Direct Air Capture (DAC) is a new form of Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR). Although the technology was first suggested in 1999, it’s only been recently put to the test and is still in constant development. It’s not exactly profitable yet either; the combined efforts of all the operational DAC plants in the world are only removing about 0.01 metric tons of CO2 a year.
To meet the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) plans for Net Zero Emissions by 2050, DAC plants must be able to remove up to 60 metric tons of CO2 a year by 2030. There’s a plan to build more DAC plants to reach that goal.
In the @IEA Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario, direct air capture technologies capture more than 85 Mt of CO2 in 2030 and around 980 MtCO2 in 2050, requiring a large and accelerated scale-up from almost 0.01 MtCO2 today. #climateTech #climateinnovationhttps://t.co/sBIqdSYcOB
— NEG8 (@NEG8Carbon) August 1, 2023
Capturing CO2
Because the technology is still relatively young, there isn’t a go-to method for storing the captured CO2. The most common solution is to keep it in containers deep underground. This method would keep it from harming the environment any further.
Other solutions would be to use the captured CO2 in food processing or to combine it with hydrogen and produce synthetic fuels. Using it for fuel would also cause a cycle wherein the carbon from combusted fuel will be reintroduced into the air, only for DAC plants to capture them again. It would also help our search for reusable green energy.
Direct air capture plays an important & growing role in net zero pathways. Capturing CO2 from the air & permanently storing it removes the CO2 from the atmosphere, balancing emissions that are difficult to avoid as well as removing legacy emissions. https://t.co/0JOkzMG2xF pic.twitter.com/vTOGd82SWv
— NEG8 (@NEG8Carbon) July 27, 2023
Who works on DAC?
Of course, this is an attractive business as well hence why companies such as Siemens Energy and General Electric, among others, are invested in this field for research and development with the hope of establishing themselves as a leader in direct air capture and surrounding areas.
Other forms of CDR
Long before DAC, there have been other forms of CDR. Here are some of the popular methods that are being utilized:
- Soil Carbon Sequestration: This method requires using farm and agricultural lands to keep CO2 in the ground. Soil is great for trapping CO2 and keeping it out of our atmosphere. Naturally, plants would absorb CO2, depositing them in the soil.
- Afforestation/Reforestation: Similar to the concept of Soil Carbon Sequestration, this method requires entire swaths of forests. Apart from revitalizing the ecosystem, this can significantly impact our planet’s carbon emissions for the better.
Photo credit: The feature image shows five of the 50+ scientists and engineers that make up GE’s Carbon Capture Breakout Team. The photo is owned by GE and was made available as part of a press release. Other credits for images in the body of the article are credited directly beneath the graphics.
Source: IEA
