By Ryan MacDonaldBy Ryan MacDonald

1. A ‘silver bullet’ technology to achieve 100% GHG emissions cuts in the energy sector

2. The reduction of atmospheric CO2 levels to pre-industrial levels (≈280 ppm)

The same process that powers the sun

3.8 x 1026 Joules every

second!

How it works:

Normally requires plasma at >10

million °C

• Incredible power output – 4x greater than traditional nuclear power.

• “The Lithium from one laptop battery and deuterium from a bath of water would generate enough electricity to cover the needs of a UK citizen for 7 years.”

• No greenhouse gas emissions produced.• Fuel can be extracted from water, effectively

limitless.• No risk of a nuclear meltdown or chain

reaction.• No long-life radioactive waste produced.• The only true ‘energy source of the future’.

• Fusion reaction requires 200 million °C.• Plasma needs to be

magnetically contained.• New materials need to

be developed.• Large initial investment

costs to develop technology.

But overall, the entire world’s energy needs could be completely met in a clean and sustainable way!

Video summary of ITER: http://www.iter.org/default.aspx

Some definitions:

• The artificial manipulation of the environments of the Earth.• The deliberate modification of a planet's environment by the

addition or subtraction of a resource or energy input on a massive scale

• The artificial modification of Earth systems to counteract anthropogenic effects such as global warming or stratospheric ozone depletion

Basically, fixing the Earth using technology!

• Stratospheric aerosols:

*Shiny sulphur compounds injected into stratosphere to reflect sunlight.

*Cheap, realistic and attemptable now.

• Ocean iron fertilisation:

*Encourage plankton growth to absorb CO2.

*Potentially could cause ecosystem problems.

*Needs further study.

• Cloud whitening:

*Seawater sprayed into sky to evaporate and brighten clouds.

*Can be turned off at any time.

• Artificial trees

*Uses a chemical process to absorb CO2.

*Technically possible, expensive to develop.

*Should lack any environmental side effects.

*Could be done right now.

We’ve damaged the planet

But we have the technology to fix it

This is not science fiction

It’s time to save the world!