Solar Chimney Power Plant plus Solar Pond to Remove Atmospheric Methane: A Novel Concept
摘要
The methane concentration in the atmosphere is far lower than that of carbon dioxide, but it is more potent, accounting for 30% of the global greenhouse effect. Although removing atmospheric methane would be an effective way to mitigate climate change, no practical methods have been identified. The enhancement of the oxidative capacity of ecosystems to remove atmospheric methane is a green approach. This paper presents the novel concept of utilizing a solar chimney power plant (SCPP) associated with a solar pond to remove atmospheric methane. In the proposed system, the production of both hydroxyl radicals from ozone photolysis and chlorine atoms from converting Fe (III) to Fe (II) under optimized conditions degrades the atmospheric methane. The results reveal that a 200 MW SCPP associated with a solar pond could eliminate 0.22 million tons of atmospheric methane per year. The construction of 5400 systems worldwide could remove 1.19 billion tons of atmospheric methane per year, achieving the climate goal of a temperature rise of less than 2°C this century. The devices require an investment of about 3.5748×1012 EUR. Although the proposal seems a promising way to mitigate the effects of a warming climate, a comprehensive model must be developed to evaluate its feasibility.