossil-fuel-fired power plants and other facilities are injected into underground formations.

According to the report, carbon capture and storage would increase the cost of building a power plant by 85 percent if emissions are captured after combustion. Other downsides include a huge increase in water use, almost double, and the energy required to run the carbon capture and storage project would decrease the amount of energy that a power plant could sell.

In response to the report, Mark Kresowik of the Sierra Club's Coal to Clean Energy Campaign told BNA that other technologies can reduce carbon dioxide emissions, including energy conservation and renewable energy.