THE MIX: Carbon Capture and Storage

Carbon Capture and Storage, or CCS, is technology to take carbon from a coal fired power plant's emissions and injecti them deep underground. This week's MIX looks at the challenges of CCS, and we also talk to someone who lives right next door to a CCS plant in West Virginia. Sarah Forbes of World Resources Institute and Gary Spitznogle of American Electric Power join Tyler Suiters to discuss the place for CCS today and in the future, and we also talk to William James, a resident of New Haven, West Virginia, about what its like to live next door to AEP's Mountaineer CCS Project.

Forbes says the decision to host a CCS project is up to individual communities, and that the local government needs to be involved. She is also concerned that governments must make sure the proper safety and regulatory framework is in place. She says that while deploying CCS technology may cost consumers more -- it's a part of the price people will have to pay to deal with climate change. She also says the 90 percent capture rate from AEP's Mountaineer project is the best possible with current engineering, and capturing more carbon would not be worth the cost at this point.

Spitznogle says AEP burns more coal than anyone in the Western Hemisphere and the company needs this technology to make its business work. He believes it's important to get the technology right and pick the proper location, and that the rules have to be appropriate for those locations. He says studies show that the extra costs to consumers for CCS projects may still pale in comparison to the cost of alternative energy. He believes the first commercial-scale deployment will be available by 2015, but he believes it will be longer before its use will be widespread.

James says life near a CCS plant is the same as it is anywhere else. He says there are no surprises, because AEP keeps the residents informed about what's going on and any potential problems with the project. He says the company is a good neighbor. He says his water is monitored closely by city officials and has seen no problems so far.