By: Tianhao Chen
Recently, several companies, CEOs, and the Biden Administration have spent billions of dollars to develop carbon-capture technology in order to combat climate change.
Scientists have commented that the technology can slow down climate change, which has garnered interest for many. For instance, the Biden administration invested $3.5 billion in late May, with a goal to build four “direct air capture hubs” throughout the U.S.
There are a few ways carbon capture can be performed. One method is to utilize industrial plants at factories to either recycle or reuse or transfer the emitted carbon. Another way is to construct facilities that remove carbon dioxide from the air and store it underground.
A chemical process had first been used in the 1970s in the oil and gas industry to separate carbon dioxide from gas and transport it back into the oil fields to obtain more oil. Now it’s used by companies to take carbon out of cement, concrete, and steel factories either to be reused or stored.
Because diverting carbon emissions from smokestacks isn’t enough, direct air capture - where carbon dioxide is captured from the air and transported underground - is gaining support.
Speaking on the use of carbon-capture technology, Energy Secretary Jennifer M. Granholm said that “[t]he UN’s latest climate report made clear that removing legacy carbon pollution from the air through direct air capture and safely storing it is an essential weapon in our fight against the climate crisis.”
The investment of technology comes at a time when climate change is at a tipping point. In February, the UN said climate change has caused floods, droughts, famine, and a rise in deaths related to heat, pollution, and malnutrition.
Currently, there are 27 carbon capture projects worldwide, with 14 of them in the U.S. An additional 108 are in development.
While there have been increased developments in technology, there are people who oppose it. Nikki Reisch, the director of climate programs at the Center for International Environmental Law, said that it takes a lot of energy to run the plants, which would increase harmful pollutants.
In addition, she noted that carbon capture technology is not proven to be effective. She advises more focus on proven technologies, such as wind and solar energy, saying, “[p]eople want to believe there’s a quick fix — but there really isn’t. We need systemic, structural change.”
Link to Article: https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/06/23/carbon-capture-climate-change/