The Cleantech Show #017 (MP3 - 14MB - 37min)
Interview with Phil Kithill, Atmocean Inc.

In February 2007, Richard Branson and Al Gore announced a new global science and technology prize - The Virgin Earth challenge  - whereby an individual or group can demonstrate a solution that can remove at least 1 billion tons of atmospheric carbon dioxide per year for at least ten years. The objective is to act as a saftey and long term mechanism to help reduce atmospheric CO2 concentrations. The prize? $25 million, but the solution has to be commercially viable and registrations are open until 2010 (wiki)

One company which many have high hopes for being eligible for this prize and a candidate for large scale CO2 sequestration is Atmocean based in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Our guest on this weeks show is Phil Kithil the founder and CEO of Atmocean Inc and inventor of the company’s wave-driven ocean upwelling system.

Previously Phil founded and led Advanced Safety Concepts, Inc., an automotive safety technology business where he was awarded 12 US and international patents on occupant sensing and crash sensing, which he sold to Methode Electronics (a Chicago-based automotive supplier) in 2004.

Atmocean is developing its proprietary wave-driven ocean upwelling system to cool the upper ocean and enhance natural biological processes to absorb CO2. When widely deployed across critical ocean regions, the Atmocean technology can help fight global warming by sequestering massive amounts of CO2 on the ocean floor, reduce hurricane intensity, and help revive ocean fisheries.

If you would like to understand how the technology works, the Atmocean website has some good animations and video clips explaining the technology

Currently the company is a significant research phase testing and refining the technology. When deployed estimates are that a 100,000 sq km array of 25,000 pumps would be able to sequester 2.5 million tonnes of CO2.  Phil and his team are also raising capital for further development of the technology.

So in the comments this week, do you think this technology can achieve what is says? Are there other technologies that are better placed to sequester carbon dioxide. Lets hear your thoughts.

Enjoy the show.

cheers
Nick Bruse

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The Cleantech Show #006 (MP3 - 20MB - 56min)

The pressure to establish Emissions Trading programs in order to reduce C02 emissions is mounting in many countries and at a global level worldwide.

In this weeks show we have an in depth discussion about Emissions Trading with Rob Fowler, the Managing Director of Abatement Solutions - Asia Pacific. Rob is an expert on emission’s trading programs and advises clients in Australia, China, Europe and the United States.

On the show we discuss the in’s and out’s of Emissions Trading programs, how they can be set up, the differences between cap and trade and baseline and credit systems, and the progress being made in various schemes worldwide. So be sure to listen in.

Rob’s provided some links that people can follow for more detail on the topics and organisations discussed in the show.

• National Emissions Trading Taskforce (Australian States)
• Prime Minister’s Emissions Trading Task Group (Australia)
• Greenhouse Gas Abatement Scheme (Australia - New South Wales)
• Australian Greenhouse Office (Australia)
• IISD Linkages - Climate and Atmosphere (Global)
• Clean Development Mechanism under the Kyoto Protocol (Global)
• EU Emissions Trading Scheme (European Union)

Cheers
Nick Bruse

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