A Breakthrough In Capturing CO2

Date: 15/03/23

At Think Hire, we’re leading the way in offering technology, such as solar backup generators,  to reduce harmful CO2 emissions. However, scientists increasingly agree that simply cutting emissions is not going to be enough to prevent a global climate catastrophe. We also need to remove some of the CO2 that we have released into the atmosphere.

The good news is that this week, a team from Lehigh University in the United States announced a brand-new carbon capture system that was three times more efficient than anything we’ve had before. It could be a significant breakthrough in the battle against climate change.

What is CO2 capture?

CO2 capture systems essentially suck in air from the atmosphere and filter out the CO2 that it contains. This is then stored, usually underground, or in old empty oil wells far beneath the sea. It sounds like a simple and elegant solution, but it’s not that easy.

CO2 in the atmosphere is harmful, yet it’s actually at a relatively low concentration of around 400 parts per million. This makes extracting it costly, both in financial terms and in terms of the amount of energy needed to remove the CO2 from the air.

These systems do exist, most notably in Iceland, where the world’s largest direct air capture plant currently filters the air and pumps the CO2 deep underground. This plant, operated by Swiss company Climeworks, is effective in removing CO2, but it’s inefficient as a solution.

What’s different about the new system?

The new system, developed by a team led by Prof Arup SenGupta and published in the journal Science Advances, is three times more efficient at removing CO2 than any previous method. The professor believes once the new approach has been refined, they will be able to remove CO2 from the atmosphere for under $100 per tonne.

Another advantage of the new system is that the captured CO2 is easy to store. It can be combined with chemicals to create bicarbonate of soda and stored cheaply and safely in seawater. This avoids the significant energy expenditure normally needed to pump it underground.

Is removing CO2 an alternative to cutting emissions?

While CO2 removal is an effective way to reduce greenhouse gases, many scientists are avoiding this area of research in case the work is misinterpreted. They worry that governments and industries will see CO2 capture as an alternative to cutting emissions, when in fact, both are an essential part of the fight to reach net zero by 2050.

Figures show that we are already off course for the temperature targets of the Paris accord, and we are likely to fall significantly short of these targets based on cutting emissions alone. CO2 capture is not an alternative to cutting emissions, it’s a crucial second front in the war.

What can you do to cut CO2?

Cutting CO2 in the atmosphere is a real challenge, and we all have a part to play. By working with Think Hire as your renewable energy partner, you can introduce changes, such as solar backup generators, that will cut your CO2 output. In fact, we guarantee lower emissions, along with a guaranteed cut in operating costs too.

Solar backup generators slash the amount of diesel you use on site, creating clean, dependable energy with no emissions. You might not think one generator will make much difference, but if every site in the UK installed solar backup generators, the resulting cut in CO2 emissions would be significant. Were that to happen around the world, it would make a massive difference to the climate crisis.

To find out more about cutting CO2 by using a solar backup generator, talk to the team at Think Hire today. Together with the new technology announced this week, there is still time for the world to get back on track for net zero by 2050.

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