AZ HVAC Schools, WV Power Plants, and Reducing CO2 Emissions

What do Arizona HVAC Schools and a West Virginia Power Plant have in common?

With the increasing concern over the environment, some have turned their attention towards the HVAC industry. The concern is that all the air conditioners in a warm state like Arizona draw a lot of power from the electrical grid. This electricity comes from fossil fuel power plants, more often than not. These fossil fuel power plants can generate large amounts of CO2.

Reducing CO2 Emissions in West Virginia

On the other side of the country, there could be a solution brewing. A recent story in the NY Times chronicles the recent developments around a coal fired power plant in New Haven, West Virginia. The Mountaineer Power Plant was commissioned in September of 1980, and it has recently been retrofitted with a new technique to curb CO2 emissions.

Mountaineer Power Plant's approach to CO2 emissions? Don't release them into the air. The power plant has been fitted with equipment to gather up the CO2 released by the plant and inject it deep into the soil. This can keep the gas trapped in the earth for millennia.

Critiques and Criticisms

Some people claim the new process is more of the same, and a step in the wrong direction. They argue that though the CO2 isn't being released into the atmosphere, it can still do damage being pumped into the soil. One possible problem would be if the CO2 mixed with the groundwater and formed carbonic acid. Others decry the plan because it serves as a panacea for the problem of relying on non-renewable sources of energy.

In the end, the solution employed by the Mountaineer Power Plant is more of a stopgap. Eventually we will reach a point where renewable energies are viable, but until then something needs to be done to curb CO2 emissions. Additionally, retrofitting an existing fossil fuel power plant is easier and cheaper then replacing a plant with a new, green plant.

Arizona HVAC Schools Offer their Own Solution

There are other ways to reduce CO2 emissions. For one, simply use less electricity. Learning how to equip air conditioning systems with newer and more efficient technology can help lower demands on electricity. This is why Phoenix AZ cooling schools make sure to teach their students all the latest green technologies. Helping people prepare for a changing job market is one of the reasons trade schools in Phoenix have become more popular in recent years.