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Our climate keeps heating up with dire effects, but our governmental leaders seem incapable of finding solutions to get us out of this mess that we have caused. One possible way out is to find new technologies that reduce the emission of carbon dioxide that is driving climate change. Almost every day, there are new ideas that have the possibility of helping with this goal. Recently, two promising technologies caught my eye.
The first one was reported in an article in the Iowa Stater magazine about research to stop the venting of carbon dioxide from abandoned oil and gas wells. They would be plugged by injecting a newly developed bio-oil made from leftover harvest and forest waste products into them. Not only would this keep carbon dioxide from escaping, but by using plant-based materials, like corn stalks, it also would trap this carbon far underground. If the process is fully developed, it could have the additional benefit of generating a new revenue stream for farmers and foresters.
The other emerging technology involves data centers that are often controversial, but what if they used no electricity or water, and were not visible? This sounds like a pipe dream, but several countries, including China, and a couple of U.S. companies are evaluating fully automated underwater or floating data centers. These computing facilities would be powered by waves, ocean or river currents, or seawater energy, and cooled by the surrounding water. Also, since they would be under water or floating, they would take up no land and would be out of sight. Data from the facilities would be transmitted by satellites.
These and other carbon-reducing technologies need support from our government and a streamlined regulatory process instead of the current governmental gridlock. Let's get busy.
David Voigts is a retired ecologist and the current Conservation Chair for the Prairie Rapids Audubon Society. He is a Tama County native, graduating from Dinsdale High School, and lives in rural Jesup on his wife's family farm.