Articles tagged with "carbon-storage"
The Realistic Future Of Carbon Capture: Pure Streams, Right Locations, Smart Uses - CleanTechnica
The article from CleanTechnica emphasizes that carbon capture and storage (CCS) is not a universal solution to climate change but can be effective under specific conditions. The key to successful CCS lies in capturing CO2 from high-purity streams generated by certain industrial processes, such as ethanol fermentation, steam methane reforming in ammonia production, lime and cement kilns, biogas upgrading, and direct iron reduction using biomethane. These processes produce concentrated CO2 streams that are easier and more cost-effective to capture compared to dilute flue gases, which require significant energy and expense to separate CO2 from inert gases. Location is critical for CCS viability, with the most practical projects situated near suitable geological storage sites or coastal facilities with short pipeline routes to offshore storage. Large, complex CO2 transport networks are economically and logistically challenging, making proximity to storage a major factor in project success. Additionally, policy frameworks that assign real value to carbon abatement—through carbon pricing, credits, or targeted support—are
energycarbon-capturecarbon-storageclimate-changedecarbonizationclean-energycarbon-emissionsGoogle’s bets on carbon capture power plants, which have a mixed record
Google is investing in a new 400-megawatt carbon capture power plant near Decatur, Illinois, adjacent to an ethanol facility operated by Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), which already captures CO2 from its operations. Google plans to purchase most of the plant’s electricity for its data centers and aims to capture approximately 90% of the CO2 emissions generated. The captured CO2 will be injected into geological storage formations previously used by ADM, marking the site as the location of the first long-term CO2 storage well in the U.S. However, CO2 injections were paused in 2024 after the EPA found that salty brine containing dissolved CO2 had migrated into unauthorized zones due to corrosion in a monitoring well. While carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology holds promise for reducing emissions from fossil fuel power plants, its track record is mixed. Data from 13 CCS facilities, representing over half of all captured carbon, shows many underperforming expectations. For example, an ExxonMobil
energycarbon-capturecarbon-storagepower-plantsgreenhouse-gas-reductionclimate-technologysustainable-energyWhy carbon capture is the real bottleneck in climate tech
The article highlights that while carbon storage capacity is expanding and technologically ready, the primary bottleneck in climate tech lies in the insufficient rate of carbon capture. Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a three-step process involving capturing CO2 emissions from industrial sources like power plants, cement, and steel factories, transporting the compressed CO2, and permanently storing it underground. Experts emphasize that CCS is crucial for decarbonizing hard-to-abate sectors and enabling carbon dioxide removal technologies such as Bio-Energy with CCS and Direct Air Carbon Capture and Storage. However, despite the growing storage infrastructure, the volume of CO2 being captured remains inadequate to meet storage potential. The challenges in scaling carbon capture include high energy consumption, inflexibility with varying industrial loads, expensive infrastructure, and health and safety concerns related to chemical degradation. These factors contribute to slow deployment and limited adaptability of capture technologies, especially for industrial emissions with dilute CO2 concentrations. Both Sarah Saltzer of Stanford Center for Carbon Storage and Jean-
energycarbon-captureclimate-technologygreenhouse-gas-reductioncarbon-storageindustrial-emissionsclimate-change-mitigationCarbon Storage’s Prudent Limit: The End Of Infinite Assumptions - CleanTechnica
The article from CleanTechnica discusses a significant reassessment of global carbon capture and storage (CCS) capacity, challenging the long-held assumption that geological storage is nearly limitless. Previous estimates suggested sedimentary basins could store between 10,000 and 40,000 gigatons of CO₂, with industry and policy often treating storage as an infinite backstop for ongoing fossil fuel use and climate overshoot scenarios. However, a new study published in Nature applies a comprehensive risk-based analysis incorporating factors such as seismic risk, depth constraints, proximity to urban areas, environmental protections, and geopolitical considerations. This approach reduces the realistic, prudent global storage capacity to about 1,460 gigatons—roughly 90% less than earlier technical estimates. This recalibration has profound implications for climate strategy. The limited storage capacity means CCS cannot simultaneously serve as a broad solution for continued fossil fuel emissions and a safety valve for overshoot mitigation. Most existing 2 °C climate pathways already exceed this prudent
energycarbon-capturecarbon-storageclimate-changegeological-storageenvironmental-protectionsustainabilityMass Timber & Fire Safety: What The Evidence Shows - CleanTechnica
The article from CleanTechnica examines the fire safety of mass timber, highlighting its growing use due to advantages like lighter weight, faster assembly, and carbon storage compared to concrete and steel. A key concern for stakeholders—developers, insurers, and regulators—is whether mass timber can withstand fire as effectively as traditional materials. The article explains that mass timber behaves differently in fire: thick timber members form a protective char layer that insulates the core, slowing heat spread and preserving structural integrity. Unlike steel, which loses strength rapidly at high temperatures, or concrete, which can spall and expose reinforcing steel, mass timber fails gradually and predictably, allowing designers to size components to maintain load-bearing capacity during fire exposure. Fire testing supports these findings, with mass timber assemblies routinely achieving 1-2 hour fire ratings and sometimes longer. Full-scale compartment burn tests in North America and Europe have shown that mass timber structures can survive intense fires without collapse, with fires often self-extinguishing after consuming room contents. The National
materialsmass-timberfire-safetycross-laminated-timbersustainable-building-materialscarbon-storageconstruction-materialsFrom Reuse To Burial: Managing Mass Timber Beyond The Building Stage - CleanTechnica
The article from CleanTechnica discusses the critical importance of managing mass timber beyond its use in construction to ensure its role as a genuine climate solution. Mass timber, such as cross-laminated timber (CLT), is gaining traction for its ability to reduce embodied carbon by replacing high-emission materials like concrete and steel and by storing biogenic carbon absorbed during tree growth. However, the climate benefits hinge on effective end-of-life strategies that keep the carbon locked away rather than releasing it back into the atmosphere. Designing buildings for disassembly enables direct reuse of timber components, potentially extending carbon storage to a full century and avoiding emissions from new material production. When direct reuse is not feasible, cascading uses—downcycling timber into smaller components, furniture, or composite products—can prolong carbon storage and reduce demand for virgin materials, though less efficiently than reuse. Beyond reuse and cascading, transforming timber into stable forms like biochar offers long-term carbon sequestration. Biochar, produced by heating wood without oxygen, res
materialsmass-timbercarbon-footprintsustainable-constructioncross-laminated-timberclimate-solutioncarbon-storageFrom Harvest To Housing: CLT Locks Away More Carbon Than It Emits - CleanTechnica
The article from CleanTechnica discusses the carbon accounting of cross laminated timber (CLT) and its potential as a carbon-negative building material. CLT stores significant amounts of carbon absorbed by trees during growth, locking it into building structures for as long as they stand. Although emissions occur throughout the CLT lifecycle—from harvesting and transport to drying, adhesive production, and assembly—the amount of carbon stored in the wood far exceeds these emissions. For example, producing one cubic meter of CLT emits about 120 kilograms of CO2, while the wood stores nearly a ton of CO2, making CLT net carbon negative from cradle to gate according to Canadian Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs). However, current carbon accounting standards often separate stored carbon from emissions rather than netting them, due to uncertainty about the wood's end-of-life fate. If wood is incinerated or landfilled without proper gas management, stored carbon is released back into the atmosphere. Conversely, reuse, recycling, or conversion into stable
energymaterialscarbon-storagecross-laminated-timbersustainable-constructionembodied-carbonclimate-changePersistence Pays Off For Direct Air Carbon Capture
The article highlights significant progress in the field of direct air carbon capture (DAC), focusing on the collaboration between Swiss firm Climeworks and Icelandic startup Carbfix at the Hellisheiði geothermal power plant. Since its founding in 2009, Climeworks has been developing DAC technology to economically remove atmospheric CO2. Partnering with Carbfix, which specializes in underground carbon mineralization, they have integrated DAC with Carbfix’s process of injecting CO2-rich, acidic carbonated water into basaltic rock formations. This results in rapid mineralization, permanently storing over 95% of injected CO2 as stable carbonates within two years—much faster than previously expected. The geothermal plant’s volcanic emissions, although low compared to fossil fuel plants, provide a target for this carbon removal, enhancing Iceland’s reputation for low-carbon energy. The collaboration has evolved since 2017, with Climeworks expanding its DAC facility at Hellisheiði and applying lessons from their initial “Arctic Fox” pilot.
energydirect-air-capturecarbon-capturegeothermal-powercarbon-mineralizationrenewable-energycarbon-storageUK firm’s bricks turn waste soil into walls that breathe in carbon
UK-based sustainable materials company earth4Earth (e4E) has developed innovative bricks made from excavated soil and a unique lime-based binder that capture and permanently store atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂). Unlike traditional lime binders, which require high-temperature processing that emits CO₂, e4E’s binder is produced at room temperature and stores all CO₂ generated during manufacturing as stable carbonates, eliminating emissions. These bricks use Direct Air Capture (DAC) technology to absorb CO₂ from the air, turning buildings constructed with them into carbon sinks while enhancing the bricks’ material properties. e4E offers a product line with varying binder content—N10, N20, and N30 bricks containing 10%, 20%, and 30% binder respectively—where higher binder percentages correspond to increased carbon absorption. The company has pilot projects underway in the UK and plans to begin local production next year, creating around 30 jobs. With a research center in Sheffield and a factory in Wuhan, China,
materialssustainable-materialscarbon-capturecarbon-storageconstruction-innovationeco-friendly-bricksdecarbonizationClimeFi Structures First ITMO CDR Transfer Between Switzerland & Norway - CleanTechnica
The article reports the first-ever cross-border transfer of Internationally Transferred Mitigation Outcomes (ITMOs) under Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement, marking a significant milestone in the durable carbon removal (CDR) market. This transaction involves the transfer of verified CDR credits generated from biomass-based carbon removal with permanent geological storage in Norway to a coalition of Swiss corporate buyers. The deal was coordinated by ClimeFi and formalized during a signing ceremony in Norway on June 17, 2025. Unlike traditional carbon offsets, this transfer operates within a government-recognized bilateral framework, ensuring enhanced credibility, transparency, and international accountability. Swiss Environment Minister Albert Rösti emphasized the importance of CO2 storage technology in Switzerland’s path to net-zero emissions, highlighting the agreement’s role in fostering innovation and strengthening bilateral ties. ClimeFi’s CEO Paolo Piffaretti noted the initiative as a pioneering example of public-private partnership, demonstrating how sovereign oversight, commercial structuring, and private
energycarbon-removalclimate-changeParis-Agreementcarbon-storagesustainabilitydecarbonization