Alberta’s problem is Ontario

Vincent J. Curtis

31 May 21

RE: Carbon capture tech little more than a fairy tale.  By Dave Carson.  Hamilton Spectator op-ed of 31 May 21.

In respect of Dave Carson’s remarks about “Alberta’s problem” with CO2 emissions, he has the problem backwards.  Alberta has an Ontario problem.  But Mr. Carson is correct in respect of carbon capture technology being fairy tales.

Thermodynamics and chemistry teach that there are only a few ways of capturing CO2 from the atmosphere.  One is to have large deposits of naturally occurring lime, that is, CaO.  Carbon dioxide will react with lime to form calcium carbonate – limestone - readily.  But lime deposits don’t exist anymore, they’re all used up.  The other methods are to plant trees and to encourage, somehow, the rapid growth of coral reefs.  Otherwise, any carbon capture method must produce more CO2 than it can capture.  So, beware of smooth-sounding snake oil salesmen.

The method by which oil sands are converted into useable petroleum products was developed in the 1950s and 60s, and it is only in recent days - long after the plants have been built - has this method been raised as a problem.  Using nuclear power instead of burning fossil fuel generated by the refining process itself is less economically efficient, and was never adopted.  Neither Alberta nor Saskatchewan have the water or the topography to generate hydro-electric power the way Ontario and especially Quebec can.  But they are sitting on some of the world’s largest deposits of fossil fuels, so why not use them?

We deny Iran the development of nuclear power on the grounds that it floats on an ocean of oil and has no need of it; well, Alberta is the same way.

As for Alberta’s problem.  Alberta wouldn’t generate so much CO2 except that Ontario buys so much of Alberta’s oil and gas.  If Ontario disappeared, and Canada’s contribution to world CO2 emissions dropped from 1.5 to 1.0 percent, it would be the equivalent of reducing atmospheric CO2 content from 408 to 406 ppm.  In addition, China alone is adding the equivalent of Ontario’s entire electrical power output each year to its coal generated power portfolio.  Not to mention India and South Korea.  John Kerry admitted that if the United States stopped producing CO2 altogether, it would achieve nothing; how much more so Canada?

The solution to atmospheric CO2 is out of Canada’s hands.  If a person wants to do something personally about CO2 emissions, they can begin by stopping huffing and puffing about things we can’t fix!

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