NE Seminars

Thursday, March 27, 2008 at 4 p.m.

• Frank T. Princiotta
  Director of the Air Pollution Prevention and Control Division
  National Risk Management Research Laboratory
  Office of Research and Development
  U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
  
  
• "The Role of Power Generation Technology in Mitigating Global Climate Change"
  
  
• Abstract
  
  Anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases, especially carbon dioxide, CO2, have led to increasing atmospheric concentrations which are the primary cause of the 0.8C warming the earth has experienced since the industrial revolution. With industrial activity and population expected to increase for the rest of the century, large increases in greenhouse gas emissions are projected, with additional and potentially substantial subsequent global warming predicted. While much literature exists on various aspects of this subject, this presentation provides a succinct integration of the projected warming the earth is likely to experience in the decades ahead, the emission reductions that may be needed to constrain this warming, and the technologies needed to help achieve the three trillion tons of CO2 mitigation that may be required.
  
  This paper uses available, transparent modeling tools and the most recent existing literature, to draw broad conclusions about the challenge posed by climate change and potential technological remedies over the next century. The presentation provides an overview of the forces driving CO2 emissions, how different CO2 emission trajectories could affect temperature this century, and a concise sector-by-sector summary of mitigation options, and R&D priorities. The author will then quantify the emission reductions potentially available from two major and distinct categories in order to achieve such mitigation. The first involves the accelerated use of existing technologies, especially in the building and transportation sectors. The second, and most important category, involves development and utilization of new energy production and end use technologies, with a focus on power generation and mobile sources. Key technologies will be characterized regarding their mitigation potential and developmental status
  
  
  

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