Amine Technology Planned for CO2 Management in Norway

Luke Thompson

Global climate change does not discriminate. In some way or another, the effects of carbon emissions into the atmosphere are felt by everyone living on this planet. As everyone tries to find solutions to this problem, Norway is seeking to implement new technology to effectively trap the greenhouse gas emissions that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere from power plants burning coal and natural gas.

While the method has not been fully tested, engineers planed to use an amine solvent to absorb the harmful gas emissions from the Mongstad oil refinery. Recently, however, environmentalists have claimed that the amine method presents a substantial cancer risk to the nearby residents. In response to these statements, the Norwegian government has decided to withhold support from the technology in favor of research for alternative methods.

This news seriously dampens the government's prospects of achieving its goal of cutting total carbon emissions by over 30% by 2020.

While countries around the wold strive to lesson their carbon footprint on the atmosphere, technology continues to play a prominent role in planning for the future of the climate. However, it must not be overlooked that these technologies themselves are capable of creating massive outputs of carbon emissions themselves. From the production of the equipment used to control the amine, to the transportation of the supplies, every stage in the process results in the release of additional carbon fumes. While it could be argued that the benefits outweigh the costs, the most effective and far-reaching change must occur within the society itself. As people are educated about harmful CO2 gas and alter their lifestyles accordingly, a culture of conservation will arise and end the cycle of dependancy on gas and coal.

http://af.reuters.com/article/energyOilNews/idAFLDE72317320110304?pageNumber=1&virtualBrandChannel=0