Biofuelwatch has stepped further into geoengineering with a new report titled "BECCS (Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage): Climate Saviour or Dangerous Hype?" This new critique of BECCS is uncomplicated, simply combining existing criticisms of bioenergy and CCS into a single line of attack:
The flaws in the claims made by ... BECCS proponents include:
+ high levels of uncertainty about the possibility of securely storing carbon underground and potential risks to human health and ecosystems associated with CCS;
+ faulty reasoning about the availability of plentiful biomass feedstocks, and the "neutrality" of biomass carbon emissions based on assumed regrowth and re-sequestration ...
+ high additional energy requirements for carbon capture, resulting in significantly more fuel demand to produce the same energy output. (pp. 1-2)
This is a logical next step for Biofuelwatch after its previous assaults on biochar (for example, see Biochar Fund Giving Biochar a Bad Name?, 12/8/11). Considering the recent failure of ETC Group at CBD COP11, opponents of climate engineering need all the help they can get. Tying geoengineering to familiar problems associated with biofuels represents a sensible political strategy.
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