Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) has been mooted as one of the main weapons against climate change.With little alternative to Coal based power generation,CCS is touted as a solution.However CCS as a global warming solution is like putting lipstick on a pig.The technology for CCS remains immature at best and even the biggest users of coal,the Chinese utilities have ruled out using CCS before 2015.Though big pilot projects have been announced in Australia,USA and UK,CCS is not a serious option as far as dealing with climate change.This however has not prevented companies from playing in this area.Toshiba is the latest company to join the CCS fray hoping to set up a 5 MW pilot plant in JV with India’s biggest power utility NTPC.

India has the fastest growing coal generating power in the world right now.India’s coal usage is set to rival China in 10-15 years.With Coal being the dirtiest form of power and contributing greatly to GHG emissions,India would benefit greatly from alternatives.Like Coal to Liquid (CTL) Technology which is being proposed to be built by Jindal and Tata,this technology diverts focus from the real solutions.India needs to give greater subsidies and investment into renewable energy like Solar,Wind etc.NTPC should rejects Toshiba’s inane CCS plan and divert greater energy and money into Alternative Energy.

Toshiba in talks with NTPC for carbon capture project

India’s biggest power producer, is in talks with Toshiba Corp to build a pilot project in India for capturing and storing carbon emissions, a Toshiba official said.

The Japanese power equipment maker aims to develop its first 5-megawatt carbon capture plant in India by 2016, said, Kenji Urai, managing director of Toshiba India. The project may be similar to the one set to start this year at a 47-megawatt plant at Mikawa in Japan.

“Now that we are almost finished in Japan , we would like to bring that technology to other parts of the world,” Urai said. “I think in five years we should have it.”