Can Biomimicry Be a Useful Tool for Design for Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation? - Biotechnologies and Biomimetics for Civil Engineering - page 93

independent verification of the viability of their systems but as yet there are no
results available (see however: Gonzalez et al. 2009 for a technical report of
BioWave testing). Once in operation the energy generated is claimed to be cost
competitive with that from typical wind farms (BioPower Systems 2011 ). Bio-
Power has also developed tidal power conversion systems based on the efficient
propulsion mechanisms (termed 'thunniform motion') of species such as shark,
tuna and mackerel called BioSTREAM (Gebeshuber et al. 2009 ).
Finding methods to replace fossil fuels with renewable energy sources is a long-
term solution to climate change (Atkinson 2007a ). This is potentially problematic
given the time available to find alternatives to the use of fossil fuel before more
irreversible damage is done to the climate however (Turner 2008 ). Due to the
economic and social impacts of climate change (Stern 2006 ; Howden-Chapman
et al. 2010 ) it is possible that resources to research and develop alternatives to
fossil fuels will become more scarce (Mitchell 2012 ). It should also be remem-
bered that despite new developments in energy generation technologies, the uptake
of such technologies is hindered because industrialised countries still tend to
subsidise fossil fuels, hampering research into renewable energy alternatives.
One study estimated that the subsidy is as high as $US200 billion per year
(Gebeschuber et al. 2009).
While reducing or ceasing to use fossil fuels as an energy source would prevent
creation and release of additional GHG emissions, biomimicry has also been
investigated to find ways to remove excess CO 2 already in the atmosphere.
4.3.3 Biomimetic Sequestering and Storage of Carbon
There are several organisms and processes in nature that are able to store,
sequester or recycle carbon. Understanding how they do this could be used in the
development of technologies for industrial processes and the built environment. In
Quebec, CO 2 Solutions is developing carbon sequestration technology which
mimics certain chemical processes that occur in the bodies of mammals (Geers and
Gros 2000 ). The technology mimics the enzyme carbonic anhydrase which is able
to convert CO 2 into bicarbonates. This enzyme enables mammals to manage CO 2
during respiration. The process works at atmospheric pressure and ambient tem-
peratures (Fradette 2007 ). It generates bicarbonate which can be used to neutralise
certain industrial wastes, store CO 2 or can be transformed into carbonate com-
pounds such as limestone to be used in processes in cement works or paper mills.
The aqueous solution, where the conversion of CO 2 to bicarbonate occurs, is
reused in a closed loop. The technology can be retrofitted onto existing facilities
such as power plants, cement works, aluminium smelters and oil sands operations,
or integrated into new ones (Atkinson 2007b ;CO 2 Solution 2008 ). The process is
more energy effective, and therefore cost-effective, than conventional carbon
capture technology that use monoethanolamine, with energy savings of the order
of 30 % (Carley 2012 ). The enzymes used allow the use of different solvents (such