5 Ways We Can Slow Down Climate Change With Carbon Capture Technologies

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Climate change is one of the most pressing issues facing humanity today. It’s a complex problem that stems from many different sources and is often challenging to understand. But it’s not impossible to tackle; Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technologies are promising methods for slowing down climate change. CCS is a group of methods, processes, and devices that capture carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from exhaust streams of fossil-fuel power plants or other CO2 sources, such as natural gas processing or fermentation operations in biofuels production. If you want to find out more about CCS and how it can help slow down climate change, keep reading!

Climate change refers to a significant and lasting change in the Earth’s climate, including the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. This change is largely caused by human activities that increase the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. These gases trap heat, making the planet warmer. Climate change is already affecting ecosystems and the services they provide to society, such as crop pollination, clean drinking water, and natural coastal protection from storms and floods. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) projects that, without additional efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, climate change will cause significant future impacts to society and ecosystems. For example, IPCC predicts that sea level will rise by up to one meter by the end of the century, affecting coastal communities around the world. In some places, as much as 70 percent of the population is at risk of flooding from a one-meter rise in sea level.

The main culprit behind increasing CO2 levels in the atmosphere is the combustion of fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas. Fossil fuels are a non-renewable energy source that power most of the world’s industries and transportation systems. The combustion process releases CO2, as well as other pollutants, such as nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6). For instance, the burning of coal, which is the most commonly used source of fossil fuel power, releases around 11 tons of CO2 per short ton of coal. When we burn fossil fuels, the carbon dioxide (CO2) they contain does not go away. Instead, it gets released into the atmosphere and remains there for centuries. This is why CO2 levels rise and fall with human activity, but never drop to the levels that existed before we started burning fossil fuels. If CO2 emissions are not curbed, the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere could increase from the current level of almost 400 parts per million (ppm) to 1000 ppm, which will have a significant impact on the planet's climate.

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technologies are promising methods for slowing down climate change. CCS is a group of methods, processes, and devices that capture carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from exhaust streams of fossil-fuel power plants or other CO2 sources, such as natural gas processing or fermentation operations in biofuels production. CO2 is then transported through pipelines and stored deep underground in the formation of depleted hydrocarbon oil and gas wells. The purpose of this process is to reduce the amount of CO2 emissions released into the atmosphere. If we can use CCS technologies to capture CO2 emissions, we can reduce the amount of CO2 released into the atmosphere, thus slowing down climate change.

The best carbon capture technologies are the ones that are most efficient and cost-effective. But to find the best carbon capture technologies we must first understand the different methods that are available. 
There are 4 main carbon capture technologies and each has their unique benefits and challenges. 

Biochar is a soil amendment that has been used by farmers in South America for centuries. It is made by heating biomass (such as wood) in the absence of oxygen. This process creates a carbon-rich substance that can be used as a fertilizer, soil amendment, or as a sustainable source of energy. In order to use biochar as a carbon capture technology, the biomass is first either extracted from the ground or grown specifically to produce energy, such as in a biomass power plant. The biomass is then converted into biochar and mixed with the CO2 emissions from the power plant. This biochar can then be buried underground and used to store the CO2 emissions from the power plant. The main advantage of using biochar as a carbon capture technology is that it’s a renewable resource that can be reused. The biochar created from the biomass has significantly higher CO2 adsorption capacity than soil.

Dark CO2 fractionation is a process of extracting CO2 from flue gas with a chemical solvent, which is then separated into its alkaline and CO2 components through a chemical process. In order to perform dark CO2 fractionation, the flue gas is passed over a solvent that absorbs the CO2 and then separates it from the remaining gases. The solvent is then heated, causing it to release the CO2. The remaining gases are then recycled back into the flue gas stream. Dark CO2 fractionation has been used in oil refineries for decades. It is a proven carbon capture technology that is currently in commercial operation.

There are 5 different carbon capture technologies that can be used to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and slow down climate change. These technologies are carbon dioxide capture and sequestration, carbon dioxide conversion, biochar production, dark CO2 fractionation, and SCADA systems. Carbon dioxide capture and sequestration is the process of capturing CO2 emissions and transporting it through pipelines to be stored deep underground in depleted hydrocarbon oil and gas wells. Carbon dioxide conversion is the process of converting CO2 into another chemical compound that can be used for industrial or commercial applications, like baking soda, baking soda, carbon dioxide, or methanol. Biochar production is converting CO2 into a carbon-rich soil amendment called biochar. Dark CO2 fractionation is a process of extracting CO2 from flue gas with a chemical solvent, which is then separated into its alkaline and CO2 components through a chemical process.

There are companies out there working on capturing CO2 and hiring!