The demand for electrical energy has exploded over the last 5 years. Data centers, electric vehicles, and the electrification in many industry processes have increased the demand on the grid, not seen since the 1940s. Wind and solar energy are the cheapest forms of energy at point source, with batteries rapid development starting to address the energy storage problem with renewables. Natural gas is also playing a leading role in supplying the energy needed for electricity generation. The use of nuclear power is also getting attention, reinventing itself using small modular and micro reactors. Electricity demand has caused significant increases in the cost of electricity generation across the entire country. Is there another energy source that we may have overlooked at the multi-quad energy level? If so, what needs to be done to integrate this energy source into our current infrastructure in the U.S.?
Dr. James Seaba, Program Director at the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E), believes pure carbon is a potential solution to our electricity generation demand. He will outline the challenges and some technical approaches to unlock carbon’s huge energy potential. He will also highlight the exciting economical aspects of using carbon.