Letter: Pipeline editorial makes clear what is practical to hope for

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • March 10, 2021

It is vital to recognize the difference between practical and theoretical hopes. The big issue is to “get there from here” most efficiently, realistically and economically. Excess clean-energy production should be turned into hydrogen and oxygen that could be fed into pipelines and propane-style storage containers for use to replace fossil fuel gases. Pipelining captured methane gas from septic and waste processing systems can also be used with scrubbers as needed on the world’s journey toward carbon neutrality. In the meantime, solar panel arrays should be stacked vertically to most efficiently utilize land to also store carbon organically by growing trees and food to reduce the acidity of the air and waters, which will benefit various local ecosystems. ~ Jack Boak, Bremen