Monday, February 12, 2007
$25 Million Prize - Enter Now!
Richard Branson, of Virgin Atlantic Airlines has posted a $25 million bounty for the researched solution for global warming. Scientists are reeling over the possibility of finding a way to suck greenhouse gases out of the air.
Branson said,"Man created the problem, therefore man should solve the problem."
He compared the competition to a 1714 contest which the British government launched to estimate longitude correctly. Sixty years passed before a prize winner could claim the prize from Great Britain.
The technology for sucking gases out of the air is already in place but costs are so prohibitive that the implementation is not feasible, yet. Branson is hoping that this incentive will help to focus scientists to research a cost effective way of capturing the carbon dioxide waste.
Current technology for capturing the gases would cost approximately $300 per ton. David Keith, engineering professor at the University of Calgary has a provisional patent on carbon atmospheric capture technology. He said, "This is really about price." Keith reiterates that technology is there, but the costs are enormous.
Branson's original commitment to fighting global warming has a $3 billion price tag. He is devoting all profits from his travel companies over the next 10 years. This latest incentive will push science to make a major commitment towards a solution. Branson has also started a new Virgin Fuels business and plans to invest $400 million in green-energy projects.
Branson said,"Man created the problem, therefore man should solve the problem."
He compared the competition to a 1714 contest which the British government launched to estimate longitude correctly. Sixty years passed before a prize winner could claim the prize from Great Britain.
The technology for sucking gases out of the air is already in place but costs are so prohibitive that the implementation is not feasible, yet. Branson is hoping that this incentive will help to focus scientists to research a cost effective way of capturing the carbon dioxide waste.
Current technology for capturing the gases would cost approximately $300 per ton. David Keith, engineering professor at the University of Calgary has a provisional patent on carbon atmospheric capture technology. He said, "This is really about price." Keith reiterates that technology is there, but the costs are enormous.
Branson's original commitment to fighting global warming has a $3 billion price tag. He is devoting all profits from his travel companies over the next 10 years. This latest incentive will push science to make a major commitment towards a solution. Branson has also started a new Virgin Fuels business and plans to invest $400 million in green-energy projects.
Labels: conservation, environment, outdoors
# posted by W.E.T. River Trips - raftWET.com @ 12:34 PM 
