47b A Road Map to the Decarbonization of the U.S. Energy MIX. - the Potential Impact of Solar Thermal Energy

Reuel Shinnar and Francesco Citro. The Clean Fuels Institute, The City College of New York, 140th St. at Convent Avenue, New York, NY 10031

In this paper we present a plan for the gradual replacement of 98% of our total fossil fuel needs with available and affordable technology (which would also reduce 97% of present total CO2 emissions). We show that the direct use of electricity produced from alternative sources can replace 72% of the fossil fuel we consume. Another 26% can be replaced by hydrocarbons produced from syngas, a mixture of carbon oxides produced by gasifying biomass and hydrogen generated by electrolysis powered by alternative energy sources. 50% of this goal could be achieved over thirty years, and 80-90% over about 50 years.