Congressional Research Service report on carbon capture is released

The Congressional Research Service recently published a report that assesses progress in developing viable carbon capture technologies.

The report, which is dated Oct. 21, does not focus on carbon sequestration.

Carbon capture and sequestration is the idea at the core of the Obama administration's proposed regulations limiting greenhouse gas emissions from new power plants. The approach to lowering emission of warming pollutants to the atmosphere may also be central to the administration's future effort to limit greenhouse gas emissions from existing power plants.

The report, Carbon Capture: A Technology Assessment, concludes that, while carbon capture systems may be technically feasible, cost considerations dictate that "aggressive and sustained efforts" to develop them are necessary.