Misplaced Pages

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Zero emission refers to an engine, motor, or other energy source, that emits no waste products that pollutes the environment or disrupts the climate.

Zero emission engines

Traffic is a major contribution to air pollution and greenhouse gas emission, and thus zero emission engines are being actively researched but none have yet to be developed or marketed. Some technologies include battery powered electric engines, electric engines powered by hydrogen fuel cells, and engines powered by compressed air.

The EV1 automobile built by General Motors is often cited as an example of a zero-emissions vehicle, or ZEV. but is in reality a "displaced emissions" vehicle.

Technically, the EV1's motor, as well as other battery-powered electric propulsion units that rely on a national power grid for charging, are displaced-emission powerplants since many economies use large amounts of fossil fuel plants to produce electricity. Additionally, all current technologies being developed are "displaced emissions" technologies, substituting one emissions locatation or type for the type and location that the public is accoustomed to looking at.

Zero emission energy sources

Current technology

Renewable energy sources, including solar power, wind power, tidal power and hydroelectric power. are often referred to as zero emission power, since their operation produce very few, or zero, emissions. On the other hand, the construction of such plants may involve emissions if the materials are created or assembled using equipment that produces emissions. For example, the production of high purity silicon for photovoltaic cells consumes large quantities of carbon, contributing to CO2 emissions, and this is also true for the production of steel and concrete for wind turbines and hydroelectric dams.

Similarly, Nuclear power plants do not emit significant amounts of pollutants during their operation, but the extraction of Uranium ore and construction of waste repositories usually involves machinery powered by gasoline. The construction of the plant itself also requires materials similar to those for renewable energy sources, tho because of nuclear powerplants large output per station, less so per amount of energy produced. All in all, emissions due to the operation, fuel production and waste management from nuclear powerplants are similar in magnitude to those of the renewables. However, tho nuclear powerplants do not emit large amounts of pollution during normal operation, they do produce large quantities of radioactive waste, which has to be stored for several centuries before it's radioactivity has decreased to that of the uranium ore ( see Nuclear waste ). There is also concern that flawed designs or operation can lead to nuclear accidents, emitting radioactive pollutants, as happened during the Chernobyl disaster.

Potential future technologies

Many technological improvements have been suggested to reduce emissions from various energy sources. Carbon dioxide could be captured from fossil plants and stored underground rather than released into the atmosphere ( a technology known as carbon capture and storage ). Improved efficiency for solar cells, or cells made from novel materials, could offset the emissions associated with silicon production. New reactor technology could enable nuclear reactors to produce orders of magnitude more energy without increased emissions, and recycled or new materials could reduce the emissions associated with construction of windturbines and hydroelectric dams. Additionally, many new energy sources with low emissions are being researched, including among others: Wave power, Nuclear fusion and Bio fuel.

References

• Dixon, Lloyd (2002). Driving Emissions to Zero: Are the Benefits of California's Zero Emission Vehicle Program Worth the Costs?. RAND Corporation. ISBN 0-8330-3212-7. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)

• Articles lacking sources from December 2006
• Green vehicles