Environmental Externalities of Geological Carbon Sequestration Effects on Energy Scenarios

Abstract

Standard-Nutzungsbedingungen:Die Dokumente auf EconStor dürfen zu eigenen wissenschaftlichen Zwecken und zum Privatgebrauch gespeichert und kopiert werden.Sie dürfen die Dokumente nicht für öffentliche oder kommerzielle Zwecke vervielfältigen, öffentlich ausstellen, öffentlich zugänglich machen, vertreiben oder anderweitig nutzen.Sofern die Verfasser die Dokumente unter Open-Content-Lizenzen (insbesondere CC-Lizenzen) zur Verfügung gestellt haben sollten, gelten abweichend von diesen Nutzungsbedingungen die in der dort genannten Lizenz gewährten Nutzungsrechte. Terms of use: Documents in Environmental Externalities of Geological Carbon Sequestration Effects on Energy Scenarios SummaryGeological carbon sequestration seems one of the promising options to address, in the near term, the global problem of climate change, since carbon sequestration technologies are in principle available today and their costs are expected to be affordable. Whereas extensive technological and economic feasibility studies rightly point out the large potential of this 'clean fossil fuel' option, relatively little attention has been paid so far to the detrimental environmental externalities that the sequestering of CO 2 underground could entail. This paper assesses what the relevance might be of including these external effects in long-term energy planning and scenario analyses. Our main conclusion is that, while these effects are generally likely to be relatively small, carbon sequestration externalities do matter and influence the nature of future world energy supply and consumption. More importantly, since geological carbon storage (depending on the method employed) may in some cases have substantial external impacts, in terms of both environmental damage and health risks, it is recommended that extensive studies are performed to quantify these effects. This article addresses three main questions: (i) What may energy supply look like if one accounts for large-scale CO 2 sequestration in the construction of long-term energy and climate change scenarios; (ii) Suppose one hypothesizes a quantification of the external environmental costs of CO 2 sequestration, how do then these supposed costs affect the evolution of the energy system during the 21st century; (iii) Does it matter for these scenarios whether carbon sequestration damage costs are charged directly to consumers or, instead, to electricity producers?

Atmospheric and geological CO2 damage costs in energy scenarios

“…One of our main conclusions is that the application of CCS technologies may significantly prolong the consumption of fossil fuels and delay a decrease of their use under climate control policies. We thus confirm what other sources in the literature have recently reported too, regarding all fossil fuels and carbon-intensive coal in particular (see Anderson and Newell, 2004;McFarland et al, 2002;Riahi et al, 2004;Smekens, 2004;Smekens and van der Zwaan, 2004;Yamashita and Barreto, 2003). New in our analysis is that we have not only included CCS technologies in a bottom-up energy-environment model, but have also accounted for their possible externalities, because geological carbon dioxide storage may have substantial external impacts, in terms of both environmental damage and health risks.…”

“…Still, it is useful for policy making to perform energy scenario analyses that include not only CCS technologies, but also estimates for the external costs that could be associated with them. Lacking either theoretical or experimental data regarding CCS external impacts, we chose to make hypothetical assumptions concerning the corresponding damage costs in an earlier paper (Smekens and van der Zwaan, 2004). Contrary to that study, in this article we avoid making 'guesstimates', but rather make assumptions about the ranges in which these damage costs could possibly lie.…”

“…We recall some of the main features of the MARKAL version employed for our analysis, but refer to previous publications for a more complete model description (see, e.g. Smekens, 2004;Smekens and van der Zwaan, 2004). MARKAL is a commonly used linear-programming bottom-up model for energy systems analysis.…”

Ocean carbon sinks and international climate policy

“…Carbon might not be permanently stored and rapid or slow releases of injected emissions could occur. This might not only have impacts on the environment, ecosystems or human health, but also on the effectiveness of temporary carbon storage (Baer, 2003;Herzog et al, 2003;Wilson et al, 2003;Smekens and van der Zwaan, 2004).…”

Carbon dioxide capture: an assessment of plausible ranges

“…Other studies consider the environmental implications. Smekens and van der Zwaan (2004) analyse the possible environmental externalities of geological CO 2 storage and the implications of their inclusion in long term energy scenarios.…”