The better way would be through some sort of carbon tax, which would penalise fossil fuels but not any fuel free of carbon emissions, whether nuclear power or renewables.
But if gas is plentiful and cheap enough to replace carbon-rich coal, it will also be in a position to replace carbon-free nuclear and renewables, and in doing so more carbon dioxide will be emitted than would otherwise be the case.
Calculate carbon offsets for your car, plane or train trip with the free United Nations Environment Programme Carbon Calculator iPhone app.
Yet for all the subsidies lavished on automakers in this carbon-free niche, none have made any serious headway.
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Shale gas is also likely to divert investment in Britain from pricier but carbon-free nuclear and renewable-energy sources.
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In the effort to mitigate carbon emissions and climate change, sources of carbon-free renewable energy are sought, particularly wind power.
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And if cars switch from oil to electricity, the demand for power generated from carbon-free sources will increase still further.
In Europe's cap-and-trade scheme, the European Union allocated emissions allowances for free to emitters of carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases.
We have indicated that about 57 TWh of carbon-free power are needed, of which rooftop photovoltaic panels will supply 11 TWh.
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Billionaire Silicon Valley tech investor Peter Thiel has funded a Canadian engineer trying to tap the power of tornadoes to generate carbon-free electricity.
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It is seen, therefore, as a bridge fuel, one that takes us from coal and oil to some mix of carbon-free energy in the future.
The need to develop carbon-free energy sources is greater than ever, and Germany is leading the charge, breaking all previous solar installation records in 2012.
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Nukes may not be quite as clean as wind, solar or geothermal, but they provide a carbon-free and domestic source of energy that produces lots of jobs.
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The coal industry may be fighting new federal emissions standards, air-pollution regulations and even the idea of carbon pricing, but those things are all a boon for carbon-free nuclear power.
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By 2014, this rural district will be providing 236% of its own energy needs from renewables and hopes to generate significant revenue by exporting excess carbon-free power to the open market.
Democratic leaders blocked such a vote arguing such an approach could hurt the environment as well as delay a transition to carbon-free, renewable energy sources such as solar and wind energy.
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Windmills and solar cells are carbon-free sources of electricity.
Sir David King, Tony Blair's chief scientist, recently argued that one further generation of nuclear power stations is needed (in Britain at least) to buy time, in order to keep down emissions of carbon dioxide, the chief greenhouse gas, while new carbon-free non-nuclear technologies are developed.
Not everyone is convinced that wind-power is the most reliant route to clean, renewable carbon-free energy, and it is concerning that Britain is relying on a power source that must be backed up by more constant technologies such as nuclear, coal, or gas, because the wind blows inconsistently, as is its nature.
Of course, nuclear power is not the only carbon emission-free option.
Smokestacks spew carbon monoxide already for free, leading to a potentially cheaper fuel.
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Also for pre-planning, the free Flight Calculator Windows app estimates carbon emissions for flights around the world and gives an option to immediately purchase offsets that fund a range of verified projects from Carbon Footprint Ltd.
More importantly, a successful voluntary carbon market moves green low carbon economic activity into the free market domain, rather than the mandatory one we currently find ourselves in.
But driving the Model S was so fun, convenient and carbon-and-cash free that I was reluctant to hand the car over and head to LAX to fly back to San Francisco.
Presumably a carbon-sequestering plant would get a free pass from the environmentalists.
In other words, free-market pricing leads to fewer outputs of carbon.
Amid this situation, free market capitalism driven by individual voluntary choice can contribute to carbon mitigation.
The car free experiment is an attempt to cut the congestion and the resulting carbon emissions.
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The government announced that the city would be zero-carbon, powered entirely by renewable energy, car-free, and produce net-zero waste.
The only approach that will fulfill the conditions and relieve countries' apprehensions regarding sovereignty and free riding is one in which all countries agree to penalize their carbon emissions in such a way that, over time, an internationally harmonized carbon price prevails.
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