Carbon capture technology faces cost and scale challenges

Climeworks’ carbon capture plant in Iceland removes CO2 from the air and stores it underground as stone, but critics question its efficiency due to high costs and limited capacity.

Adrienne Murray reports for BBC.

In short:

• Climeworks' Mammoth plant in Iceland, the largest of its kind, captures 36,000 tons of CO2 annually by converting it into stone underground using DAC technology powered by geothermal energy.
• The high cost of $1,000 per ton of CO2 and the plant’s energy needs raise concerns about the technology’s scalability and effectiveness compared to reducing emissions at the source.
• Experts emphasize the need for a multi-pronged approach to climate change, as DAC alone cannot significantly offset the 40 billion tons of CO2 released annually.

Key quote:

“We release about 40 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere every year, so this [DAC] won't make a dent in the big problem.”

— Dr. Edvard Júlíus Sólnes, University of Iceland

Why this matters:

As global CO2 emissions continue to rise, innovative solutions like direct air capture are being explored to mitigate climate change. However, the feasibility of scaling such technology while addressing its economic and energy demands remains uncertain.

Related:

• Op-ed: We don’t have time for another fossil fuel bridge
• 30 environmental advocacy groups ask PA governor to veto carbon capture bill
• Climate activists pan carbon capture plans