SellaTheChemistFeb 25
Scathing/sobering assessment of CCS and hydrogen tech in the context of climate change from Julian Allwood. Not a comfortable read. He must have had a hard time with referees because he comments:
Given the vast investment of academic effort …it is hardly surprising that the message of this paper is challenging, and this was made evident in the extensive process of manuscript review… the conclusions of the paper, reflected in the
title, should be seen not as heresy." https://www.nature.com/articles/s44286-025-00344-1
Too late for CCS and hydrogen - Nature Chemical Engineering

Fifty years after it was commercialized, global carbon capture and storage (CCS) capacity is equal to 0.09% of global emissions. Meanwhile, global emission-free electricity generation grows at a steady, linear rate. This Perspective argues that it is now too late for CCS or hydrogen to make a substantial contribution by 2050, so other solutions are required to decarbonize industry.

Nature
Show threadBashStKid
@sellathechemist I’d imagine it’s extremely difficult to make any progress when the companies are screaming the opposite into government ears.
Feb 25 at 7:26pmWeb
Show threadSellaTheChemistFeb 25
@BashStKid And academics too. A lot of "investment" in hydrogen by research councils.
Show threadDr Susi ArnottFeb 25
@sellathechemist @BashStKid You mean science can be... bought?
Show threadSellaTheChemistFeb 25
@SusiArnott @BashStKid Well, it has to be paid for and there are conflicts of interest built into the community that takes some of the decisions. I think that's one of the key underlying messages of Allwood's article: "For Christ's sake do a Fermi estimate and realise that CCS is going nowhere while we emit Gigtonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere every year, and don't hide behind "but one days we'll need it"."
Show threadBashStKidFeb 26
@sellathechemist That creates an indirect bias in research if the companies wave ‘industry matching funding’ at the councils, then highly likely if a dept proposes research in that area, it will get funded.
Rather more suspect when the research proposals perfectly fit industry wishes to ensure the funding. Not to mention those earth science depts where senior positions are ‘supported’ by, say, BP.