Shifting streams : on the health, safety and environmental impacts of carbon dioxide capture, transport and storage

Abstract

Greenhouse gas emissions are expected to result in global climate change with potentially severe consequences for ecosystems and mankind. In this perspective, greenhouse gas emissions from using fossil fuels should be restrained and the strong link between our energy supply and CO2 emissions should be broken. One of the possible options to achieve this can be carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS). However, the introduction of CCS should meet criteria concerning the economy, environment and society in order to be acceptable for large scale implementation. In this dissertation Joris Koornneef discusses the Health, Safety and Environmental (HSE) impacts of carbon dioxide capture, transport and storage. Health, safety and environmental impacts have been quantified and important knowledge gaps have been identified and discussed. He has done this with the use of methodologies drawn from several scientific disciplines. This includes a risk assessment for CO2 pipelines, an environmental life cycle assessment and a scenario model for the assessment of European air quality in 2030. In addition, a review framework has been applied to assess the knowledge base for Environmental Impact Assessments of CCS projects. The results show that depending on the CCS technology chosen, significant environmental trade-offs and synergies can be expected when capturing CO2, transporting it by pipeline and injecting it into the underground. Hence the title: Shifting Streams.