secret powder formula claims to be an air capture breakthrough.
This is great, it reminds me of a Volts podcast episode about a company that uses large sheets of Limestone to do the same. But if this is really that much more efficient, then we have a real solution on our hands
First of all, capturing CO2 out of the air is incredibly inefficient compared to simply not emitting it in the first place. It should be only the last resort after we’ve completely ceased using all fossil fuels and found that it still isn’t enough.
Second, I wonder how much greenhouse gas the manufacturing of this material emits?
Eventually we’ll reach diminishing returns on co2 emissions and start needing to remove it actively. This research will come in handy then.
Yep, currently industry needs to be cutting down a much emotion as possible, but DAC will probably still be needed in a couple decades, and research takes time so it’s still good that it is happening now.
Yeah,and this one shows a lot of promise since it’s passive. It doesn’t solve the storage problem which is a shame, but combined with something like enhanced weathering, maybe.
Another, more scientifically-minded article on the topic:
thank you. additional info here is that it is a plastic-based substance, which should be cheaper and easier to work with than metal structures.
Sounds interesting. I hope we see something that’s large scale in the works soon, or maybe years ago. We’re out of time.
Secret magic formula? Meh.
The claimed properties aren’t terribly better those in the system being used by Holocene; Guananine releases CO2 starting around 120°F, but it needs to get a bit hotter than that to do it reasonably quickly.
It’s certainly tempting, but this alone isn’t going to reverse the damage. That said if it was part of a full-decarbonization plan, I wouldn’t grumble!
The right price for a carbon tax is $300/ton ($3/gallon gasoline/diesel). Tax revenue paid as dividend to residents. By far, the cheapest way to avoid paying taxes on energy is cheap renewables. But if costs of capture/sequestration are lower than $300/ton, then FF companies investing in these, lowers their taxes, and does not prevent more renewables in addition to this. They are independent industries with independent skills.
CO2 levels are likely to overshoot even with 100% energy transition by 2040.
Did anyone think it would do the job alone?
The article mentions needing to both stop using fossil fuels, and pull carbon out of the atmosphere to meet goals.
