Alternative Approaches to Carbon Dioxide Removal II

Sacha Corby

In this video, Sacha delves into the world of engineered carbon dioxide removal (CDR) solutions, exploring how technologies like enhanced rock weathering, bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), and direct air capture and storage (DACS) work to remove and store CO2. She also highlights the urgent need to scale multiple CDR methods simultaneously to meet the 6-gigaton removal target by 2050.

Carbon Capture and Storage

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Alternative Approaches to Carbon Dioxide Removal II

11 mins 49 secs

Key learning objectives:

Understand how Enhanced Rock Weathering, BECCS, and DACS remove and store CO2
Recognise the trade-offs between scalability, permanence, and cost across these CDR approaches
Understand the need to scale multiple CDR methods to achieve climate goals effectively

Overview:

Engineered CDR solutions include the likes of enhanced rock weathering, bioenergy with carbon capture and storage, and direct air capture. Enhanced rock weathering accelerates natural CO2 absorption by spreading crushed rock on fields, improving soil health and storing carbon in the ocean for millennia. BECCS captures CO2 released from biomass used for energy, pumping it into underground storage with high permanence but limited scalability due to biomass availability. DACS removes CO2 directly from the air using modular, energy-intensive technologies with exceptional durability and measurability. Each approach has unique strengths and challenges. Scaling these solutions is crucial to achieving the 6 gigatons of CDR required by 2050 to limit global warming, demanding immediate investment in diverse CDR strategies.

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Summary

What is enhanced rock weathering, and how does it sequester CO2?

Enhanced rock weathering accelerates natural processes by spreading crushed rock on agricultural fields, increasing its surface area to react with CO2 in rainwater. This reaction forms bicarbonate ions, which are transported to the ocean, where carbon is stored for millennia. The process improves soil health and reduces acidity but faces challenges in measuring CO2 removal and scaling due to laboratory analysis costs.

How does Bio-Energy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) combine natural and engineered processes for carbon removal?

BECCS uses biomass, which captures CO2 through photosynthesis, as an energy source. During energy generation, CO2 released from the biomass is captured and stored underground in geological formations, achieving long-term sequestration. While BECCS provides high permanence, its scalability is limited by the availability of sustainable biomass and the need to avoid emissions displacement during sourcing.

What makes Direct Air Capture and Storage (DACS) a highly measurable and durable carbon dioxide removal method?

DACS removes CO2 directly from ambient air using collector units powered by renewable energy. Captured CO2 is stored in geological formations, ensuring permanence for tens of thousands of years. DACS allows precise measurement of CO2 captured and stored using flow meters at injection sites. While it offers exceptional durability and measurability, DACS faces challenges from high costs due to engineering and energy requirements.

Why is it necessary to scale all carbon dioxide removal (CDR) approaches simultaneously?

Each CDR method has unique benefits and challenges. By scaling multiple approaches, risks like technological limitations and resource constraints are mitigated, while innovation is accelerated. This diversification ensures that the 6 gigatons of annual carbon removal required by 2050 can be achieved, providing a resilient and comprehensive strategy to limit global warming to 1.5°C.

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Sacha Corby

Dr. Sacha Corby, Director of CDR Science & Technology at Climeworks, is dedicated to identifying the best carbon dioxide removal methods. With a PhD in Chemistry from Imperial College London and experience in solar energy conversion, she combines science skills with business insights from three years at Bain & Company in Switzerland. Her team at Climeworks screens carbon removal approaches and suppliers to ensure that a CDR credit accurately represents one ton of CO2 removed.

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