Xero Carbon
Formerly “Thorium Energy Alliance of Silicon Valley”
Recognizing that greenhouse gas emissions, especially carbon dioxide and methane (natural gas), are the primary causes of climate change issues, particularly ocean acidification, global warming, melting polar ice caps, sea level rise, and increased weather instability, this group promotes practical carbon-free industrial-scale energy solutions.
These traits narrow the field of possible energy sources considerably. Solar and wind require continuous backup from gas-fired plants. Add the lax regulation of natural gas, and leaks negate most of the potential benefits of solar and wind. Hydroelectricity is a good source but with very limited options for expansion. Geothermal is carbon-free but limited geographically. Like solar and wind, wave and tidal power are even less abundant and suffer from low energy generation per unit area.
That pretty much leaves nuclear, both today’s light water reactors and rapidly developing cheaper, efficient, and safe Molten Salt Reactors to quickly address the challenge of replacing fossil fuel combustion. In the unlikely case that optimistic claims of fusion reactors prove true, they will arrive too late, i.e., after ocean acidification has poisoned our oceans.
The group meets regularly to plan and implement ways to educate people on the real climate threats and the technology that can be quickly used to stem the problem. We also develop action plans to make these visions reality.
Date: 1st and 3rd Wednesday every month
Time: 3 pm
Location: Room 9
Contact: Fred Zeise (xerocarbon@uucpa.org)
Registration: Not required