Did you know that the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) removed from the atmosphere through carbon capture technology has been woefully inadequate? In fact, according to a recent report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), we need to capture and store about 11 gigatons of CO2 per year to meet the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C target. But in 2020, the global carbon capture capacity was a paltry 40 million tons – a mere 0.36% of the required amount. It’s a staggering gap, and one that has many experts wondering if carbon capture tech can be scaled up in time to save us from climate catastrophe.
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Despite these daunting numbers, researchers and innovators are working tirelessly to develop more efficient and cost-effective carbon capture technologies. And it’s not just about big, industrial-scale projects – there are also innovative start-ups and grassroots initiatives popping up around the world, using everything from bioengineering to nanotechnology to tackle the problem.
One company making waves in the field is Carbon Engineering, a Canadian start-up that’s developed a chemical process to capture CO2 from the air at a cost of around $100 per ton. That’s a significant drop from the current cost of $600-800 per ton, and a major breakthrough in making carbon capture a viable solution for industrial-scale emissions.
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Another area of focus is the use of bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS). This involves growing biomass (such as crops or algae), burning it to generate electricity or heat, and then capturing the CO2 emissions and storing them underground. It’s a complex process, but one that has the potential to not only remove CO2 from the atmosphere, but also produce energy in the process.
There are also some innovative approaches being explored in the field of carbon utilization, where CO2 is converted into valuable chemicals and materials. For example, start-ups like LanzaTech are using microbes to convert CO2 into fuels, chemicals, and even building materials.
Of course, none of these technologies are without their challenges and limitations. Cost, scalability, and public acceptance are just a few of the hurdles that need to be overcome before carbon capture can become a mainstream solution. But as the climate crisis continues to escalate, it’s clear that we need to be exploring every possible avenue – and that includes the potential of carbon capture tech.
So what’s the way forward? It’s clear that a combination of technology, policy, and societal change will be needed to address the scale and complexity of the carbon conundrum. Governments, corporations, and individuals all have a role to play in driving innovation and investment in carbon capture, and in creating the policies and cultural shifts that will support its widespread adoption.
The clock is ticking, but with the right combination of innovation, investment, and determination, there’s still hope that carbon capture tech can help us avoid the worst impacts of climate change. And as the IPCC report so starkly illustrates, it’s high time we started scaling up – for the future of our planet, and for the future of humanity itself.
