Carbon Dioxide - The Green House Gas from Power Plants

The concentration of CO₂ in the troposphere has increased by 17 % in the last two and half centuries since the Industrial Revolution. 2007-2008 levels of troposphere CO₂ is around 389 ppm as per Earth System Research Laboratory reports.

A very complex natural cycle maintains the CO₂ balance in the earth’s atmosphere. All living things breathe out CO₂. Trees and vegetation takes in CO₂ during photosynthesis to produce Carbon compounds that are stored in trees and plants. These Carbon compounds are the basic energy source for all life on the planet. This give and take policy of nature has maintained the global CO₂ cycle. Plants, vegetation, soil and oceans work as the sinks that store the Carbon to maintain the Carbon cycle.

CO₂ and other green house gases allow the short wave length solar radiation to pass through but prevent the passage of the long wavelength radiation from the earth’s surface back to space. Even though the Global Warming Potential of CO₂ is less than some of the other green house gases, the higher concentration makes it the major contributor to global warming and climate change.

Increased man made CO₂ emissions from Fossil Fuel burning for transportation and energy has resulted in the upset of this global carbon cycle. Reduced absorption due to deforestation also has added to the woes. The net result is the increased concentration of CO₂ in the troposphere.

A large coal fired power plant produces almost 1 kg of CO₂ for every kilowatt-hour (kWh) of energy it produces. A natural gas fired combined cycle power plant produces 0.35 kg of CO₂ for every kWh of energy produced.

Studies in the concentration of Carbon isotopes and CO₂ in the atmosphere and oceans have indicated that the increased level of CO₂ in the troposphere is definitely the contribution of burning of fossil fuels.

Nature has taken millions of years to capture and store the carbon as fossil fuel, but man has let it out in a few centuries. Man has opened the Pandora’s Box and let out the evil but still there remains Hope.

The second part of this series explains how we can reduce power plant CO₂ emissions.